LFS huge fish

EOD

EOD

AC Members
Sep 12, 2010
600
2
18
Schofield Barracks, HI
Real Name
David
At a smaller LFS today I saw a tank near the back away from all the other tanks and looked inside to see 2 Bala Sharks that were 2 ft long! Also a clown loach about a foot long. It was bizarre! Now I know what you were all saying when you were telling me clown loaches are too large for my tank. CRAZY!
 
I've seen my fair share of large fish in the LFS, usually from people trading them in..usually cause they were too big for their owners tank ha
 
It was just freaky. I know they are supposed to grow that large but ... really...the sharks looked like freaks of nature.
 
Heres a pic of my LFS's 'big fish' tank from their website:

20060909115937_lrg.jpg


It's not too great, but in the photo you can see a large gold severum and a tinfoil barb.
That tank has a 3 or 4 foot arowana in that tank aswell at the moment, 2 foot long (atleast) common plecos, and huge oscars and giant gourami.
 
It sucks that aquarium stores sell these fish without clearly informing their customers of the problems they are going to encounter down the road when the fish is bursting out of their little tank. Or, the customers who do get informed and do it anyway thinking they are going to up-size their tank sometime in the future (which often doesn't end up happening) or are just out for instant gratification and just don't care are even more shameful. Selling or buying that cute, little, young bala shark (or other fish that grows big) when are just a couple of inches long isn't doing anyone any favors... especially the fish.
Well... there's my li'l rant for the day.
 
I was sold 2 bala sharks even though they prefer larger groups....
I was sold 2 clown loaches because they get along with tiger barbs....
I have never had a LFS make sure or even ask what size tank I was putting the fish in.
You could buy ALL of their fish, walk outside, dump them on the concrete in the burning sun, walk back in and attempt to buy cats or puppies and they may even sell you all of those as well....no joke. So sad.
 
EOD said:
I was sold 2 bala sharks even though they prefer larger groups....
Click to expand...
Larger groups of 2' long fish, that'd be something.


EOD said:
I was sold 2 clown loaches because they get along with tiger barbs....
Click to expand...
CLs like big groups as well. They are an awesome schooling fish for a really big tank.


To be fair, not all LFS (local fish stores) are sad. In fact, there are some pretty good ones around. However, I'd say the majority of big box outlet fish stores don't have the staff or the training/knowledge to be dealing effectively with this.

LFSs are usually the ones who will take the big fish back from the (now enlightened) aquarist. Try taking a 2' bala shark or a 10 pound clown loach back to Petsmart and see how they deal with it. I think they won't be so helpful as most LFSs.
 
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