**Need Opinions!** Rescuing a special needs loach?

[primsloaches16]

Hey y'all, I really need y'alls opinions because this has been tearing me up all day. I went to my LFS to get food and I looked in the Dojo Loach tank (like I always do XD) They were all sold except for this small golden dojo with a pretty severely disformed spine. My heart broke for this little baby, and I wanted nothing more than to take her home, but my tank is overstocked to begin with. I'm moving in a month and have a 75 gallon lined up for my community, so here's my question. Should I add another juvenile dojo loach to my already overstocked tank, for just a month, until I move and get them in a nice big tank? My heart breaks for the little thing and the LFS owner said the loach will probably not get bought because of its deformity. Please let me know your thoughts! I left the fish store crying because I feel so bad for the baby. I just want it to have the best shot at life- Thanks in advance!

 

[FishBearer9845]

Why don’t you ask to reserve it until near the time you move?

 

[primsloaches16]

Why don’t you ask to reserve it until near the time you move?

My LFS only does holding for 24 hours

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

If it's really only going to be a month before you upgrade, and you can keep on top of water parameters and water changes, it would probably be okay.

But, there are also a lot of people who feel the same way you do about special needs fish and pets. My LFS has a line up of people willing to take in deformed fish, and you can't save them all, or the 75g will be overstocked in no time too.

I'm not saying that you should or shouldn't take this one, just be rational and don't slip into animal hoarding territory by thinking you're the only one who can save them, and push overstocking limits on the regular as a result.

 

[Lynnzer]

Problem here is the dilution of the species' normal characteristics. I don't know if you plan to breed with it, but all living things do find a way given the smallest of chances. If it does succeed then the deformity may be passed on.

Let me tell it another way. As some already know I am an avid angler, mostly sea angling. Years ago, and I mean going back perhaps 40 - 50 years, I could go down to the local beach or pier and catch cod of some remarkable sizes. A 20lb fish was quite common and the biggest I caught didn't get weighed as I took it straight to my local fish (and chips) shop where it was filleted. It served a family of 5 with really nice helpings. I'd guess it was 30 to 35 lbs. I even saw a dead washed up cod on Redcar beach early one morning when I was 10 years old. It was HUGE. It was on it's belly and was almost up to my chest. People were cutting huge chunks out if it. Must have been well over 100lbs. That image has remained with me all this time.

Fish of that size are so rare now. If you manage to catch a cod(ling) from the same beach or pier it will be less than 10lbs.
The reason: well overfishing by the trawlers equipped with the latest fish-finding technology (French mostly in the northeast of England). The depletion of stock is only a part of the story though. Trawler nets are designed to catch large fish. There are size limits on fish so any undersize can't be sold at the quayside market. Consequently the nets used by trawlers have a large mesh size. The net(sic) result is that the fish that don't get caught are mostly small. Perhaps by some genetic flaw or whatever, but the breeding behaviour has been altered to future generations of small fish populations.

So, it may be "kind" to rescue a deformed fish but don't do it for the sake of the species.

 

[primsloaches16]

If it's really only going to be a month before you upgrade, and you can keep on top of water parameters and water changes, it would probably be okay.

But, there are also a lot of people who feel the same way you do about special needs fish and pets. My LFS has a line up of people willing to take in deformed fish, and you can't save them all, or the 75g will be overstocked in no time too.

I'm not saying that you should or shouldn't take this one, just be rational and don't slip into animal hoarding territory by thinking you're the only one who can save them, and push overstocking limits on the regular as a result.

Thank you for the input, I really appreciate it! I know I cant save every single one. I'm going to go back to the store tomorrow and if the fish is still there probably pick her up.

 

[primsloaches16]

Problem here is the dilution of the species' normal characteristics. I don't know if you plan to breed with it, but all living things do find a way given the smallest of chances. If it does succeed then the deformity may be passed on.

Let me tell it another way. As some already know I am an avid angler, mostly sea angling. Years ago, and I mean going back perhaps 40 - 50 years, I could go down to the local beach or pier and catch cod of some remarkable sizes. A 20lb fish was quite common and the biggest I caught didn't get weighed as I took it straight to my local fish (and chips) shop where it was filleted. It served a family of 5 with really nice helpings. I'd guess it was 30 to 35 lbs. I even saw a dead washed up cod on Redcar beach early one morning when I was 10 years old. It was HUGE. It was on it's belly and was almost up to my chest. People were cutting huge chunks out if it. Must have been well over 100lbs. That image has remained with me all this time.

Fish of that size are so rare now. If you manage to catch a cod(ling) from the same beach or pier it will be less than 10lbs.
The reason: well overfishing by the trawlers equipped with the latest fish-finding technology (French mostly in the northeast of England). The depletion of stock is only a part of the story though. Trawler nets are designed to catch large fish. There are size limits on fish so any undersize can't be sold at the quayside market. Consequently the nets used by trawlers have a large mesh size. The net(sic) result is that the fish that don't get caught are mostly small. Perhaps by some genetic flaw or whatever, but the breeding behaviour has been altered to future generations of small fish populations.

So, it may be "kind" to rescue a deformed fish but don't do it for the sake of the species.

What an interesting read! And I'm definitely not going to breed lol, they are just my pets!

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

What an interesting read! And I'm definitely not going to breed lol, they are just my pets!

He makes a solid point though, I don't know anything about sexing loaches, are you positive that all of yours and this new one are all female? Because it is definitely not good to breed a deformed fish and pass those genetics along.

But if you're sure, and they're all female, then I hope you share pics when you get her

 

[Guyb93]

Sorry I hve no input really I have a question is the term special needs fish widely used because I did giggle a little when I read it , is deformed just a little harsh