Topic for discussion...

[jooster78]

Ok guys, you know we have always deter people from getting a big fish, ie, pacu, RTC, TSN... and the list goes on.

It will help the fishes by,

- the potential buyers will know how big the fish is.
- the fish will get a better quality of life

However, what if no one buys that fish? What will happen to that batch of 20-30 monsters in the lfs? Will they get destroyed?
If no one buys, no one will breed them. As we know, commercial breeding of fishes helps, in a way, the survival of that species.
Price of the fish will of course goes up when less people buy.

So are we, including myself, doing the right thing when we deter people from buying monsters esp, large size monsters?

This is an open discussion, please do not bicker at each other's views.

 

[Crunchy]

I see no problem in letting a potential owner know how large exactly an 80-inch fish really is. Most aren't that good at math and can't even imagine how big or heavy a fish of that size or larger actually is. A lot of people think the size of the fish in the store is the size it will stay, and even more of them think that if it's kept in a smaller tank, the tank will just inhibit it's growth and it won't out grow the tank. It's terrible to think that some dealers would sell these fish to certain doom just to make a sale. So informing a customer is one thing, flat out not selling a fish just because it gets large is another entirely. Many people keep very large tanks (hence this site in the first place) and they should be allowed to buy big fish if they can properly house them.

 

[shellies215]

The way I see it is if the LFS would only sell oscars to people with 125g+ tanks, then it wouldn't even make sense to keep them in stock, they would just order one when someone with the right accommodations asked for it. Now apply this logic to all the other fish in the store, and at the end of the day the LFS wouldn't have to keep much in stock.

The LFS are not the fish police, it is up to the consumer to be a responsible hobbyist, but unfortunately, it doesn't work out that way too often.

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

However, what if no one buys that fish? What will happen to that batch of 20-30 monsters in the lfs? Will they get destroyed?

Most likely use as feeders. But then again, the LFS would realise that these fish are not profitable and stop importing them. The death of 20-30 of them would save much more of these fishes in the future.

If no one buys, no one will breed them. As we know, commercial breeding of fishes helps, in a way, the survival of that species.

I'm sure Mother Nature have equip them to survive without human intervention

 

[Jc1119]

I don't think it has as much to to with deterring people as much as informing them, and then it's up to the informed to make their decisions. The tank of pacu in your local pet-smart will eventually get sold to people who think they know more than the the employee, out of their own ignorance or as spirit said, end up as feeders. If pet-smart stopped selling pacu today it would not hurt the wild populations of them though. There have already been so many released into the wild that they have been reported in about 12 countries they never should be in the first place. Human intervention has spread the species pretty much globally, for better or for worse.

Down here in Florida we have a big problem with boas and other large snakes the same way. People buy them small and cute, they grow huge and once they cannot feed or properly house them, or the novelty simply wears off, they release them down the road from their house. Now, these domesticated snakes are breeding and crossbreeding with native species, and thriving in our own back yards. But they are wrecking havoc on the ecosystem....

Big fish will always have a place in lfs inventories. It may be a small place but they will continue to sell them as long as the demand remains. And last time I checked my local petsmart had a tank of both pacu and pangassius selling for $3.49 each......So obviously demand is still pretty high

 

[pacu mom]

Fish are generally looked upon as a lesser form of life, and are therefore, pretty much expendable. Look how they give away gold fish as "prizes" at fairs. Reputable breeders of other kinds of pets (like my cat) sometimes make potential owners sign a contract (don't know how binding it is) that the new owner will return the pet if they can no longer keep it. It's too bad that pacu don't cost $5,000 each. LFS would not stock them, people would think twice before buying one, and euthanizing it would be a little more difficult to do just because it was inconvenient to keep it.

Places that sell large fish should give out proper information on the fish. They should also sell tanks that would be appropriate size for the adult fish.

I am positive that my pacu came out of this WalMart tank. The pacu were so much smaller than the baby oscars. Who'd think they'd become monsters, especially when the sign said they grow to 10"?

I'm also sure that my 55 gallon yard sale tank also came from WalMart

The 30 gallon tank with 7 oscars and 5 pacu in a local restuarant also came from WalMart.

I'm all for big fish being special order fish with a big price tag. Unfortunately, nothing is ever going to happen. Animal cops will never arrest any one and confiscate their fish because of overcrowding or bad water parameters....that only happens on TV with creatures higher up on the importance hierarchy.

I don't mean to bash WalMart. I printed out this picture, took it to the manager at WalMart, who listened to me and stopped selling pacu.

The only thing we can do is inform and educate. Unfortunately, people coming to a fish forum to ask questions about pacu, usually already have a pacu. I hate the euthanize option. I'd encourage the fishkeeper to provide or find suitable housing for their fish. I'd also encourage large, massive daily waters changes to keep nitrates in check, so the fish don't suffer horribly in a small tank.

Let's face it, most large fish like pacu, are doomed fish. The few that survive were just fortunate to land in the hands of a responsible fish keeper. I hate that thought, but it's the truth.

 

[smitty03281964]

The issue is a double edge sword.

 

[jooster78]

Actually, if all lfs have this type of sign to tell buyers what they are getting into, it will be great. Of course I am saying that the information provided should be correct.
Authorities should ensure that this type of information are put up at every lfs.
Of course, this is easier said then done...

 

[jooster78]

Most likely use as feeders. But then again, the LFS would realise that these fish are not profitable and stop importing them. The death of 20-30 of them would save much more of these fishes in the future.



I'm sure Mother Nature have equip them to survive without human intervention

Then again, if lfs stop importing all sorts of monster fishes, we will not have this forum now, would we.

I agree with you totally, mother nature equip every species to survive, but sadly, we humans tend to destroy every thing in our path... how many species have we destroyed with our quests for food, wealth and power? And our pollutions. Mekong cats, Chinese Sturgeons, Paddle fish, just to name a few are facing critical situations...

 

[jooster78]

A lot of people think the size of the fish in the store is the size it will stay, and even more of them think that if it's kept in a smaller tank, the tank will just inhibit it's growth and it won't out grow the tank.

I just came across a book about aquarium fishes, it says that a pangasius pangasius grows to 4 feet in the wild and in aquarium condition, it does not not reach that size.... and I thought to myself, "ha, ya right"...
and the funnier thing is, under the name, it shows a pic of a juvenile P. sanitwongsei...