Should id sharks be banned ?

[tankbusterlover]

Just a question. Are you for the sale of pagasius such as the irridecent shark or do you think it's a fish that should be banned for sale and never at lfs ? I go to another forum and i can't say that my tank have id sharks without always getting reminded to get them back at the lfs and that this fish is unkeable into a fish tank. They say that no one can properly care for this. I know i am going to need a 500 gallon or 1000 gallon custom tank in the future but if i want to do it what is so wrong about it ? Right now they are in a 75 and next year will be upgraded to a 110 gallon.

We are monster fish keeper here. For us a small tank is bad news I saw into the photo lounge section that other monster fish keeper keeps id sharks as well. They tell me that public aquarium are overrun with id sharks that were once into people fish tank and people got rid of them. Maybe some people were unawere of what they were getting into when they bought the fish. But if you are ready to upgrade your tank and build a custom inside tank for your id shark there should not be a problem. A fish should never be a impulse buy anyway. I don'T necersely think i will have to dig a pool in my backyard for the fish. I know i will need a big tank. it's like keeping a red-tailed catfish or a pbass. I don'T know what fish can get to 13 feet in the wild.

It's sure if the id sharks get to 4 feet the tank would need to be at least 16 feet long and at least 48" deep to allow some swiming space. and even then 48" deep it's very tight. Just enough for the fish to turn around.

 

[grmanrocks]

banning isnt the solution......i think there should just be authororized and liscence daelars of dish such as arowanas, large cats, pacu, gars, pbass, sturgeon (ive had first-hand experience with the naiviety (if thats how u spell it) of sellers of this fish) ect. they should onlt be atttainable by permit proving the possesion of a suitable tank.

at the same time the best solution to the problem is buyer awarness, people should know and research before they buy, then people wouldnt buy them neways.

thanks for being a responisble aquarist and acknoledging that thses fish are indeed amazing pets and should only be kept under the correct circumstances , i myslef have considered picking up a "parron shark" that was missing its dorsal fin (got COMPLETELY torn off along with a chunk of the back due to a flowerhorn), but decied that scice i couldnt properly house it for its whole life that it would be better off at the store.

 

[tankbusterlover]

Hi,

It looks like i have quite some time to go before they reach 2 feet. Once they get to one foot they grow slowly. Someone had one for 13 years and now it's starting to get over 2 feet and possibly 3 feet. So i think a 6 feet tank next year and a 8 after could last me for some time before having that big inside pond.

 

[Brooklynella]

Hi,

It looks like i have quite some time to go before they reach 2 feet. Once they get to one foot they grow slowly. Someone had one for 13 years and now it's starting to get over 2 feet and possibly 3 feet. So i think a 6 feet tank next year and a 8 after could last me for some time before having that big inside pond.

+1. They grow very slowly. Irid's aren't easy to care for IMO. Many people buy them as community fish and their death rate is pretty high; similiar to every other community fish newcomers buy.
I'm not a big supporter of banning most things. The last thing we need is more gov't BS if you ask me!

 

[tankbusterlover]

Yes your are right. Well if at some point i can really no longer care for them or get tired since they have a big life space. I will contact a local zoo to ask them if they would take this kind of fish. They already have a place where you can touch sharks. WHy not have a shark like exposition.

So far i had mines since around march/arpil 2006 this spring my id sharks will be one year old already. They have a very big appetite and i am forced to buy in bulk becasue small container at the lfs are getting too much expensive.

 

[Jason]

i've ran into the opposite, i tell people they get big and they thing "it'll only grow to the size of its tank so it'll fit in my 30 gallon". or "I'll just flush it when it gets too big". I've never had much of a problem putting size on the ones i've worked with.

I'm in kinda the same boat with 80% of my fish, i'm looking for tanks locally right now for my bigger or soon to be bigger preds are going to need soon in some cases.

I suppose like my co worker said, "you can lead an idiot to a book but you can make him read". a lot of customers listen to advice about fish, some just want a big tough looking fish in their book end sized tank and cant be told otherwise.

Jason

 

[Brooklynella]

Obviously, everyone here wants fish to live long, healthy lives but the sad thruth is, most of the fish bought as aquarium pets die. Even experienced fish keepers suffer wipeouts from time to time. Some people buy Cichlids because they are mean and end up with one large, mean fish. I've had this happen to me too.
The point is, banning fish isn't the answer. Most people would kill Lemon Tetras too.

 

[Hypancistrus]

Just a question. Are you for the sale of pagasius such as the irridecent shark

No, I'm not.

...or do you think it's a fish that should be banned for sale and never at lfs?

No, I don't.

Sounds contradictory?? Well it is... but... here's what I think. I do NOT think that there is any reason why iridescent sharks, arowanas, red-tailed catfish, red-belly pacus, and other fish that grow to 24" or more need to be "in stock" at our local fish stores. I live in a HUGE city, and I have never in 25 years met anyone with a tank large enough to care for a 24"+ fish. Does this mean they don't exist here? No. But it's not the norm, so why should stocking massive tank busters be the norm?? The only thing to be gained is money for the store and "penis points" for the sap who buys that fish to keep in his 55 gallon tank. Maybe it helps him compensate for something.... but the fish suffers because of that.

I have no problem with these sorts of fish being available by special order from the LFS. I think that putting an extra layer of effort into their aquisition would cut down on the number of numb-skulls picking them up and then dumping them in local ponds when they are too big for their 55.

Maybe some people were unawere of what they were getting into when they bought the fish. But if you are ready to upgrade your tank and build a custom inside tank for your id shark there should not be a problem.

Again, I believe that most people who purchase these "tank-busters" are NOT willing to go the extra mile. If you are, then I applaud you!

A fish should never be a impulse buy anyway.

In a perfect world... but the world is far from. Everything is an impulse purchase and everything is disposable.

My $.02.

 

[rottbo]

hell no dont ban them I love my pangasius they are awesome...

 

[Super Ape]

i say ban small tanks instead ...almost no matter what fish it is it can always be put in a to small tank ...right? ...J/K