Display Tank Fish Guidelines-Buying too big?

[snarky shark]

I wanted to pose this question to the group to get feedback. Do you buy fish to keep them for life or only enjoy them for short Term? When researching they state in many different forums and websites to think in terms of mature growth size of the fish when putting them in your tank.

That being said it tends to be common place in the hobby as I even see in other forums that people buy for the current desire in fish and then seem to have no qualms with re- homing when it gets too big or they grow tired of the species.

Is this just me but I guess people don't quite view fish the same as other pets in the family to keep them for their life expectancy.

I know the are always mitigating circumstances such as fish bullying others or damaging other livestock and rock work. What are your views? Not that there is any right or wrong answer, just wanted to see the general consensus. After all it is your tank and your decisions for yours as well as the tanks overall happiness.

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[civics14]

My personal opinion.... Most of those max size in a fish, most people won't keep a tank up and running that long to have the fish reach its largest size. Majority of the times, sad as it is, the fish will die before it even gets to close that size for other reasons.

It would be nice to have a fish that long though.

Also, every fish is different. So, if you have a fish that needs a 6' tank, but the harmony in the tank is fine and fish is healthy, I personally don't see an issue. Now, if you can clearly tell that the fish is stressed, for me, I think that is enough to pull it out and find another home for it. I hate seeing fish fight or stressed out, makes me stressed out.

 

[Adam]

As a fisherman for most of my life I have certainly viewed fish as something much less than a normal pet. I also have no problem eating fish, including sushi, where as most people could never think of eating a dog, cat or any other pet. But we seldom get to see the fish we eat in their natural habitat and when we do it is for very brief periods of time.

Barring any issues with a fish, like the ones you stated above, I buy fish with the intent to keep them long term and give them the best possible environment I can. With the money we pay for most of the fish we keep and the amount of time we get to observe them and get to know their personalities they become more like my other pets.

 

[civics14]

As a fisherman for most of my life I have certainly viewed fish as something much less than a normal pet. I also have no problem eating fish, including sushi, where as most people could never think of eating a dog, cat or any other pet. But we seldom get to see the fish we eat in their natural habitat and when we do it is for very brief periods of time.

Barring any issues with a fish, like the ones you stated above, I buy fish with the intent to keep them long term and give them the best possible environment I can. With the money we pay for most of the fish we keep and the amount of time we get to observe them and get to know their personalities they become more like my other pets.

Especially if you have kids. They give them names...

 

[Adam]

Especially if you have kids. They give them names...

Also, when I say "best possible environment" than includes not buying fish that, at adult size, are too big for the aquarium I have.
That would be the equivalent of buying a large breed dog and keeping it in a bedroom for it's entire life.

 

[hiimsean]

I feel it’s irresponsible to buy something you know you can’t home long term. You have a 30g tank and buy a hippo tang knowing you’ll get rid of it is a bad side of the hobby. To me it’s as bad as saying I just want a puppy so when you hit 40lbs you’re gone.

 

[myvwrock]

I think a good majority of people buy fish for the "show fish" factor. Meaning they have nice dish but non of them have a job in the reef/ tank. I have always preached to have utilitarian fish, and maybe one "show fish" , even long before brs came up with this concept in their videos. People also buy fish with the mind set of , well, when it gets too big for the tank, that will give me an excuse to upgrade to a larger tank. People are impulse buyers, but hopefully there are still people that work in the fish stores that are not afraid of loosing a fish sale because the customers tank isn't right for it.
Chris c



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[jmcdona6]

I was thinking about this the other day. How many tangs are sold by LFS every day? How many people do you know capable of keeping them when they mature. How many people do you know that quit the hobby? How many people do you know with 100 tang refuge tanks?

Now ask yourself where are all those tangs? Answer is probably depressing.

 

[civics14]

I was thinking about this the other day. How many tangs are sold by LFS every day? How many people do you know capable of keeping them when they mature. How many people do you know that quit the hobby? How many people do you know with 100 tang refuge tanks?

Now ask yourself where are all those tangs? Answer is probably depressing.

This is the sad truth

 

[Doberman13]

You're telling me it is wrong to put a tang in my 22gallon? A betta fish can live in a cup its entire life(typically a month) with no filter or aeration why does a tang need more than that?!


(sarcasm of course)

 

[NanCrab]

As a fisherman for most of my life I have certainly viewed fish as something much less than a normal pet. I also have no problem eating fish, including sushi, where as most people could never think of eating a dog, cat or any other pet. But we seldom get to see the fish we eat in their natural habitat and when we do it is for very brief periods of time.

Barring any issues with a fish, like the ones you stated above, I buy fish with the intent to keep them long term and give them the best possible environment I can. With the money we pay for most of the fish we keep and the amount of time we get to observe them and get to know their personalities they become more like my other pets.

