Tank busters

[Colu]

I routinely see fish for sale that get so big that most people will not have the space to house them sold at 2-3in size to unsuspecting people  such as red tailed catfish common plecos pangasius catfish wonder what peoples though are  should they  be banned I have had lfs tell me pangasius only get to 5in in size and it ok to put a group in 50gallon some would take there word for it and then they find it hard to rehome them because they are hundreds of people in the same boat

Edited April 16, 2021 by Colu

[Fish Folk]

14 minutes ago, Colu said:

I routinely see fish for sale that get so big that most people will not have the space to house them sold at 2-3in size to in unsuspecting people  such as red tailed catfish common plecos pangasius catfish wonder what peoples though are  should they  be ban 

Agreed - this is a shame when such fish are sold to amateur aquarists, and a real problem in the hobby. I do think some way to regulate it would be helpful, but that is tricky to put into law.

[Colu]

Just now, Fish Folk said:

Agreed - this is a shame when such fish are sold to amateur aquarists, and a real problem in the hobby. I do think some way to regulate it would be helpful, but that is tricky to put into law.

It a difficult one I see people all the time trying to rehome fish that outgrew there tank 

[lefty o]

i dont think any should be banned, but open disclosure of what one is buying is a must.

[Colu]

1 minute ago, lefty o said:

i dont think any should be banned, but open disclosure of what one is buying is a must.

The problem is a lot of LFS don't tell people how big they get or what size tank you will eventually need

[Schwack]

4 minutes ago, lefty o said:

i dont think any should be banned, but open disclosure of what one is buying is a must.

The problem is, at least some of these fish come from big box stores where even the people selling the fish aren't aware they're selling a fish that can grow massive. Every time I browse through Petco they're loaded with common plecostomus. I'm guessing they bank on unsuspecting, new aquarists buying them and killing them off before they end up 18 inches long.

[RockMongler]

It's a shame.  Most people don't look too much into these fish, and many places that sell fish don't have an economic interest in informing their customers about these fish.  They get bought because they look cool, and some untrained (or straight up lying) sales person who cares more about making the sale than anything else, tells them what they want to hear.

There are quite a few species I think are unethical to sell to most people, because of just how huge they get.  common plecos, red tail cats, pacus, and to some extent, even stuff like goldfish and oscars.  But, the powers that be are interested in selling products (including live animals) without much caring for the consequences down the road.  We are preaching to the choir here, as we all care enough to spend time on a forum dedicated to fish keeping, but most people don't care enough, and end up in unpleasant situations because of all of this.

[lefty o]

10 minutes ago, Colu said:

The problem is a lot of LFS don't tell people how big they get or what size tank you will eventually need

thats why i said, "open disclosure of what one is buying is a must." banning is not the answer, and reaslly wont stop folks from getting things that get too large for them.  disclosure/education is better for everybody, and the animals.

[Colu]

21 hours ago, RockMongler said:

It's a shame.  Most people don't look too much into these fish, and many places that sell fish don't have an economic interest in informing their customers about these fish.  They get bought because they look cool, and some untrained (or straight up lying) sales person who cares more about making the sale than anything else, tells them what they want to hear.

There are quite a few species I think are unethical to sell to most people, because of just how huge they get.  common plecos, red tail cats, pacus, and to some extent, even stuff like goldfish and oscars.  But, the powers that be are interested in selling products (including live animals) without much caring for the consequences down the road.  We are preaching to the choir here, as we all care enough to spend time on a forum dedicated to fish keeping, but most people don't care enough, and end up in unpleasant situations because of all of this.

I think common goldfish have to be one of the most abused fish I saw someone resently that had to 3 common gold fish in 10gallon for 9years they were really stunted the owner fought they was nothing wrong with it if you look on the internet you see things likes this

Edited April 17, 2021 by Colu

[Ben_RF]

Jeez folks they only get as big as their tanks....   (queue incredible evil laughter) #FishKeepingMyths

 

But in all seriousness, I would not mind many of these fish just disappearing out of most pet stores and become specialty fish you have to try to find. 

[FrozenFins]

Which is one of the reasons why I love the Co-Op.

They sell small little community fish with the exception of Ghost Knifes, and the rare mbu puffer.

Fish like a baby redtail or baby oscars are so cute and adorable, un-educated or simply money greeding fish store owners/ employees will sell them the baby monster fish for their 10 gallon. Knowing fully well what will happend. I have a fish store like that in the area, I try my best not to shop there but sometimes its the option.

