Hope I don't offend anyone...

[Morrgan]

I agree with you Sorrell. Fish are living things and once you buy them you take responsibility for them. Responsibility doesn't include getting rid of them once they grow too big or when you get bored with them and want new fish.

I've made the mistake of buying fish that grew too big for my tank (angels for only a 34 gal, that's what you get for trusting people at the LFS...). Once I found out they were in a tank too small (end of last year, actually), the choice was between giving them away or getting a new tank. Well, by then I'd had them for almost 7 years and grown quite attached to them, so giving them away wasn't very appealing. Not to mention I was worried they might end up in an even smaller tank, if I gave them back to the LFS. A new, more than 20 inches tall tank is arriving next month for them.

I have only given away a fish once. A friend of my mother's was ending her fishkeeping hobby and said I could have her fish. She mentioned guppies, cories and a red-finned shark, but turned out she also wanted to give me a goldfish. None of my tanks were big enough for goldfish, nor did I have any coldwater ones, so I decided it'd be best to give it away. I hope it got a better home this way.

 

[Stryker]

I *may* be getting a 200gal tank in 12 months, I may not. However when my plec starts getting too big then I would look to re-homing him. I'd only sell or give him away to another experienced fish keeper who had the room for him. There will always be people who have or buy larger tanks and there will always be people who want larger fish.

My fish are really well looked after, better than most if I must sayso myself and If I sold or gave away a fish I'd be ensuring it goes to a good home, not my LFS, or only through my LFS should they have a buyer.

Fish are a responsiblity, WHILE You look after them, they are also your resonsibility to find good homes should you need rid of them. All this talk about only buying fish that will fit your tank fully grown 5 years down the track is a little pointless?. Also with the exception of those species on the endangered list if those so called real fish lovers really loved their fish they'd never of bought them as the only right place for any animal is in the environment it evolved in.

Sorry for the rant but this thread seems a little hypocritical.

 

[mrV]

I'm sorry, but I really don't get this.

For some people fishes are just piece of decoration. I truly hate people who just take living animals but don't take care of them. And I mean it literally.

First rule prob. is: "Don't believe your LFS!"

Second rule: "Don't buy any fish withouth knowing everything about it."

Third rule: "Don't even think about to get large one although you have already decided that you will buy larger tank, when the fish is large enough - you prob. don't still buy that large tank."

Fourth rule: "If you can't afford to offer suitable conditions, then you should wait couple months until you have enough money to buy e.g. larger tank, better filter etc.."

Fifth rule: "When you take living animal (including fishes), you should know, that they are alive, they are not decoration and they need care too."

Sixth rule: "Read every books, every pages on web you find. Compare them, call them in question - don't believe everything, because there are lot of bad advices. When you have read enough, you'll prob. see what information is bad and what is good..."

Seventh rule: "Come back to this millenium! Older books and prob. older fishkeepers are jammed with their old habits "I have never measured any water values and my fishes have always been in good shape..." and knowledge of fishkeeping made great strides."

Eighth rule: "Ask anything from older hobbiests! They prob. know the answer, if you have problems."

Ninth rule: "Don't play doctor! In many times, you can't know what is wrong because most of diseases can be confirmed only by microscope. All "medicines" (note "-marks!") are somehow toxic to fishes. If only one (or two) fish seems to be sick, put it to another tank - called hospital tank - and observe it in that tank. (In some case, you have to medicate whole main tank.) Keep water pure - fresh and clean, thus water values are great. If fish still don't become healthier, try to find what is wrong. Read books about diseases and try to find same symtoms - don't guess!. When you are absolutely sure, then medicate it."

Tenth rule: "Enjoy your fishes! When you take good care of them, you have some time to watch them too without worrying what to do next."

 

[mrV]

All this talk about only buying fish that will fit your tank fully grown 5 years down the track is a little pointless?.

Why?

 

[Morrgan]

Very well said, MrV!

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Hmmmm

Well, I think people should give away fish they can no longer house. After all, it's better for the fish. What about people who buy a fish when they are new not realising how big it will grow and grow attached to it?

I say this because I am in the process of giving away fish to people more able to take care of them. When I got my goldfish 2 years ago, I had no idea that they needed 10galls minimum per fish! I also didn't know that my kissing gourmi would get to 10"!!

It's a shame but often it has to be done for the sake of the fish.

When people want to change their tank to something different, what is wrong with them giving their current fish away to someone who wants them?

 

[gixer]

Well, I think people should give away fish they can no longer house. After all, it's better for the fish. What about people who buy a fish when they are new not realising how big it will grow and grow attached to it?

i think people should research more first. then this wouldnt happen.


this thread is spot on (original post i mean)

 

[gixer]

All this talk about only buying fish that will fit your tank fully grown 5 years down the track is a little pointless?.

that statement is so ignorant.
and quite disturbing

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Well, I think people should give away fish they can no longer house. After all, it's better for the fish. What about people who buy a fish when they are new not realising how big it will grow and grow attached to it?

i think people should research more first. then this wouldnt happen.


this thread is spot on (original post i mean)

That's all very well and good now, but as you know many 'first fish' are not researched. Sometimes spur of the moment or impulse buys and it's only when people run into problems that they realis what they have got themselves into.

 

[JeromeEverall]

11th Rule: Don't buy from 'Pets at Home' ;-)

 

[Cheese Specialist]

11th Rule: Don't buy from 'Pets at Home' ;-)

I agree, overpriced and the staff in the one I go to don't really have a clue.

 

[gixer]

Well, I think people should give away fish they can no longer house. After all, it's better for the fish. What about people who buy a fish when they are new not realising how big it will grow and grow attached to it?

i think people should research more first. then this wouldnt happen.


this thread is spot on (original post i mean)

That's all very well and good now, but as you know many 'first fish' are not researched. Sometimes spur of the moment or impulse buys and it's only when people run into problems that they realis what they have got themselves into.

yes its true. but it doesnt make it right

i also think there are many species that you should have a lisence to buy. common ones are balas, tinfoil, some plecs, columbian sharks, oscars etc...

how many people buy balas as newbies coz they look so cool? thousands. how mant have suitable tanks to home them? not very many...

the numbers of balas sold everyweekend must be immense. i find it very sad.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

yes its true. but it doesnt make it right

i also think there are many species that you should have a lisence to buy. common ones are balas, tinfoil, some plecs, columbian sharks, oscars etc...

how many people buy balas as newbies coz they look so cool? thousands. how mant have suitable tanks to home them? not very many...

the numbers of balas sold everyweekend must bu immense. i find it very sad.

I totally agree. Some fish just shouldn't be kept in tanks, never mind 10 and 20 gallon ones.

 

[gixer]

and goldfish for that matter. the most abused fish there is

 

[Morrgan]

When people want to change their tank to something different, what is wrong with them giving their current fish away to someone who wants them?

What irks me (and probably most other people who have shown a similar opinion) is that it seems like such a carefree way of caring for pets. If you decide to get a pet, it's supposed to be for as long as the pet lives. You shouldn't get one and then throw it away when you get bored with it. It's the attitude that bothers me, not the action itself.

In the cases you described with goldfish and kissing gouramis, it's of course better to give them away if you really can't provide the space they need. The ideal is to know exactly what you're buying for your tank. I've made mistakes before, but at least now I know better and do my research before buying the fish. From several sources.