Question for LFS workers...

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NowherMan6

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Jun 28, 2004
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... or anyone who knows, for that matter

What do you do with fish when they really outgrow the tanks they're kept in? I mean, say you have a 55 gallon show tank with a bunch of bala sharks, or irr. sharks - after a while, no one buys them. what happens to them? are they put down, or shipped off somewhere else?

And what about fish that outgrow a customers tank? Like, say someone brings in a 14 inch irridecent shark - that thing is going to get a lot bigger, so you most likely wont have room for it in the store forever, right? Whenever someone on this forum mentions they have a fish too big for their tank, many people respond that they should take the fish back - well, what does the LFS do with it, if it's taken back? Im not criticizing that practice - ive done it myself with tiger barbs - but I just want to know where it goes from there. Any thoughts and experiences are appreciated. Thanks

rich
 
I know my LFS usually offers the animal for sale if it's something they can't put in one of their display tanks. If the animal will outgrow their tanks and doesn't sell, sometimes they are forced to put them down rather than have them die from inadequate space. I found a home for an African lungfish that was turned in to my LFS--they had it in a 50 gallon, biggest tank they had available, and they couldn't take care of it for more than a few weeks. The owner really liked the fish, and didn't want to kill it, but didn't want it to suffer in a cramped tank either. I found someone who wanted it, and delivered the fish to a halfway point. The fish is still alive and doing well, last I knew.
 
Our LFS will usually take fish that have outgrown the customer's tank (even if the fish was purchased elsewhere) - he then will try to find a home with someone who has a larger tank (at a greatly reduced price). This is where we acquired our 2nd "baby" Pacu - we have known the owner of the LFS for about 25 years, and he was having trouble finding homes for 3 "returnees", so we took one of them. :p
 
interesting. my LFS had two large 55 gallon tanks. one of them always has a large oscar, large pleco, JD and parrots - different fish almost each time, but same mix. i always wonder where they go. one time the second tank had a big irr. shark , about a foot long, in it and the poor thing had a severely bruised nose - you can tell it must have been in a very small tank for its size. few weeks later it was gone, and i always wonder what happened to it. i can understand putting the poor fish down though. i wonder how often that happens. mos tbe at least as often as any pound.
 
The LFS I go to has 4-400 gallon tanks so you get to see all kinds of overgrown returned fish, which in turn they sell for a higher price. They have a tank with 4 8" bala sharks in it and it is great to see them scurry around. They also have a tank with some great big albino Oscars and a big knife fish. They have a huge planted tank too, which they sell all their plants out of which has butterfly fishes in it. Real neat tanks and they take the best care of them that they can and that is why I shop there. The neatest fish I have seen there are a small school(6 or so) of 6" tinfoil barbs.

These tanks are awesome, they sit on the floor and you stand above them to watch the fish. Some nice rays in there too, only about $600 bucks each though.
 
Just so everyone knows, petco won't let us take in fish. The only way we can accept a fish donation is if one of the employes wants it for their personal collection. I'm not even sure if were suposed to do that! And as for fish outgrowing our displays, they dont. We sell everything we cary before it gets too beg. If we get a fish that I want, I have to mark the tank as not for sale untill we close just so I won't get sold off during the day.
 
When I worked at petco it was often either take in the fish, or leave it in the plastic bag (((that someone propped up at the front door before we opened))) and watch it die. :rant:

We took in just about anything, and most of it either went back out within a week, or went home with me that day.

Very rarely did fish outgrow the tanks when we had them, they either sold too fast, or weren't fed enough.

--Mia
 
I tihnk you've misunderstood the question xytrix, which is 'what happens to large unsellable fish' that are returned.' Do the shops sell them all (really), or are some/most/all exterminated.
My local lfs's have a varying policy. One is sticking by the story ' we sell them, we tell you what they are, it's your responsibilityto know how big they will get (ask and they tell), if it gets too big, you kill it'.

A more common story is return and we will deal with it. They have a number of large tanks, with large fish (to a metre in lengh (yes!)). If it's of value they might keep or sell it. Others, guess what
 
thanks for all the replies.

i was there yesterday picking up some items and they had in one of their big tanks 2 BEAUTIFUL what i believe to be tinfoil barbs which were both around 6-7 inches (not sure if that that's exactly what they were, because the large fin on top wasn't red and these each had two barbels around their mouth). In any case, I wish I had the space for larger fish like that because they're usually such gorgeous fish and it's a shame that most probably get put down. :(
 
African Lungfish (Marble)

-I am looking to buy a African Lungfish and am unsure where I can buy one online. If anyone knows plese reply.

Thanks,
Brent
 
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