red pacu

I dislike the idea of allowing the government to regulate those types of fish because it gives them power that might be abused over other portions of our hobby...
 
Agree with you cd, I wish the lfs would let the consumer know. I once bought an Irid Shark and the other day bought a pacu. Neither time did the lfs (two different lfs) warn me of potential size. Fortunately, I have a tropical pond where they are housed. However, the lfs didn't know that.
Interestly enough, I saw tank full of Irid Sharks at a national pet chain and they listed potentail size at 8". Maybe in the first six months :) I don't want government intervention, but I do encourage responsible business practices.
 
Interestingly enough, I remember a convo with cdawson where the U.S. govt wouldn't let Canadians import Bio-Spira...

Hopefully, businesses will catch on that they are wrong and need to do a little more research...or else people like us won't buy there any more! :)
 
hi biba here i have a 6foot tank and a pacu red bellied who i have had for 2 years he was 5 inches when i got him and is now 24" eats everything in the vegetable line but we feed him crab sticks 4 everyday as they are full of protein and seem to keep his hunger at bay if any of the smaller fish get ill he will eat them straight away! but is friendly and loves to be petted probably the softest fish i have ever had but am desperate to rehome in a larger tank but not a store as they give people the idea that they dont grow too big or try to sell them off as piranhas if you have any advice please forward but if you have a pacu believe me he is going to grow at a fast rate
 
pacus

I still fail to understand how local governments don't regulate the sale of animals like the red pacu and red tail catfish. They're obviously monsters and very few people can actually house them. However, I see red pacus and red tail catfish at fish stores on a regular basis. They should be the type of animal that needs a special permit to own.

yes i live in cornwall england and our stores sell them off and as a owner of a large 26" rb pacu which was 5" 2 years ago it makes me mad that they dont let people know the extent of care these fish need and the growth rate of them
 
This is why they sometimes end up in local waterways, because people just throw them out when they get too big. I heard of a story where a man caught one while fishing somewhere in the mid west, I believe. Totally out of the native/ natural waters where pacus should be located.
 
It's frustrating that stores don't properly inform people of the potential for the fish they buy, but it's even more ridiculous that people buy these animals without knowing a darn thing about them.
 
The same is true in any area of pet hobbies. Dogs get have needs that aren't met by every dog owner, macaws are kept in cages intended for conures, burmese pythons are sold to 13 year old kids with earnings from their paper routes. Education is what needs to be pushed, not regulation.
 
soz just saw this thread again been of the net for ages stupid isp, its a 200gallon tank and all the plants have gone now , thought it was too good to be true and yes they are growing very fast :)
 
Whats frustrating is that people don't research animals before hand. Responsible Business Practice is one thing, but the fault most certainly doesen't fall on the business alone. There are a million threads about this, but unless you want the government to intervene in which species hobbyists can and can not keep in a home aquarium, it is ultimately up to the consumer to research an animal before they purchase it and responsibly home it. And then you can say, "well the local fish store said it would only get this big..." I say it is irresponsible to listen to the local fish stores suggestions on size, because they make $8.00 an hour and the majority know nothing any more complex than 1 inch per gallon rule, (not all, I have come across some VERY knowledgeable employees). Point is, Ichthyologists will not be frequently working as aquarium shop employees, and unless you want to pay 15 dollars per neon tetra for excelent advice, do your own research, don't impulse buy, and don't expect to get flawless information from your local fish store employees.
 
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