Fish Keeper Or Fish Swapper

Do you keep or swap your fish?

  • Keeper - My fish will be with me until either of us dies

    Votes: 38 82.6%
  • Swapper - there's too many species I want and I don't have enough tanks.

    Votes: 8 17.4%

  • Total voters
    46

ZoddyZod

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Within the hobby it's very common to swap/trade the fish that you keep, but there are some that will keep the fish they home until their dying breath/gulp.

Personally I find myself in the 'keeper' bracket. I look at my tank now and can't forsee rehoming or swapping any of the fish that currently inhabit it, even though I'd love to keep many more species.

Which are you, and why?
 
I'm normally a keeper, I will only swap fish for a good reason, e.g. they pick on my other fish.

Like my Danios, I'm giving them a week to see if they stop picking on my other fishes but if it doesn't then I will be swapping them.
 
Generally a keeper. I get attached to my fish and I give each of them a name. They are family.

At the moment I am a bit of a swapper and seller though as I am re-stocking. It's actually sad seeing some of them go, but I have discovered so many new fish out there that I am only keeping my favourites and adding new ones.
 
Im a keeper. I usally only swap for the benefit of my fish....i couldnt see ever giving up my oscars, sevs, gts, or jacks
 
I'm a keeper too; I've only ever given away two fish. Both were being picked on by their 'partners' and I didn't have tank space to safely separate them :( Even then, one went to my cousin and the other went to the tank my daughter has at her dad's place, so they didn't go far!
 
I am both. Some fish I have had for many years and they will die in my tanks. Other fish I keep in order to observe spawning behavior and once I have I am willing to trade them out. Some fish I get because I think i would enjoy keeping them and when I find they do not really interest me, out they go. Betta splendens would be an example- kept them for about 10 months and gave them away and kept Betta imbellis instead for several years.

I have some clown loaches now for over 10 years and you would need a gun to get them out of my tanks.

It is also my policy to allow imperfect fish born in my tanks or fish that may be injured etc. to live out their lives in my tanks. I do not euthanize unless a fish is clearly suffering. I never sell, trade or give away such fish unless the recipient is fully aware of their condition and still wants them anyhow.
 
Mostly a keeper. I would probably swap schooling fish easily. Fish with long lifespans will stay with me forever. Angelfish, rams and plecos. Though if I begin looking for breeding pairs of anything I would probably swap those as well.

I guess that leaves me at both too.
 
Definitely a keeper and follow TTA's policy

It is also my policy to allow ..................fish that may be injured etc. to live out their lives in my tanks. I do not euthanize unless a fish is clearly suffering.

David
 
Keeper! I have never swapped or sold any fish apart from those bred years ago. Some I have had for 22 years, others at least 15 years that I can remember.
I do however take advantage of those that do though.
 
I think I am more of a keeper but I have swapped fish in the past and when you keep cichlids you cant always garuntee how things roll out on the long term.

Wills
 
Normally a keeper but been a bit of a swapper the past few months.
Happy with stocking now so back to being a keeper!
 
Im a keeper as I have names for them too!!! Though I am starting to understand that I WILL have to swap/change some at some point in the future as im going down the cichlid route which is totally new to me, but it will be for the 'greater good' of my tank ☺.
 
I'd say I'm a keeper as iv only swapped fish that don't get on with others in the tank. You never know what's going to happen from one day to the next when it comes to cichlids
 

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