Fish "rescues"

Then how do no kill shelters pay the bills? They have costs...

They depend on volunteers like me to come care for, and train the animals and also work as adoptions counselors. They also depend on us and others to make donations so that they can continue to do their noble work.

Obviously- I won't win this argument and I'm good with that. I'll just go along with the masses and go ok yeah it's a purchase. Ugh...

Ok you all win it's a purchase...

You need to take a deep breath, realize that this thread topic is not directed solely at you, stop taking it personally and understand that we all accept your point of view and respect your opinion. In a public forum, it's crucial to be able to "agree to disagree". The variety of opinions is what makes this place so interesting to people like me.

We have a history in my family of stealing peoples mistreated dogs. THAT'S rescuing an animal.

 

But Sir you wouldn't put them in the vase would you? You are more experienced than that and would know much much better..

Not in the least. But the effect of my action doesn't stop at the betta I buy. The betta that I buy (the next time I get a betta) will go into a 10g, heated, planted home of his or her own. However, the betta(s) that the store orders to replace the one I bought aren't very likely to end up in such a home, if I buy from Petsmart/Petco.
However, if I buy from one of the local stores that keep their bettas in better conditions (yes, I know I'm lucky to have such things around here), not only is the betta I buy going into a good home, but the betta they get to replace it is much more likely to go to a good home, as those shops do a better job of educating their customers.

 

Is the condition of the bettas in the store any indication of the quality of life they will have once they are purchased?? I don't think so. IME, and from what I've seen in the experience of a lot of people, often the LFS employees aren't any better than the petsmart/petco employees, so the probability of the betta going to a good home would be about the same as the fish in petsmart.

Of course if they keep the bettas in better condition, there's the chance their employees may be more knowledgeable I guess.

 

At least in my area, if the bettas are kept in good condition in the store, the employees care enough about them to actually tell you their requirements. If they're kept in cups, the employees don't care. A large number of bettas kept in cups usually means that the store makes money off of a large number of impulse/gift buys.

Not sure if this is the same elsewhere. I can only comment on what I've seen.

 

Ok, I've been telling myself I'm going to stay out of this thread, but I've just gotta make a quick comment....

Mom and Pop shops need your business. More and more of them are closing every day because of the economy, pressure from chain stores, etc. Not all Mom and Pop shops are great. Not all keep their bettas properly. But the ones that do should be rewarded by earning our business... or there will come a day where we no longer have the option of shopping anywhere BUT chain stores.

 

amen sister.

 

Ok, I've been telling myself I'm going to stay out of this thread, but I've just gotta make a quick comment....

Mom and Pop shops need your business. More and more of them are closing every day because of the economy, pressure from chain stores, etc. Not all Mom and Pop shops are great. Not all keep their bettas properly. But the ones that do should be rewarded by earning our business... or there will come a day where we no longer have the option of shopping anywhere BUT chain stores.

I totally agree!

 

When it comes to fish rescues, I buy fish with difficulties or physical defects when I do a rescue. Why? Because even though I know the fish is more then likely to have a shorter life because of that, it breaks my heart to see a person young or old turn their backs on a fish that is different and mock it. I think fish know when people are laughing at them in a negative way because you can see the differences in the fish. I have a spotted raphael catfish who someone had dropped a rock on it and broken its neck. They bought it back to the LFS I shop at because they didn't word for word "A ugly disgusting fish like that." He was in the back of a tank nearly white in color and a friend of mine bought him and gave him to me. Only reason I do a rescue, and I rarely do them because my space is limited. Then too I agree with Harpua I only buy and do rescues from my LFS not from petsmart or petco.

 

I don't know any people who make fun of sick/injured fish

 

I don't know any people who make fun of sick/injured fish

Yeah I don't either, that would be pretty twisted. Even if they did, I don't think the fish would know either way. There only concern is eating and spawning. They have no concept of ridicule or love.

 

I have to say here in the UK the shops are v good with livestock and the conditions they are kept in, the problem seems to be the very small tanks rather large fish get put in...once they have been sold...

A rescue fish in my mind, is one kept in unsuitable/poor conditions which are usually found on ebay...

In the uk the following applys



Fish are covered by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. You have a duty of care towards your fish and other aquatic animals. “Duty of care” is a legal phrase which means that someone has an obligation to do something. Prior to the Animal Welfare Act 2006, people only had a duty to ensure that an animal didn't suffer unnecessarily. The new Act keeps this duty but also imposes a broader duty of care on anyone responsible for an animal to take reasonable steps to ensure that the animal's needs are met. This means that a person has to look after the animal's welfare as well as ensure that it does not suffer. The Act says that an animal's welfare needs include:


A suitable environment (how it is housed)

A suitable diet (what it eats and drinks)

The ability to exhibit normal behaviour patterns

Any need it has to be housed with, or apart from, other animals

Protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease

 

I don't know any people who make fun of sick/injured fish

Come to Tennessee then .....no offense to anyone on here. But there are some pretty bad people in my area.