[RockMongler]

1 minute ago, Colu said:

I think common goldfish have to be one of the most abused fish I saw some one resently that had to 3 common gold fish in 10gallon for 9years they were really stunted the owner fought they was nothing wrong with it

Yeah.... I look back at my younger self and the 10 gallon tank I had growing up in the 90s, and my family's 55 gallon saltwater tank, and kind of cringe on how much I didn't know, and how different I would do it now.  I feel very bad for the goldfish and bettas in the world, because so many of them end up in a situation that is a very short death sentence, despite what the humans involved may want.

What is a bummer is even with the internet, finding good advice in this hobby is really hard.  The world is full of people who say "Keeping goldfish in a 10 gallon is A-OK".  On the flip side, you also get the folks who say "Keeping a comet goldfish in anything smaller than a 125 is animal abuse".  The companies who produce products like 1 gallon tanks with goldfish and angels on the product packaging certainly aren't helping either.  

We as aquarists need to do the best by our livestock as we can.  It will never live up to the fish living in the wild in a huge lake or river.  But, we can do a lot to give them a safe, comfortable life where we can observe and enjoy their looks and behaviors. Fish keeping is very much not an "If X then Y" kind of hobby.  There are an absurd number of variables we have to take into account with our wetpets, and that often leads to a lot of frustration.  Everyone's tap water from community to community is different, and that can cause various issues.  I know with my (fairly hard) water, java fern grows kind of meh, but java moss grows gangbusters.  I have a friend the next town over with significantly softer water having the same issues.  

All in all, its complex, and the right answer is hard to arrive at.  Bleh.

[starsman20]

Even my LFS has this problem.  I was looking for a a bottom fish for the 36bowfront last year and he suggested a clown loach.   They get a foot long.  That tank is not near big enough for it.

[Colu]

21 minutes ago, starsman20 said:

Even my LFS has this problem.  I was looking for a a bottom fish for the 36bowfront last year and he suggested a clown loach.   They get a foot long.  That tank is not near big enough for it.

lots of LFS have staff with  basic knowledge there should be some standard training for staff

[Halloweenlove]

I don't think it'd be fair to responsible hobbyist to ban some fish. I'd like to see certain species be sold by authorized dealers if you will. A LFS that will take the time to inquire about the customers set up. I always just wondered why they don't have suggested tank size right on the store tank next to the price tag. 🤷🏻‍♀️  Anyone else watch Ohio Fish Rescue on YouTube? Dang near all the fish they get are precisely surrendered for this very reason. They simply got too big for the owners to house. 

[Tanked]

The bad information trail begins with the vendors and store buyers.  When a catfish becomes a shark and a Rasbora becomes a hatchet fish  "see the little hatchet"...

Unless you are lucky enough to have a store dedicated to fish, the odds are good that the employee doesn't know what they are selling.  The fish and pet shop may be lucky enough to have employees who are genuinely interested, but lack firsthand experience.  As for the big box store well...

 

[H.K.Luterman]

I think the myth of stunting fish has a lot to do with it (it only grows as big as the tank). And a surprising number of people don't know that the fish they see in stores are babies. A guy I know wants an arowana for his 50 gallon, saying the one at the LFS "looks pretty stunted." I did try to explain it was small because it was young, and that they need 6+ ft long tanks to be housed properly long term. It's been a few years and he hasn't bought one so hopefully he listened. 

I see pacu, redtail catfish and common plecos for sale at Petco, often with just the price tag on the tank but the fish gone, having been sold. I can't imagine there are that many monster fish enthusiasts in my town, and I just feel like it's really irresponsible for them to be sold in a store that caters mostly to the general public. And I hate to say it, but because of the epidemic of common plecos getting released into the wild and harming ecosystems and the animals that live there, I wouldn't be against a ban on certain fish (or at least one needing a permit to own certain species).

[Colu]

11 minutes ago, H.K.Luterman said:

I think the myth of stunting fish has a lot to do with it (it only grows as big as the tank). And a surprising number of people don't know that the fish they see in stores are babies. A guy I know wants an arowana for his 50 gallon, saying the one at the LFS "looks pretty stunted." I did try to explain it was small because it was young, and that they need 6+ ft long tanks to be housed properly long term. It's been a few years and he hasn't bought one so hopefully he listened. 

I see pacu, redtail catfish and common plecos for sale at Petco, often with just the price tag on the tank but the fish gone, having been sold. I can't imagine there are that many monster fish enthusiasts in my town, and I just feel like it's really irresponsible for them to be sold in a store that caters mostly to the general public. And I hate to say it, but because of the epidemic of common plecos getting released into the wild and harming ecosystems and the animals that live there, I wouldn't be against a ban on certain fish (or at least one needing a permit to own certain species).

I lot of larger fish people are struggling to rehome are more likely to get released I have seen a video of thousands  of common pleco in a lake that started  from a couple being released

Edited April 17, 2021 by Colu