I agree Adam although I have made a couple of fish purchases I should have researched myself much better that will, at some point, be rehomed in your giant tank! Like my sailfin. I bought it when he was about the size of a quarter. Growing very well though it’s out of display now and coexisting with a coral beauty in a fish only tank. I know it will eventually not be happy and I’m planning for it’s best future. I’d like to keep them for their full life expectancy because I view not only my fish but also my corals and inverts and even cleanup crew with the same reverence for its life that I have for all life. We are debating a larger fish only tank for all the non reef safe fish we like but still on the fence about that. Still haven’t tried putting the coral beauty in the DT because I’ve had to redone coral eating file fish. Nothing wants to eat the damned aptasia they’d rather nip at my corals. So frustrating.

 

[morganatlanta]

Rehoming a fish that is outgrowing your capability to provide a suitable environment is certainly possible, and quite easy, on this forum or with a trade-in at the LFS. I have no problem with it. Not everyone wants a 200 gallon tank capable of hosting a mature tang, but a juvenile may be quite happy in a 60 gallon for years.

 

[Valhoon]

this is largely why I'm not in retail pets anymore. Too many people view fish as a disposable novelty instead of a living breathing animal that some species exhibits impressing feats of intellect. Every fish I buy, I buy with the full intentions on keeping it for the long haul. It broke my heart to rehome my two spot tang but he was disturbing the other citizens (or denizens lulz) of my tank.

I don't understand some peoples attitude towards fish. They aren't novelties to show off to your friends.

Fish are friends, not accessories

 

[Valhoon]

And to quote a friend "The gap between people who post pictures of baby redtail catfish, silver arowanas, and tiger fish and the people who post pictures of adult ones is further apart than Uma Therman's eyes"

I'd laugh if it wasn't so sad and true.

 

[gill]

If you take the hobby seriously, I think you should prepare for the long term care of the fish. There is obviously a gray area. But you do notice that almost all angels/tangs/triggers in the trade are extreme juveniles. I doubt more than 90% of them live to anything approaching adult size in captivity. So it is part of a bigger ethical issue around fish care, I suppose.

 

[NanCrab]

You're telling me it is wrong to put a tang in my 22gallon? A betta fish can live in a cup its entire life(typically a month) with no filter or aeration why does a tang need more than that?!


(sarcasm of course)

This is cute. Unfortunately most people choose to remain uneducated and many (not all) LFS salespeople are there to SELL. Case in point, we LOVE tangs (or used to). We have a 125. It was an immature tank, still dealing with dinos and bad uglies. Went to LFS to get stuff for THAT issue and came home with a gorgeous and already kinda large naso tang. I named it sage. I asked the person at the LFS if my tank wasn’t a bit too small for it even at that size and he said it could live happily in a 125 for another 5-8 years. Not so much. Ended up doing a total 3 day blackout for Dinos and he didn’t survive the first night, most likely due to lack of available oxygen. I was, and still am heartbroken over that fish. I’ve learned to do my own research and ask people here for advice before making any more stupid mistakes.

 

[Valhoon]

If you take the hobby seriously, I think you should prepare for the long term care of the fish. There is obviously a gray area. But you do notice that almost all angels/tangs/triggers in the trade are extreme juveniles. I doubt more than 90% of them live to anything approaching adult size in captivity. So it is part of a bigger ethical issue around fish care, I suppose.

Well I think it goes back to the motives behind getting into it. If you don't have a passion or a desire to learn and connect with the fish it's gonna be bad for the fish, too many people using it to flex. There was a case of someone from atlanta posting on the fb group "BASE" showing a cesspool of a tank too small for a hippo in poop brown water with half dead fish gasping for breath and he was talking about "stunting and real fish keepers know whats up" Like yeah dude, we do and we are disgusted.

 

[Valhoon]

Not so much. Ended up doing a total 3 day blackout for Dinos and he didn’t survive the first night, most likely due to lack of available oxygen. I was, and still am heartbroken over that fish. I’ve learned to do my own research and ask people here for advice before making any more stupid mistakes.

But here's the thing dude. they told you it was fine. It's not exactly your fault and as hearbreaking as that is. You learned from it. You can't always trust what anyone says... Especially a fish store worker at times.

 

[NanCrab]

Well I think it goes back to the motives behind getting into it. If you don't have a passion or a desire to learn and connect with the fish it's gonna be bad for the fish, too many people using it to flex. There was a case of someone from atlanta posting on the fb group "BASE" showing a cesspool of a tank too small for a hippo in poop brown water with half dead fish gasping for breath and he was talking about "stunting and real fish keepers know whats up" Like yeah dude, we do and we are disgusted.

I don’t keep up with the Facebook group. Lately I’ve been having trouble keeping up with this group. Been too busy dealing with my own tank issues and my own health issues. I need to do better. Explain more about that post, I’m curious now.

 

[Valhoon]

This fool from Atlanta posted this like 50g tank with far too much water to the "BASE" group on fb about a year ago... dude had a hippo and some other fish literally dying on camera in brownish yellow water thinking he was hot sh#t talking about "YA BOY STUNTING! REAL FISH KEEPERS CAN SEE WHATS UP" Like yeah bro, we do see whats up and it's horrible. Nothing to be proud of. OFC him and one of his buddies whom I will not name tried to make it about something else instead of the very real issue of the care of the animals. I hate people. I'm just thankful everyone here seems cool and actually cares.