 

There only concern is eating and spawning.

And not being eaten

Come to Tennessee then .....no offense to anyone on here. But there are some pretty bad people in my area.

Are you talking about kids or adults?

 

And not being eaten



Are you talking about kids or adults?

Generally both.

 

Come to Tennessee then .....no offense to anyone on here. But there are some pretty bad people in my area.

Interestingly enough, that's where many of the rescue dogs that are shipped to the northeast come from.

Fish are covered by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. You have a duty of care towards your fish and other aquatic animals.

We have laws against driving with hand held cell phones, too.... but does it stop anybody? Somehow our society, no matter the age, feels that the law doesn't apply to them. And that stupidity, I mean mindset, seems to carry over into every walk of life. I just don't get it.

 

Hello Fishlore,

My significant other is going to kill me for doing this and I really do need to stop getting more fish, but I found another ad on craigslist and can't help doing another rescue mission. The only trouble is that I'm by no means a fish expert so I can't identify what fish are displayed the ad or what their requirements are.

Pictures of the fish are included. The OP mentions 5 african cichlids, 1 barb and 3 algae eaters (although I can't see these in any of the pictures). If you guys could help out, I'd appreciate if you could (1) Identify any fish you can see and (2) Tell me a bit about them (tank size requirement, water parameters, if they can be put in a community, if they like to school, etc).

Tanks I have available:
-55 gallon
-40 long
-20 gallon
-10 gallon

 

The big silver one with red tail looks like a tinfoil barb. They get huge (1ft+). It's a schooling fish... It's waaaay to big for that tank, and probably too big to live comfortably in your tanks.

The yellow one, and the purple ones and the albino look like zebra cichlids. I think they're good in a 50 gallon, but have never kept them.

 

The big silver one with red tail looks like a tinfoil barb. They get huge (1ft+). It's a schooling fish... It's waaaay to big for that tank, and probably too big to live comfortably in your tanks.

The yellow one, and the purple ones and the albino look like zebra cichlids. I think they're good in a 50 gallon, but have never kept them.

O__O Jesus...a fish that gets 1 ft+ AND that likes to school? Those fish exist in this hobby?

I have a 220 that's pretty lightly stocked right now (just a big pleco). Can I just hold him there for the time being until I can figure out a more permanent arrangement? The barb is the one I want to help the most, you can tell from its fins how great of a time it's having being housed in a 10 gallon with 5 cichlids.

 

Yeah, they are big! A 220 would definitely be sufficient.

I'm curious how it even turns around in that small tank.

 

Good for you for trying to help those fish!

I think you could fit a school of tinfoil barbs in a 220 gallon tank, it says on fishlore that they can fit in 75 gallons+ but it probably needs bigger.....

 

Good for you for trying to help those fish!

I think you could fit a school of tinfoil barbs in a 220 gallon tank, it says on fishlore that they can fit in 75 gallons+ but it probably needs bigger.....

Thanks--when you say school how many are you thinking about? My LFS definitely doesn't stock them so it would probably take me a hot minute before I could get a school of 6 together.

 

Holy cow, and I thought I'd picked up some doozies in my time!

I think anything you put them in will be better than what they have and will at least buy you time while you find better permanent homes for them. They're almost certainly stunted by now if they've been in there their whole lives.

And yes, I'm sorry to say, such fish *do* exist in the hobby

 

Holy cow, and I thought I'd picked up some doozies in my time!

I think anything you put them in will be better than what they have and will at least buy you time while you find better permanent homes for them. They're almost certainly stunted by now if they've been in there their whole lives.

And yes, I'm sorry to say, such fish *do* exist in the hobby

I totally agree with you, I've already contacted the OP and I'm going to go pick up all the fish tomorrow!

Do you happen to know anything about the African cichlids? I'm totally ignorant when it comes to their care.

 

I would give all the Africans to the LFS. They will be able to home them to people with the right tank size. Africans can be way too aggressive, and I don't think you would want to deal with that as of now.

 

I totally agree with you, I've already contacted the OP and I'm going to go pick up all the fish tomorrow!

Do you happen to know anything about the African cichlids? I'm totally ignorant when it comes to their care.

Very little. I only have limited experience with a couple of American Cichlids and they're quite aggressive enough! I think there's something about needing higher carbonates for at least some of them and some of them have fairly specialized diets but I agree with sharambil, best to find them appropriate homes. Once they're all identified, including the fish not pictured, you may find out that one or two will be ok to mix with what you already have but for now be prepared to have to rehome all of them.

