Fishkeeping Ethics Question

[purplecandle]

Is it ok to get rid of or rehome when you know there is a high probability that they will not survive?

I am thinking of rehoming 3 of my GSPs. I have two puffers that I think might be Sabas and they are just growing so fast That I think I will soon have to give them there own 55/60 gallon tanks..this would mean I would have to find somewhere for 2 of my GSPs to go (I keep them 2 to a tank)

The third GSP I am thinking of rehoming, named meanie, well, he just hates me...well he hates people in general.

The three I want to keep are the ones I have the best connection with and I spend a lot of time with them. The other three were all rescues that somehow made it and I love them dearly, but they are just not my favorites.

I was thinking of acclimating them to full marine and taking them to a mom and pop shop I know of that could take care of them.. (I wanted to take them to marine to increase their chance of getting a knowledgeable owner, lets face it you really have to know what you are doing to keep a marine tank) They are ready mid brackish so it would not be to hard to do.

I just feel really guilty about this, and i know that most people cannot care for GSPs and the likely hood of survival is low...Is it ethical to rehome a fish for these reasons? Or should I try to get more tanks (I cannot afford more tanks until tax time, and my saba looking puffers are really close to needing their own tanks)

Any thoughts? I am really feeling bad about this.

[J-P]

ethics vs economics ... that is what makes the world such a wonderful place

Economics always wins in the end. You can only find the best home for your friends as possible, or hold out and hope you can upgrade later.

[JRC3]

You could also put an ad on craigslist that way you could screen the potential new keepers. Just do a general title containing "aquarium" and "Fish tank" and people looking for those items will see it...I mean how many people like us on the forum buy stuff off Craiglist?

And if you feel guilty about the keepers getting a fish that "hates people", just keep in mind that a fish will probably act different in a different environment.

[JoseDepacos]

I got rid of a couple fish on CL once. I had an interview process that was pretty lengthy and most folks werent worthy of owning them. Eventually I found someone that was quite knowledgable. A good option if you choose wisely.

[purplecandle]

You could also put an ad on craigslist that way you could screen the potential new keepers. Just do a general title containing "aquarium" and "Fish tank" and people looking for those items will see it...I mean how many people like us on the forum buy stuff off Craiglist?

And if you feel guilty about the keepers getting a fish that "hates people", just keep in mind that a fish will probably act different in a different environment.

Maybe hates people is a strong statement. He just does not interact with people well. This sounds crazy, but he is just one of those animals that you know was hurt by humans and therefore does not trust them. He is not aggressive or anything, actually he is not even a nipper...he just has does not have "interpersonal skills"

[Nick]

The only times I was able to get GSPs into suitable tanks while working at a pet store was when I acclimated them to full marine. Marine fish keepers are much more likely to understand the space requirements and need for very good water conditions for some reason, perhaps because the lay out expenses are so much higher. Only one person that ever came into the store kept a real brackish tank, and it was a 37 gallon with several monos and scats at any given time, replaced as they died of stunting related illnesses.
If they must go to a store, definitely as marine fish.

[RTR]

+1 to J-P's comments.

On hateful and/or anti-everything fish: I had one Fahaka who hated everything - no joke. He was beautiful. He was active when he though no one was around (otherwise he hid) or when efforts were made to clean his tank, when he attacked anything that came into the tank. To be horribly honest, I was relieved when he died. I will never forget that lesson, and have forgiven myself years ago. If it ever happens again, I will re-home the beast or euthanize it, and forgive myself again. In all the thousands of fish I have kept, that was the only one I have ever hated (and feared). I will not subject myself to that again.

HTH

[Brandon8521]

+1 to J-P's comments.

On hateful and/or anti-everything fish: I had one Fahaka who hated everything - no joke. He was beautiful. He was active when he though no one was around (otherwise he hid) or when efforts were made to clean his tank, when he attacked anything that came into the tank. To be horribly honest, I was relieved when he died. I will never forget that lesson, and have forgiven myself years ago. If it ever happens again, I will re-home the beast or euthanize it, and forgive myself again. In all the thousands of fish I have kept, that was the only one I have ever hated (and feared). I will not subject myself to that again.

HTH

Im sorry, that is kinda funny. I here you referring to your notorious fahaka often and everytime its ammuseing to picture a fearfull face approacheing the tank with cleaning supplies. My Dad kept 2 huge oscars in a 150 when I was younger and I was terrified of them. They were the meanest fish I had ever had contact with. Of course they couldnt do the damage that a fahaka could but to a 10 year old it was disturbing.

On the subject of is rehomeing ethical. If its to someone that you know it will die in then no its not IMO. Its allways worth it to wait it out and find someone that could handle them. If you know the mom/pop store well and can trust them to give them a good home then your concious is cleared and if they dont go to good home you will never know and for all you know they were given to someone who has a 1000 gal tank just for them. Its all up to what your concious can handle and what you feel more comfortable with.

[RTR]

LOL! I learned about nasty fish from those cute little Oscars. My first semis-automated tank was a breeding pair of those fish. I cannot do a radical re-set on a tank with a pair of demons in it - which is why I had two 180s. There really are reason why I have played with semi-automation of tanks and very-low hands-in tanks. I have been through that learning curve too often to consider it fun. Now I am willing to lots of up-front work just in case i need to some years in the future. And that was mostly done with Cichlids.

Puffers were handled with minor variation on the techniques already learned the hard way.