The Puffer Forum

Tihsho wrote:Just try to keep upgrading the tank to accomodate the catfish down the line, cause thats all you can do at this point.

:kudos: exactly my point.

perek wrote:

Tihsho wrote:Just try to keep upgrading the tank to accomodate the catfish down the line, cause thats all you can do at this point.

:kudos: exactly my point.

I would have to agree.

Nothing else can be done. Its either keep up with the fish (best idea unless you can find someone who can accomodate it) or return it to a LFS and be cramped in a tank and become infested with ich.

Perek: Neither option is worthy of support, Which do you prefer, a slow paiful death or a somewhat faster equally painful death? The proper response is neither. Do not buy the fish if you cannot care for it properly. False sympathy is all that you are offering, and that is useless and demeaning. A pagaius in a 35 is pathetic and doomed. If you cannot be honest and factual on the boards, don't contribute. If you do anyway, expect rebuttal.

RTR wrote:Perek: Neither option is worthy of support, Which do you prefer, a slow paiful death or a somewhat faster equally painful death? The proper response is neither. Do not buy the fish if you cannot care for it properly. False sympathy is all that you are offering, and that is useless and demeaning. A pagaius in a 35 is pathetic and doomed. If you cannot be honest and factual on the boards, don't contribute. If you do anyway, expect rebuttal.

Well those were the two options we are faced with was it not? The fish is bought already, and continuously reminding the OP of how unfortunate the situation is most certainly a non-solution.

It is truley unfortunate the the tropical fish industry continues to import such fishes that nearly no one can keep. Other examples are the redtail cat, Pacus, and "sharks" to name a few.

The OP has stated that he will do his best to correct the mistake and continuously try to upgrade his tank. Besides euthanasia thats really all he can do.

I agree with all of you.

Neither option is acceptable, but in the circumstances, upgrading the tank to the largest possible and/or finding a suitable home is the only viable option.

The real problem, as perek pointed out is that the industry cares more about selling product than they do about animals. There are not enough activists to get the message through, and the average fish buying public either doesn't know, or just doesn't care.

It's a market where the fish themselves are basically disposable. Profits are made on the equipment and supplies needed to keep fish. The less information people have, the better their sales are. The LFSs worst nightmare is an informed shopper.

AT, I would really like to encourage you to work on providing a better, more appropriate home for your current fish than to worry about where to buy some SAPs. Please reconsider, for the good of the fish. I know full well the desire for more and varied fish, I suffer from the compulsion myself, but until you can provide the right home for them, you ethically shouldn't be looking at getting any others.

Ok you can all get off my case now. The pangasius is in a backyard pond which is 250 gallons or more. It's in there with some medium to large koi. I gave the Bala Shark to a friend with a 125 gallon. Thanks to all for defecating all over me.

We do it for the animals sake, not to make you personally feel bad. And as I said before, the blame really belongs with the industry selling inappropriate stock.

Phaedrus wrote:We do it for the animals sake, not to make you personally feel bad. And as I said before, the blame really belongs with the industry selling inappropriate stock.

Exactly. There are thousands of these fish sold every day, and I never walk into a LFS franchise without seeing a whole tank of these guys in stock. It is a terrible practice of the fish industry, and they know that the less the buyer knows about the fish the more they will sell.

I went into several stores with a picture of a full grown pangasius in hand, and they were all either indifferent or said, "Well they never actually reach that size"... Of course after telling them they die prematurely from stunting, they tell me fish die all of the time from that... No Kidding, isn't that why I'm talking to you?

Anyways, I am glad you live in a warm area where you can release him into a backyard pond. I live in too cold a climate to do so, therefore my fish is depending on me to continually find larger and larger aquariums.

Unfortunately, it seems people have to go through these experiences to learn to research fish thoroughly (not just take LFS's word of mouth as law) and not to buy fish on impulse. AT, I am not trying to assault you personally, I was only looking out for your fish, and also going off on my usual rant about over sized fish being sold to the unknowing public.

I hope you don't feel discouraged. All of us on this forum are here because this site is dedicated to providing the most accurate information of how to care for many fish that are continuously misunderstood and mistreated (pufferfish, catfish, goldfish, oscars, etc..... etc.... etc...). It's only natural for all of us to become very concerned when we see someone who doesn't understand their fish (for whatever reason).

Wouldn't you get upset if you saw a horse being kept locked up in its stall it's whole life? Or a dog kept chained to a tree with no shade or water? Unfortunately most people don't have the same sympathy for fish and they don't even humor the thought that these animals have feelings too. My point is, instead of being angry at those of us who are trying to give the right information to counteract all of the lies in the fish industry, maybe you should take the issue up with local fish stores where it all starts. They are the ones that mislead you and they are the ones that make us have to be so harsh and tell you something you didn't want to hear.

And on a final note, many of us started the hobby as ignorant as could be- with a gold fish or betta in a bowl, or overstocked 10 gallon tanks.... But now we know better, and we are trying our best to educate ourselves and others so that the hobby becomes a more humane and educated one even for beginners. We would love to have you stay on-board with us, and I apologize for any hostility you may have felt as it was unintentional,

My most sincere apologies,

Michelle

Apocalyptictoast wrote:Ok you can all get off my case now. The pangasius is in a backyard pond which is 250 gallons or more. It's in there with some medium to large koi. I gave the Bala Shark to a friend with a 125 gallon. Thanks to all for defecating all over me.

I wasnt man, its just that fish stunting really gets people on the internet angry. Dont let it scare you away!!

Edited for language -RTR

Phaedrus wrote:The real problem, as perek pointed out is that the industry cares more about selling product than they do about animals. There are not enough activists to get the message through, and the average fish buying public either doesn't know, or just doesn't care.

It's a market where the fish themselves are basically disposable. Profits are made on the equipment and supplies needed to keep fish. The less information people have, the better their sales are. The LFSs worst nightmare is an informed shopper.

Unfortunately, there are some people within the trade that advocate this practice. One of the local LFSes here regularly orders in fish that grow to very large sizes, like pacus, ID sharks, etc, and think that this is great, because they're willing to take them back once they grow too large.

This has done nothing good for these fish. I regularly see pacus and other monster sized fish, growing too large for their tanks, desperately being tried to get rid of by the people that were never ready for them to grow to those sizes.

Perhaps both the consumer and the industry need to start thinking of fish as "real" pets, not just entertaining garbage to be thrown away when they're no longer of amusement.

perek wrote: I wasnt man, its just that fish stunting really gets people on the internet angry. Dont let it scare you away!!

Might I translate that into "Keep on stunting"?
Defend yourself, of be gone...

Woland wrote:

perek wrote: I wasnt man, its just that fish stunting really gets people on the internet angry. Dont let it scare you away!!

Might I translate that into "Keep on stunting"?
Defend yourself, of be gone...

How about you not misinterpret everything I say?

Making one mistake should not scare you from the hobby. We ALL have made mistakes at one time or another.

I do not misinterpret willingly.
It is very simple; If you are unable to keep a pet in captivity for the long run;
do not...
Walk right by.

LFs will base their sales on what they are able to sell.
Stunting fish is a low practice indeed...
How come you recommend it?
Just pass on the problem?