The Big Fish Campaign.

[Lesley123]

I think big fish should be sold purely on an 'order in' basis. And only after a responsible fish keeper displays some knowledge about what hes buying.

[TropicalFishForums]

[Markymarc]

I think generally with a species like an Arrowana or a Red Tailed Cat, people buying these are aware of the potential size and needs of the fish.  Of course not everybody are.
But the bigger problem are the people who see the tiny little Oscar, and pop it in with their Neons, then after the Neons vanish, and they have an increasingly large fish in their 2 foot tank, what happens then?
If nothing else, I think the licencing regulations should state that the size of fish should be clearly marked on every tank containing it in the shop.

[bwarwicker]

Red tailed cats are a big problem and sold at £15 about 3 inches near me. Retailers are as responsible as keepers and some retailers money comes before welfare. Common plecs as well. Pets at home sell them and the biggest tank my local sells is 80l.

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[TropiGaz]

Red tailed cats are a big problem and sold at £15 about 3 inches near me. Retailers are as responsible as keepers and some retailers money comes before welfare. Common plecs as well. Pets at home sell them and the biggest tank my local sells is 80l.

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I took in a common Pleco that got to big for a tank.  He's loving life in the 8 footer

[Markymarc]

Pets at home sell them and the biggest tank my local sells is 80l.

Pets at home.  Say no more.


If people stop buying fish from these cruel cowboys, they wont be able to sell them.  Money talks.

[vivalacoulter]

I've just seen this on Facebook. Apparently that's a real Red Tail Catfish and is also for sale. I can't tell if it actually is real, but if so seems amazingly cruel.

[mpope1981]

I agree there should be stricter regs on selling these giants but also believe there are some complete idiots in this world that would not take notice any way, the amount of people I have come across that seem more than happy to keep their trophy fish in their tiny tank with no concern for its welfare just because its a focal point is unbelievable, you would have to bring in some kind of home check which would be very hard to manage.
I am no great supporter of pets at home and don't know if they do this every where but my local store always want info on size and stocking of your tank when you buy any fish, now I dont know what they would do if for instance you said you already had an 9" common pleco and a 7" arrowana in your 125l at the time you were purchasing your new oscar maybe nothing but would assume they ask for a reason? I think Lesley may have the best solution being on a ofder in basis

[TommyTopTetras]

I think big fish should be sold purely on an 'order in' basis. And only after a responsible fish keeper displays some knowledge about what hes buying.

Surely this would be an improvement? That way you would have to at least know about the existence of the larger fish and go to the trouble of ordering them in. A decent shop could insist on seeing a photo of the set up before ordering it?


Having these things in shops is obviously encouraging people to impulse buy or at least making the wrong people aware of them. If you know what they are doing with these fish then you don't need to see them in the shop. After all what is the shop going to do with them as they get huge?

[Rockys Dad]

About 25 yrs ago when I was a complete novice (I'm no expert now) I had a 5 ft community tank with gouramis, guppies, platys etc. I stupidly bought a small catfish, about 1" long from a LFS. He was very cute, spent most of the daylight hours in a cave in the rocks. In only a few months he'd grown to about 15" and eaten everything in the tank that he could catch. I didn't realise that he was eating the fish until it dawned on me how few were left. I also didn't realise just how big he'd got as he spent all day in his cave, with just his whiskers sticking out. With no internet back then I had to do a bit of legwork to find out he was a blue channel cat, and was going to get much bigger. Needless to say, he went back to the LFS, where the owner gave me more money in the refund than I paid for him.

In contrast, I re-homed a Tilapia that had outgrown a friends tank. He was about 6" and lived in harmony with his tiny tank mates, never attempting to dine on them. When he got to over a foot he was rehoused in a larger aquarium belonging to a friend of a friend.

I will now check very carefully before buying anything. There's no excuse now with the internet on your phone, is there? (Unless like me, you haven't got a mobile phone!!)

[lilizzy]

If most local pet shops actually gave good advice it wouldnt be a problem. I have been there starting off and was told I could keep two goldfish in a 21L tank. Believed it. Luckily my goldfish are still with me as I learnt quickly!

Actually did an experiment, knowingly how many goldfish I could fit into my 4ft tank (which is 3) I asked two pet stores anyway. One said ten. Another said 20!! Of course some people would listen as it is professionals who are meant to be trained and knowledged in fish. I have met some good employees who clearly know their stuff but if more training was given these fish wouldnt get sold into a terrible environment not auitable for them.

[lilizzy]

I agree there should be stricter regs on selling these giants but also believe there are some complete idiots in this world that would not take notice any way, the amount of people I have come across that seem more than happy to keep their trophy fish in their tiny tank with no concern for its welfare just because its a focal point is unbelievable, you would have to bring in some kind of home check which would be very hard to manage.
I am no great supporter of pets at home and don't know if they do this every where but my local store always want info on size and stocking of your tank when you buy any fish, now I dont know what they would do if for instance you said you already had an 9" common pleco and a 7" arrowana in your 125l at the time you were purchasing your new oscar maybe nothing but would assume they ask for a reason? I think Lesley may have the best solution being on a ofder in basis

yeah they do ask about your tank size but makes no difference I think. Their recommendations on how many fish you can fit in a tank is different to how we know it. They said I can get 20 goldfish in my tank when I know I can only have three. So therefore they would still sell me the fish even though I was overstocked.

[leeanne]

My mum got sold 2 bala sharks for a 60l tank the shop said theyll be fine wont grow bigger than the tank! Also same time bunch of guppies 2 male dwarf gourami & neons for a new uncycled tank


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[Bud28]

Last week in a lfs i enquired about 2 x cigar sharks (approx 4"-5"). I knew nothing about them but was told they would be fine in my vision 180. The bloke then went on to describe there speed and said they have rubber like mouths  so when they hit the glass it doesn't hurt them. He then put his hand/arm in the tank to spook them and show me and my wife. I went home and researched the fish and was far from impressed. I think you should have to pass a written/verbal test on your knowledge of aquatics before being allowed to sell them

[bwarwicker]

Last week in a lfs i enquired about 2 x cigar sharks (approx 4"-5"). I knew nothing about them but was told they would be fine in my vision 180. The bloke then went on to describe there speed and said they have rubber like mouths  so when they hit the glass it doesn't hurt them. He then put his hand/arm in the tank to spook them and show me and my wife. I went home and researched the fish and was far from impressed. I think you should have to pass a written/verbal test on your knowledge of aquatics before being allowed to sell them

To be honest it sounds like a shop you should avoid anyway if they're deliberately spooking the fish!

[CraigS]

My LSF seem pretty good but the other day i did have to wonder - As I was looking around I found that in their big display tank they had 2 x Arowana and a Lungfish! I did have to look twice because I literally couldn't believe my eyes. Who has a tank big enough for a fish that can grow up to 6ft!