# Cautions on "large" fish



## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

From time to time we have threads discussing very large fish that fish stores irresponsibly sell without warning of their eventual size and problems. This informative article points out some of the pitfalls awaiting those who buy such fish.
Where do all those big fish keep going? | Blog | Practical Fishkeeping

It also contains these wise words to us all, whatever the fish species we have:
If you buy a giant, then you’re accountable for it. In fairness, the same applies to any fish. *It was quite happy not being owned by you, minding its own business. If you’re going to take it under your wing then you’re responsible for it. Every aspect of its life is under your control, from water quality and temperature to swimming space.* And what’s more, you’re accountable for what directly happens to it when it does eventually leave your care.​Byron.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

If you buy a giant, then you’re accountable for it. In fairness, the same applies to any fish. *It was quite happy not being owned by you, minding its own business. If you’re going to take it under your wing then you’re responsible for it. Every aspect of its life is under your control, from water quality and temperature to swimming space.* And what’s more, you’re accountable for what directly happens to it when it does eventually leave your care.
^^^^^
THIS
I believe that goes for any animal we take in. The second we decided to own or possess it, It is our responsibility to care for it for the duration of it's life. Now, if only we could get fish stores to start telling people honestly how large the fish is going to get and what to expect from it. I know it is a case of "buyer beware" but so many well meaning people will even ask "Is this fish right for my 30 gallon tank?" only to be told "why yes mam, it only gets as big as the tank will allow" Grrrr!
​


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## Andarial (Feb 12, 2011)

I have a problem in my town,which is pretty much a college town, where students return their fish every summer. I just don't understand it. I have only returned a few fish and that was before I found this site. They are living creatures  just like every other pet they deserve the best you can give them.


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## SEAWEED54 (Mar 8, 2012)

Hate to say it but yes I have seen this very issue so very well .
I live in Colorado a lot of inexperienced aquarium keepers are out there . I do a lot of fishing in our big lakes , you would be surprised how many times I hooked Paco's , Oscars , Red tail cats , Jack demsies ect 

It is just such a horrible thought seeing all these fish turn up this way, and its not just fish , gators have turned up in our lakes but the people who let them go don't realize our climate is to harsh and you wind up finding there dead carcases on the lake shores ,
This is not just here its all over the country , 
All these poor fish are not used to any of the extreme climate changes we have here in the states , most come from south America and all the places that are warm 

I know many fish and wild life officers and these stories come up way to often .

Thank you BYRON for bringing this topic up it so needed to be heard 

John 
Colorado


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Kudos to you Byron for posting this. I work with somebody who has a giant Arowana in a 210 gallon tank but he doesn't condition the water when changing and he feeds it nothing but large frozen shrimp every other week or so. 

It makes me so sad for that fish 

And this made me laugh out loud:

*Misconception 5: It’s not my fault, nobody told me it got so big.
*Use this line in my presence and I’ll slap you. A nice, open-handed wallop that makes your eyes water.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

SEAWEED54 said:


> Hate to say it but yes I have seen this very issue so very well .
> I live in Colorado a lot of inexperienced aquarium keepers are out there . I do a lot of fishing in our big lakes , you would be surprised how many times I hooked Paco's , Oscars , Red tail cats , Jack demsies ect
> 
> 
> ...


How awful! I guess I'm really not surprised though 

Welcome to TFK John.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

I still remember the first time I saw almost fully-grown tank busters. I was at a LFS south of my house. It had 3 pacu, a redtailed cat, a pleco, and I want to say something else in a 500 gal tank. All of it was for sale. I'm only guessing they were returns because I'd seen other stores in the area selling those same fish. They displayed the fish and tank as a warning to all about just how big those things get. I wish this article could be displayed in pet stores around the world.


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## MinaMinaMina (Aug 28, 2011)

The animal rights activist in me always wants to print off some warning labels on stickers and "graffiti" the tanks at chain stores. Like "Do have a 500g tank? Because I get 4 feet long!" and "I will voraciously eat every fish in your aquarium!" etc.

At work we have stickers we use on patients' ICU sheets and cage cards like "seizure watch" and "use caution". But we have one that is bright orange and says "AGGRESSIVE" and I always want to get a roll of that one and go labeling the tanks at Petsmart, Petco, Jack's, etc. lol


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## risingapqh (Feb 15, 2012)

I was at Cahoot's Pet Store yesterday to get a catfish and the lady really tried to sell me a 3" Red tailed catfish they had. I only have a 100 gallon tank but I felt so bad for him because they only have 10 gallon tanks with their fish in them there. What happens to those fish when they aren't bought and start getting huge? So its sad either way. The stores, especially chain or smaller stores should not carry them at all.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

True. And there is a movement afoot in the UK to bring this about. At the bottom of the linked article, click the sentence "Will you support the big fish campaign?" to learn more.

It is only reasonable (at least to me) that responsible stores would never stock such fish "off the shelf." If they have customers with the necessary tanks to house them, they can always be special ordered. But then, too often common sense doesn't govern making money.


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## Wattser93 (Feb 20, 2012)

Thank you for posting this. 

I've too often seen employees at chain stores spreading misinformation, especially selling Plecos. People see them as a 3" little sucker fish that will keep their tank spotless (a misconception), assuming that it'll grow to the size of the tank (another misconception) and never get bigger than a few inches. They're an inexpensive fish and abundant, so they often get tossed into small tanks that are wholly inappropriate for their potential size in the future.

When we adopted a cat at the SPCA, we were given an application form to make sure we had suitable living conditions for the cat, and the ability to properly care for it. There's days I wish that the same requirements were established for buying fish, especially the monster fish.


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## dmuddle (Nov 14, 2011)

Andarial said:


> I have a problem in my town,which is pretty much a college town, where students return their fish every summer. I just don't understand it. I have only returned a few fish and that was before I found this site. They are living creatures  just like every other pet they deserve the best you can give them.


Maybe that is the best they can give them, maybe they cant afford it anymore.


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## MinaMinaMina (Aug 28, 2011)

Or maybe college kids, or young adults in general, often don't have the foresight to do the research and plan ahead for possible hiccups, much less the inevitable hiccups.

I know, because I was once a dumb college kid, too. :lol:


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## dmuddle (Nov 14, 2011)

true that as well, but all in all they are giving the fish the best they can give it at that point in time


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