What to do with fish that get to large?

[cichlaguapote]

I would guess that 80% or more die long before they get an opportunity to outgrow anything.

Good point, and probably true to a certain extent.

Guys he's not asking what to do with a fish once it outgrows a tank. I think he's asking where do all the big fish that are sold end up?

 

[SteveR]

You people are not reading the OP correctly.

I do not own or intend to own a Huge fish I cannot house. I just was wondering what YOU would do or have done with the fish YOU keep. Or an idea of what YOU would do if you grew a fish to large to be kept in your home anymore.

And reasurch is knowing that you are not able to house something like a gar for it's life. And I know there is plenty of people HERE who have these florida gars. and other huge fish that WILL outgrow there tanks.


Soi'll ask again what do you do if you have a fish that you knew would outgrow your tank but you decided to buy it anyway. And when it got to the point that it was to large you had to do something. What would that something be.


I DO NOT HAVE SUCH A FISH OR PLAN ON OWNING.

If I did I would have a contingincy for when it got to large.

And i'm telling you what I would DO. Don't buy a fish I can't house for life. Simple.

 

[Zoodiver]

Here'e one for ya zoodiver. Say someone like yourself who wrks at a zoo knows that the zoo is looking for say a gator gar. and they can't seem to find one that is the right size for the display. and thre is no room in QT or holding to grow one out. But you guys know someone who has one they might be willing to give to the zoo. Would you take the route or Could you personally grow one out for the zoo. I have always wondered how they get all there fish. (zoos and aquariums alike)

Any incoming fish has to under go a full quarantine process no matter where they come from.
Most zoos/aquariums have set animal collection plans that are formed yearly. Animals are traded from other facilities, bought from acredited suppliers or collected from the wild with permits as a last resort. Only on rare occation will a facility look for a specific animal from the public. Point in case, the arapaima I picked up from a member here on MFK. It took three months of prep work, permits and a transport that was well over 36 hours of straight driving with a custom set up. Not something most places would do, but in our case, I wanted a sub adult fish and it happend to work out that the one tracked down needed both a larger home and needed to be moved out due to it's illegal status in the state we got it from.

Any offering of a fish would probably be over looked. I know of several places that have a fish donation hotline and instead of taking the fish in, will list off places that you can put the fish up for adoption instead. There are a lot of side things to consider when taking on a fish. It's background - by that I mean will taking this fish out of the pet trade reduce the number or just encourage more to be bought? How much money will it take to care for the animal- that needs to be budgeted for. Will it work in a current display? I know a lot of people think that any old fish can go in any old tank. Then on top of tank, there are certain collections that are actually managed by outside dictating forces - like breeding groups etc.... So the animal would have to fit in under those guidelines as well.

So the short version is that there is a lot that goes into adding at animal at a zoo or aquarium.

 

[koop171]

Any incoming fish has to under go a full quarantine process no matter where they come from.
Most zoos/aquariums have set animal collection plans that are formed yearly. Animals are traded from other facilities, bought from acredited suppliers or collected from the wild with permits as a last resort. Only on rare occation will a facility look for a specific animal from the public. Point in case, the arapaima I picked up from a member here on MFK. It took three months of prep work, permits and a transport that was well over 36 hours of straight driving with a custom set up. Not something most places would do, but in our case, I wanted a sub adult fish and it happend to work out that the one tracked down needed both a larger home and needed to be moved out due to it's illegal status in the state we got it from.

Any offering of a fish would probably be over looked. I know of several places that have a fish donation hotline and instead of taking the fish in, will list off places that you can put the fish up for adoption instead. There are a lot of side things to consider when taking on a fish. It's background - by that I mean will taking this fish out of the pet trade reduce the number or just encourage more to be bought? How much money will it take to care for the animal- that needs to be budgeted for. Will it work in a current display? I know a lot of people think that any old fish can go in any old tank. Then on top of tank, there are certain collections that are actually managed by outside dictating forces - like breeding groups etc.... So the animal would have to fit in under those guidelines as well.

So the short version is that there is a lot that goes into adding at animal at a zoo or aquarium.

Thank you very much very very informative. So for a few gigles If one were to have a white gator gar. and it outgrew there capablity of ownership. And a local zoo/aquarium had a display that it would be a acceptable member of the community. Would it have a better off chance then the normal gator gars.

I saw a vendor had some so it got me thinking. (I'm NOT buying one)

 

[Druu]

And for those of you who say just don' get it in the first place that's not what I am looking for. People get gars that will get huge rather frequently so this may be a rather frequently occuring thing.

What do you do? Try acting like a responsible adult. Don't get a pima if you can't house him for life. Would you buy a calf to keep in the living room? Don't worry- I'm sure he can live there for a couple of months, then you can pass him off to someone else.

 

[Knowdafish]

 

[Hdeuce]

Eat them, Eat them, Eat them. Everyone states responsibility is the porblem, when the problem isnt the responsibility of the fishkeepers its the problem of an lfs that has no problem selling someone a tiger oscar and a ten gallon tank. Or a pacu and a fish bowl. Or a silver Dollar and a betta bowl. not everyone who decides they want a fish realizes the problems and the lfs should be responsible for informing the consumer that they cant put a oscar in a five gallon tank. But if you do have an oscar and a thirty gallon tank when he gets to about 13 inches eat the bastid. mmmmmm

 

[Zoodiver]

Thank you very much very very informative. So for a few gigles If one were to have a white gator gar. and it outgrew there capablity of ownership. And a local zoo/aquarium had a display that it would be a acceptable member of the community. Would it have a better off chance then the normal gator gars.

I saw a vendor had some so it got me thinking. (I'm NOT buying one)

That's another good point to bring up actually.

Most facilities don't look at fish the same way hobbiests due a lot of the time. As a display, most would rather show the 'normal' animals, the natural look. Odd ball animals, hybrids, and random color morphs aren't really what most go after. Asian arowana are a great example of that. For the most part, zoos/aquariums in the US don't seek them out, but instead end up getting them after they get snagged by USFW. The 'best' fish to show in this case would be the natural occuring colored animals (brown or grey with slight red tones) - not the super breed non-natural colors that hobbiest try to smuggle in. FW stingrays are the same way. Few want the hybrid random color and patterns someone created, instead zoos/aquariums want pure bred genetics.

Although I won't say "Never"... because some places due like to scoop up odd balls and try to make an extra dime on them.

 

[koop171]

That's another good point to bring up actually.

Most facilities don't look at fish the same way hobbiests due a lot of the time. As a display, most would rather show the 'normal' animals, the natural look. Odd ball animals, hybrids, and random color morphs aren't really what most go after. Asian arowana are a great example of that. For the most part, zoos/aquariums in the US don't seek them out, but instead end up getting them after they get snagged by USFW. The 'best' fish to show in this case would be the natural occuring colored animals (brown or grey with slight red tones) - not the super breed non-natural colors that hobbiest try to smuggle in. FW stingrays are the same way. Few want the hybrid random color and patterns someone created, instead zoos/aquariums want pure bred genetics.

Although I won't say "Never"... because some places due like to scoop up odd balls and try to make an extra dime on them.

hmmm... I guess that's a good point if you want a natural exihibit then you don' want the color morphs.

Agian thanks for the great info zoodiver.

 

[Zoodiver]

Agian thanks for the great info zoodiver.

No problem. It's what I do.