buying fish that you know eventually get too big for tank

[qwertie]

this really annoys me. when people buy fish knowing that they will eventualy get too big for their tank. am I right in saying any solution when the fish gets too big will stress the fish? Please don't do this, it is the same situation with cats and dogs when people buy one and then decide that they can't look after them, thousands of cats and dogs are in rescue centers- for cats and dogs it gets to the point were some have to be put down to make room for others, It may be different for fish but im sure that in some places unwanted fish get the odd smak against the table. Please ask your LFS owner if the fish will get too big, and research a fish if it is rare. btw I am verry aware that some people may dislike what I am saying here, but before you say anything think. anyone agree with me?
I wasnt really sure if this was the right place to post this so if its not plz move it.
If you didnt know thats ok but if you did know imo thats wrong.

 

[krap101]

some people are planning to upgrade, and are willing to buy a bigger tank when they get too big

 

[Guest]

Yes, i plan on upgrading to a bigger tank eventually, i want to get a HUGE one when i buy my house.

 

[qwertie]

yes, i mean when they have no plans for upgrading, all they wan't to do is get one untill it gets too big then send it back

 

[Melody]

some people do that, and alot of fish stores dont mind them doing that. They can make some big bucks... think about it, they buy a little fish for 1$ and then sell it for 7$, wait 6 months to 1 year and it gets returned... they have no time or money invested in this fish... now they can sell it for 30-40 bucks or even more... thats free money in their pocket. I cant fathom doing it because I get attached to my fish. There are a few exceptions.... a pacu... that fish is going to require more room then practical for a hobbiest, but some people are going to get it just because its about as close as you can get (looks & attitude-wise) to a pirana without spending the cash for the little chompers... its "cool" whatever.
I dont like the fact either that people will get these fish, and the attitude of "well, its just a fish" I am agreeing with you 100%. But I can also see the pet stores side of it too.... at least people are returning them, I overheard a conversation at the bank just the other day... the pacu kept killing all the other fish, so they just tossed it out on the wood pile, the cats will eat it... 8O HOW HORRIBLE!!! So I guess returning the fish once its too big is better then that poor fishs fate to get eaten by the cats...

 

[qwertie]

yes, the fish wil keep getting stressed over multiple journeys though, and that cat thing is mean.

 

[Blazeherd2306]

Buying a fish from the LFS and having it for one year then taking it back should not have a great impact on the fish.

My LFS offered me a flying fox for my ten gallon, but when I told them it would get too big, they said they would take it back once it got too big. I could never keep a fish for a certain amount of time only having to take it back again. Its just like a fish rental service.

 

[qwertie]

I know Its just wrong if you know your going to send it back, theyre not a toy theyre real animals living things and thats what worries me

 

[Billsgate]

I don't think taking fish back to the lfs is a bad thing to do. The move may cause be stressfull, but if you 'accidentaly' bought a fish that got too big (didn't do your research), then I see no other options! Better that then to throw them on the woodpile for cats to eat them, right?

Allot of people don't know how big the fish they buy will eventually get. And yes, they should research everything about these fish before they buy them, but I think there are many people out there that aren't 'responsible' fishkeepers, simply because of a lack of information. And they don't think they need that information, since it's only fish.

 

[Jchillin]

The problem is twofold. If anyone has seen "Finding Nemo" you saw an overstocked FW tank with SW fish displayed in a Dentist's office. That movie alone spurred a lot of people into thinking they could set up the same type of tank in their home. Off to the LFS they went and were shocked to find out that the movie was inaccurate. I can't imagine how many fish suffered due to this one movie and a lack of knowledge.

 

[talloulou]

Some people eat fish that get too big! I find that kind of gross, but my brother (who does it) doesn't see a thing wrong with it. And I myself eat fish (though not ones that were previously pets) so who am I to judge. I know personally I would be less opposed to someone eating their Pacu rather than dumping it in a lake. But that's just me.

