What are your thoughts on fish like Pacu being sold

[SwampFins]

I was recently at my lfs and I noticed they had this huge pacu in a tank on the back that someone one had brought in.

I knew these fish got really big and all but it's a very different story when you see them in person. This poor thing was sitting on a 90gallon tank on his own with like 8 hob filters going at once and it was barely able to swim forward or turn around....

So many thoughts came to mind like, where had they been keeping it or how did they even transport this thing. The 90 gallon looked like a plastic collection container by scale.

It was a very sad sight.

I have no idea what was their plan from there but I can only imagine some other idiot buying it just to throw it in another uncycled fish container of a tank.

 

[Warborg]

This issue has been going on forever. Don't see an end in sight.

 

[Jmahn]

agreed these things will never change and will always be a part of the hobby just like people who release fish into waterways sad thread

 

[jaws7777]

Ha got some before it ran out.

 

[Gourami Swami]

This is a topic that has been discussed here many times, can turn into a heated debate, but I do think it's a topic worth discussing. For what it's worth I think any fish that grows to 2' or larger should require a simple permit and need to be special ordered. Would stop all the iridescent sharks being sold at Petco, etc, and still be easy enough for the people who really want to to keep them.

 

[BIG-G]

These threads show up every couple weeks.
There seems to be two major opinions.
Available by special order, or it’s just part of the hobby.( Albeit an ugly part I know).

I guess there’s a group of people that would like to see a lot of fish banned because of things like this, but I don’t think you will find too many of them on MFK.

I do not care for this part of the hobby but I don’t want my freedom to choose what fish I keep taken away.
So I have to come down on the side of special order only.
The problem with that is if there is a buck to be made people will do it.

It’s been discussed that if it weren’t for some fish put into position like this a lot of LFS would go out of business.
I guess it’s one of those topics that just doesn’t have an answer that everyone will agree with.

 

[Belly up]

The government has no place in deciding what I keep. Do you feel safer because Snakeheads are banned because they can be invasive? Will you be safer when other large fish are banned for another reason?

Freedom has inherent risks.

 

[SwampFins]

The government has no place in deciding what I keep. Do you feel safer because Snakeheads are banned because they can be invasive? Will you be safer when other large fish are banned for another reason?

Freedom has inherent risks.

Actually yes.

It helps prevent people from getting invasive species that grow too big and releasing them into the wild because no one holds them accountable for it.

I live in Florida for example and we have many native species that are being completely wiped out because of this issue. We have a huge problem with Mayan cichlids, common places, Oscar's, snake heads and other non native species.


Like this.

 

[jaws7777]

So do you ban the sale of oscars and mayans ?

The problem with special orders is it only takes these fish out of the lfs. Doesnt stop online sales. Effectively telling one business owner he cant sell an item but allowing another business owner to sell the same item. This is not free market and allowing for equal competition.

There is no such thing as a simple permit. Even a fishing license in my state costs $$$. Setting a size limit is going to be a slippery slope. Allot of us (me included) can keep a 2ft fish with no issues. Why should i have to get a permit but someone whos keeping a 12 inch fish doesnt ?

Agree with B Belly up
...freedom has its risks, imo those risks are far less of an issue than the alternative of big brothers involvement

 

[Tanks of Steel]

Growing a fish to eat would be fine. In my opinion. Do pacu taste good, idk. Harvesting the fish us the answer. For sure if it gets too big for someone's tank, there's always someone else, if you (this is a generic you and nobody specific) can't eat it yourself. No everyone has the temperament of a farmer and can do such things.
It is a rare restaurant that serves fresh grilled Oscar or RTC. I'm sure this sounds cold to some people, but I assure you I do not say it for any sensational value. Just an honest opinion. Tons of fish get farmed. Your aquarium is just a potential personal fish farm if you choose to keep monsters you cannot care for.