Why the Monsters? Is It Ethical?

[FSM]

I wonder why people have the tendency to want to keep some of the largest freshwater fish in the world in a home aquarium. What happens to these fish when they outgrow your (or anyone's) ability to maintain them properly? While it is arguable whether we can provide our fish with a better life than they'd get in the wild (though I doubt most fish would miss the constant risk of predation), it is at least POSSIBLE to offer a 12" fish a suitable environment in a home setting. The same is distinctly NOT POSSIBLE for many of the monster fish so popular on this site.

Zoos and public aquariums are increasingly refusing "adoptions" as a strict policy. Unfortunately, most of the true giants die long before they reach maturity, making that issue moot.

How can it possibly be ethical to even consider keeping fish such as gigas in anything less than a swimming pool? Is it even responsible for sellers to offer them to the general public?

Discuss!

I think about this every time I see a GATF thread.

 

[knifegill]

The cheapest way to fix this inappropriate housing issue would be to post a list of tank gallonages and shapes along with how many of what species can live well within them. Then spread it around shop to shop and let people make their own choices.

 

[dbcb314]

I think about this every time I see a GATF thread.

Does anyone even have a full grown GATF in captivity? All I ever see are babies online...

 

[sandtiger]

this site is "monster fish keepers" correct???Why even join a monster fish keeping site if your against it in the first place?This is not directed at anyone,just a question:}

I don't think anyone here is arguing against keeping monster fish, just keeping them in inadequate housing which unfortunately many people do. I love monster fish, I would love to have a RTC or a Cichla species but I know my limits at this point in my life, its just not responsible to get something just for the sake of wanting it.

 

[Bderick67]

The cheapest way to fix this inappropriate housing issue would be to post a list of tank gallonages and shapes along with how many of what species can live well within them. Then spread it around shop to shop and let people make their own choices.

Sorry but there is nothing cheap about providing appropriate housing in most cases. People are still going to buy what they want to and then realize what it really costs to house such a fish

 

[krichardson]

One thing that gets to me is the ammount of fish that get shipped to the stores here and are bought by ignorant consumers who cant keep the fish alive long enough to even get anywhere near overgrowing any tank they may have.I used to work in a store and there was always plenty of customers who would come in and want to buy pacu and other monster growers to keep in their 30 gallon tanks.I would try to tell different people about the potential size of certain fish and a lot of them will just say,'Oh it will only grow to the size of the tank".They would claim to either completely empty their tanks and remove the fish and gravel to clean the tanks once a year or they would not do any water changes at all .

 

[Lupin]

well according to the site's creator, the name MFK is not about the size of the fish you keep. "monster" refers to one's passion and dedication

Correct. Hear his famous quotes like "Monsterized Through Passion".

I don't think anyone here is arguing against keeping monster fish, just keeping them in inadequate housing which unfortunately many people do. I love monster fish, I would love to have a RTC or a Cichla species but I know my limits at this point in my life, its just not responsible to get something just for the sake of wanting it.

Well said.

 

[cchhcc]

I agree. Sandtiger said it best!


......and it's disappointing that people continue to use the "to each his own" and "that's life" and "it's not illegal" excuses to justify cruelty.

 

[dbcb314]

The problem with the inadequate sizing argument is... what is considered inadequate sizing? Compared to a lake... every tank is too small. Compared to the amazon, every tank is too small.

Look at the "Japanese" style tanks. Big fish... not so huge tanks. But the fish are absolutely STUNNING and the water is 100% perfect.

If the fish is healthy and the water clean... is that considered "adequate?" What is considered adequate? How do we know if fish even have the ability to be "happy" the way we think of it

 

[packer43064]

The problem with the inadequate sizing argument is... what is considered inadequate sizing? Compared to a lake... every tank is too small. Compared to the amazon, every tank is too small.

Look at the "Japanese" style tanks. Big fish... not so huge tanks. But the fish are absolutely STUNNING and the water is 100% perfect.

If the fish is healthy and the water clean... is that considered "adequate?" What is considered adequate? How do we know if fish even have the ability to be "happy" the way we think of it

extremely true. People have these huge fish in big fish tanks and they still end up dying for some reason or getting some disease or bery hard to keep their water clean. Then you see a "Japanese Style" 180 gallon tank filled with 3 aros and dats and others with pristine water and none of the fish have the slightest problem with them. So would this be a good adequate environment for them as dbcd314 said. If the Nitrates are kept down what is wrong with this. Now what, were lost still, lol.