 

[firestar]

The problem with buying a fish that will outgrow your tank is, from what I've read, this: if the fish is growing in an environment that is too small, it's body growth (ie: skeletel structure) will be stunted. Fine, you have a small fish, that's what you want in a small tank, yes? NO!!! Because his internal organs will not be stunted. Essentially, you'll have a fish who's organs are too big for his body. This is a recipie for disaster, and it's probably painful, too. Your organs are the perfect size for your particular body, they should neither be smaller nor larger. Yet when you buy a little fish for your little tank, knowing that your little fish ought to grow into a larger fish, you are causing irrepairable damage. A 5 inch arrowana may look like he's doing just fine in a 10 gallon tank, but when he's got the internal organs meant for a 20 inch fish, all crammed into 5 inches of body, he ain't gonna be happy. Or alive.

I come in peace.

 

[solarcat1]

I had to return a few fish, not because they got too big for the tank, but rather because they didn't like each other. Although the store keeper promised they were compatible and the internet listed them also as compatible they still didn't get along. The parrots terrorized the gouramis, the gouramis terrorized the ruby barbs to the point that one died etc. So the troublemaker parrots went back to the store first, then the semi-aggressive gouramis. Now the tank is peaceful with Angelo, the albino angel fish, and The Three Stooges, cory cats. Second rosy barb died also after a few days. I don't believe in returning unwanted animals but sometimes it is necessary to maintain an otherwise harmonious tank.

The guppy tank is over-populated by about 100 babies from three births. I started out with Emma one already pregnant female (store keeper didn't tell me) and one male named Edwin. They are a very busy couple ...
How can I stop them from having more and how can I get the babies out of the tank without killing some of them?

The Betta are all happy in their own tanks, Alexander, Eddie, Pierre and Simon.

Last week we went to the pet store where I returned the parrots to and Fred was still there. He is back at home now in his own tank where he cant chase or bite anyone.

Every tank is heavily planted and has a handful of Malaysian snails living there to tend to the leftovers. (they don't have names)

Oh, and there is the tank with cherry shrimp. Someone just had eggs hatch and the tiny babies are everywhere.

My husband wanted one Betta and we ended up with a colony of fish, who don't get along and I am running out of space for all the different tanks.

 

[Zagz]

A lot of it is misinformation and not doing research, then taking back to the lfs is a good thing. If you purposely buy a fish you know will get too big with no plans of upgrading, then hopefully MTS will take hold and you will get hooked on bigger tanks. I only buy fish I intend to keep myself personally even if I have to plan an upgrade for them. Of course I suffer from MTS so it is a natural thing to do.

 

[rubysoho]

a lot of times people consider asking their store owner if the fish will get too big as their research. How many times have people complained or found out they were told the wrong information? I know when I am in the store, the guys there consult ME when someone is asking questions. Especially about German Rams. One of the guys calls me the "ram lady" It is quite funny. Oh, and don't worry about the flower horn in my 55 gallon, he'll be getting an upgrade

 

[crazyred]

I would never do something like that on purpose, but some people have no choice when sold something that they didn't know would get so big. Tell me how many fish stores--responsible and irrespondible alike--continue to sell common plecos knowing darn good and well that very few folks in the hobby have tanks large enough to accomodate them? The people that do have big enough tanks know better than to buy a common pleco!! 8O

I bought a common as one of my first fish....not knowing any better. He was tiny when we bought him for a two gallon tank.... 8O....I upgraded to a 29 and put him in there, but he quickly started to outgrow it too. I'm getting a 55 for Christmas, but I know he would have eventually outgrown it too.

With a heavy heart and still sad about it to this day we took our "Lips" to a LFS for trade-in. I still miss him terribly and I hate myself for doing it, but it's better than the alternatives....which including trying to keep a fish that would get too big for any of my tanks.....that would make him miserable, possibly even cause him to suffer .

I have since bought a tiny Scribble pleco (L-129) to fill the void left by giving away "Lips". We call him "Scribble Lips" and he will not get any bigger than 3 inches. I have learned a very hard lesson at the hand of fish stores that unscrupulously continue to sell fish that get too big for certain tanks to people without asking what size tank they have.

Yes, I feel that is the sellers responsibility to inquire what size set-up a particular fish is going into before they sell it. I wouldn't be offended....it would give me a chance to talk about my tanks.....whcih I love to do.

 

[DugOut]

That just makes me ink!

I loved that movie!

 

[solarcat1]

I love Nemo also. That was the cutest movie ever