 

You probably need a school of at least 5 to keep the barb happy.

 

You probably need a school of at least 5 to keep the barb happy.

Yeah, that's not going to happen any time soon. It will already be getting a huge upgrade. Getting 4 of its buddies is the very bottom of the priorities list.

Can't save them all OP. Sorry, but had to say it.

 

BlackTeeShirt FeederGuppies sharambil Aquaphobia

Quick update:

-CRAZY day! I picked up all 9 fish after work today, and I'm extremely fortunate to already have found permanent situations for all of them. I guess it's good karma or something Read on for details!

-The tinfoil barb is only 6 inches long and is probably stunted. I'm currently housing him in my 220 until his fins grow back. Once he's recovered though he's unofficially headed to *drumroll please* the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago! If formally accepted he will be housed in a 1000+ gallon Southeast Asia tank with many native friends.

-The 5 Africans went into my hospital tank (20 gallons), I put in a bunch of small pots to give them places to hide from each other. I didn't want to rehome them to the LFS that keeps Africans because the tanks look miserable (always cloudy and full of dead fish), but luckily I happened to find an experienced cichlid keeper from the CCA (Capital Cichlid Association) willing to take them in. Turns out they're varying species of Mbuna (?) cichlids and providing for the needs of all of them would take far more work and money than I'm willing to put in. They'll be headed over to the aquarist's fish room over the weekend.

-Regarding the algae eaters...turns out there were 3 tiny otocinclus in the tank cowering underneath the decorations. They've gone into my 125 with the Angelfish and Cory's, which should be a good home for now. They're pretty cool fish, I'm probably going to keep them.

Thanks for all the help guys!

P.S. scarface guess I did save them all...lol

 

Great work! All fish will be happy. Beware, angelfish may eat Otos

 

Good job! The only thing I can add is if you keep the otos get them 3 more friends.

 

Hi! I just got back from my LFS and I saved some of there rosy red minnows (there feeder fish). Ima QT these guys then they are going in my 55 community tank (I wanted a large school of fish in there and I figure these guys are cheap and I can save them from being eaten):
What do you think? I rescued 13 of them (there is a mix of rosy red minnows and their wild counterpart, fathead minnows)

 

Could be a cool tank and sight!

Edit: keep me updated on these guys if you make a tank I would like to see this.

 

Could be a cool tank and sight!

Edit: keep me updated on these guys if you make a tank I would like to see this.

Hi! I have the tank they will go in (after QT) already. They will be going in my community tank (I wanted a large school of fish and thought these guys would be a cool addition):

 

They seem like they would do fine in that tank, only thing is worry about is them being bullied. But that's unlikely.

 

Treat for internal parasites!!
I bought 50 something of these guys, I've got 8 now, 27 died in 2 days. Be prepared to lose a lot of them, not much you can do.
They are a great fish once they get settled though!

 

Treat for internal parasites!!
I bought 50 something of these guys, I've got 8 now, 27 died in 2 days. Be prepared to lose a lot of them, not much you can do.
They are a great fish once they get settled though!

They are in QT and I already put in a “general” treatment medication. It also helps boost their slime coat which is nice

 

I bought something like 8-10 feeder endlers. Only one survived. Be prepared for causlites

 

Ok

 

Hi! All the minnows seem to be doing well. I will update in the morning as well

 

Rosy Reds are a cool water fish (usually kept on a separate system in fish stores with the goldfish, from the tropical fish.) They prefer their water from about 60/63 degrees F to around 75ish. I wouldn't keep them with any fish that prefer water temps in the 80's F, as the warm temps can make cool water fish more disease prone. You can lose them to heat stress the closer you get to 80 degrees, for various reasons. If you notice them gasping at the surface, the water is probably too warm and doesn't have enough dissolved oxygen in it. Just something to be aware of and keep an eye on. There can be many other things going on with any fish species from illness to parasites to poor water quality. But typically the warmer the water, the less the oxygen for the fish to breathe is in it and warm water fish need fairly warm water ( with more water circulation to grab oxygen from air and dissolve it in water) and cooler water loses less oxygen from evaporation and can sometimes tolerate less agitation of water in general. Where I live in SD, farmers will buy rosy reds/ goldfish/feeder guppies and toss a bunch in livestock ponds to eat algae and mosquito larvae, so their cattle/sheep or horses have few mosquitoes preying on them. Obviously these ponds are at whatever the ambient water temperatures are at and some live/some are prey to frogs, turtles, birds etc. Sometimes pelicans drop larger fish like bass or sun fish in the same pond. Nature balances it out and hopefully you have fewer mosquitoes biting people and livestock, spreading mosquito borne diseases.