I have a question

[purplecandle]

I have been surfing fish forums for the past few days rather obsessively looking for a bump cure..on some of these forums I have actually gone back years through discussions...and I want to know the answer for something..why do people intentionally buy big fish for little tanks??

I am not talking about people who buy a fish- not knowing what it is an then genuinely planning to upgrade...I am not talking about people who buy a large fish and then put it in a tank that is 10 or 20 gallons to small (that is not a terrible thing-using a 100 when you need a 120 is not not terribly bad) and I am not talking about people who tend to over stock slightly.-We are all guilty of these things, myself included

I am talking about people who buy giant fish for 20, 30, 40 and 55 gallon tanks....they call it a grow out tank. Fish that require virtual lake size tanks...and then a year after they have this poor fish..they get rid of the fish OR they add a new large fish-but they do not get a larger tank...and they continue the cycle..purposely buying large fish..Read through years of threads and you catch this kind of thing..

And then they show pics of their tanks with a beautiful (miserable) fish, no decor, no plants sometimes no gravel or sand...as if the beautifulness of this fish will distract from the fact that the fish (normally an intelligent species) has a deer in the head lights, help me, I am bored, I hate this guy look in its eye..

I just do not understand this logic.."I have a 4 foot fish in my four foot tank..and I am proud of it! Nah he can't swim, but he can hover!"

I myself am new to this hobby compared to most people on here..so I am the last person who needs to be on a high horse....But why?

There are decent size fish for 55 gallon tanks...why have this cycle of pacus and giant catfishes?

If I offended someone I am sorry, no I am not..cause if your offended that means you probably have a Pacu in a ten gallon tank somewhere...

[xrayjeeper83]

I do admit I have a grow out tank. But my fahaka is only 2.5 inchs right now. And I am on the hunt for a 120 gallon as we speak.

But I due understand what you are talking about. I have a friend that has a 55 gallon that had 2 oscars and 2-3 pleco's. Now he has 1 pleco, still has 2 pleco's and has 6-7 goldfish hanging out while he trys to get a pond up and running. I tell him at least once a week that he needs to get the goldfish out, and get rid of at least pleco.

[purplecandle]

No No...I am not talking about a situation like yours...your situation is perfectly normal and you fahaka can survive in your tank....

I am talking about people who go to the store buy a fish that does not fit in their tank (half grown)..calls the tank a grow out tank...and tells people they are going to upgrade...but they don't (through YEARS) and then they get rid of the fish or add even more giants...

[Ohyouknow]

I know what you are talking about!

My LFS acquired two plecos (like, 1 foot each) and have them both in tanks they can barely turn around in. He also has an oscar as big as my head (someone brought in) and had it in a tank he couldn't even turn around in... was like, nose to tail tank... However, I know my LFS really tried to do right by these fish; now that they have expanded the Oscar is now in a tank that you could fit six or so of them in comfortably - and he's alone. The plecos are in slightly larger tanks than they were before - and can at least turn around. He's working on some large displays to house them - but for now he's doing what he can. He said that the 2 plecos and the oscar all lived together in a 90gallon tank. I have seen them on forums though, where it's not even an aquarium at that point... it's a 'fish display' - forcing the fish to say, "ya, I'll hold still so you can count all my spots and scales... I don't have anywhere else to be, or anywhere to swim anyways..."

I think these people truely do believe that fish are ornaments.

[xrayjeeper83]

as long as they are in water they are fine right? You dont need to clean or test the water, thats what the internet told me

[purplecandle]

Sorry, for the rant..it was late last night..and I had been searching for days..and constantly finding threads like.."I have six gigantic fish, but my ammonia wont stay down" or "I have twelve oscars and most of them have ick, what should I do"..In all cases the tanks were around 55 g..and then a year or so later "I got rid of my oscars, check out my new pacu's and red devils-they have some fin damage will melefix work?"-Hospital threads

And everyone (nearly always) says "oh pretty fish!"

I like the puffer forum for this reason- people here will call you out on this type of BS..almost all of us can say someone here called us out on our BS

[J-P]

I purchased a 10 gal tank what came with "free fish" aka rescues because the owner was tired of cleaning the filter and was generally tired of die off. That tank contained 1 HUGE veiled angel, a smaller veiled angel, a pleco, 2 neon tetras and a molly.

OMG!! There are some that are ignorant because they don't research, there are those that think that more frequent maintenance if fine, and there are those who know but choose to ignore the facts and see fish as "disposable" pets.

It happens and will continue to happen. It is the nature of human biology.

[Myaj]

Well, most of those people go by one of two "rules"

#1. Fish only grow to meet their tank size (FALSE!!! but that's what prob 90% of the world's population thinks)

#2. Its "just a fish", who cares? (ARG.. get a remote controlled car then, not a live animal!!)

There are also those who say they will just "trade in" the fish and get a smaller one once it gets too big for the tank. Of course, by then, its already stunted and damaged the fish.

Many people just don't think of fish as live animals that can feel sick, or have growth problems, etc.. or that they don't need to care if they do. And since fish don't really fall under anything controlled by the local animal abuse laws, its hard to prove to them otherwise.

The other problem you see a lot is people think that filters clean the water for them, and they don't "get" water changes. They say "then why am I filtering it?, doesn't the filter clean the water?" I just tell them, okay, go run that filter on your toilet bowl, poop and pee in it a few times, run the filter some more, and then go ahead and show me how "clean" that water is.. drink it! And you expect a fish to LIVE in it?" Usually gets the point across.

[xrayjeeper83]

http://orlando.craigslist.org/for/1831139109.html

prime example

[purplecandle]

what is the deal with no decor???

Even that apramag (I can't spell- the guy with the massive tanks) guy has drift wood...

J-P do you think that tank is really 55?

[J-P]

it is difficult to say... the size of the fish vs the tank size is a moot point. The fact remains that the fish can not swim freely.