Monster Fish - Ohio Fish Rescue

So recently I found a really cool youtube channel to subscribe to that I figured you guys might enjoy. If anyone wants to learn anything about giant monster fish check out their videos! Its a rescue that takes in fish that get too big so giant irredecent sharks, pacus, red tail cats, arrowanas, etc

Really cool way to learn about some of these giants that many of us could never own!

 

It’s a fun channel. To watch them from garage space to building an addition it’s a wonderful log of videos.

 

They do their best. And it wouldn't be so hard for them if people wouldn't just buy monsterfish thoughtlessly.

 

It’s a fun channel. To watch them from garage space to building an addition it’s a wonderful log of videos.

Oh I completely agree, I found them maybe 6 months ago and went back and I've watched almost all of their videos now. I rewatch some. YouTube pays them per view so I like listening and learning while at work, I treat them like an audiobook HAHA!

I have no desire to own the majority of the fish they have (except MAYBE an oscar and I want a koi pond in the future) but its cool getting to learn about them and see the sheer size of them! Like I've known these fish get huge but like their giant Pacu, I didn't realize that big.

They do their best. And it wouldn't be so hard for them if people wouldn't just buy monsterfish thoughtlessly.

Exactly! Hopefully people use their YouTube channel as a way to learn about these monsters and realize they can't afford a proper set up for them. Like these guys have the luxury of these massive tanks. This is not at all something a normal person would likely purchase. I mean heck, one of their rescues was a Pacu out of a 125g tank. 125g I'd argue is one of the largest tanks most fish owners may get. That pacu made that tank look tiny!

 

Exactly! Hopefully people use their YouTube channel as a way to learn about these monsters and realize they can't afford a proper set up for them. Like these guys have the luxury of these massive tanks. This is not at all something a normal person would likely purchase. I mean heck, one of their rescues was a Pacu out of a 125g tank. 125g I'd argue is one of the largest tanks most fish owners may get. That pacu made that tank look tiny!

I've seen that one. The poor fish couldn't even turn around.

And real luxury... I don't think so. The pool, yes, ok. But not the other tanks. Otherwise they have problems finding room already. They're still overstocked, sadly. But still far better than where most fish come from.

 

I've seen that one. The poor fish couldn't even turn around.

And real luxury... I don't think so. The pool, yes, ok. But not the other tanks. Otherwise they have problems finding room already. They're still overstocked, sadly. But still far better than where most fish come from.

Oh I agree completely. I more so meant he said before he started the rescue he got himself a huge tank I want to say it was 300-400 gallons or something like that. If I had the time money and space that is a tank of dreams LOL!

 

People that start animal rescues are generally not doing this because they chose to. Often times people get dumped with random animals and start taking in rescues because they feel it's the morally right thing to do.

 

They don't only rescue fish from people who are clueless..
They helped someone on this site when they came here looking fir help.
The thread was real nice and sort of sad for me .
The tank they rescued has long been my dream tank now in its second owners hands .
Desperately Looking For Help Rehoming Big Fishes | General Discussion 417907

 

They do their best. And it wouldn't be so hard for them if people wouldn't just buy monsterfish thoughtlessly.

And if LFS's wouldn't still sell them.

 

And if LFS's wouldn't still sell them.

Demand and supply, influencing each other.

 

Demand and supply, influencing each other.

I doubt there is any demand from the public, but LFS's are still ordering and selling to unknowledgable people.

Think no one asks for an iridescent shark for his 80 cm tank.

 

The mans mullet is quite impressive. They should make this into a TV Show tbh. That way they can expand even more and save countless of monster fishies.

 

Well I went to a reputable and very well rated fish store in DC and was sold two irridescent sharks as small silvery fish great for my 35 gallon. They were so small I couldn’t even see the similarity to a Bala shark. They were less expensive too ($4.99 each). The salesman also knew I had a very aggressive male Krib in the tank and said this would be perfect (I think he meant they would be like dither fish). One suicided the first night. Luckily I had somebody take who lives next door and has a 70 gallon with Cichlids. The shark is TINY TINY like less than 2” so when it gets larger we might try taking it to the Baltimore Aquarium.

 

I doubt there is any demand from the public, but LFS's are still ordering and selling to unknowledgable people.

Think no one asks for an iridescent shark for his 80 cm tank.

Very true!

Still, I think certain Youtubers (looking in the direction of Florida and yes, also Canada...) should really stop make it look like a saturday afternoon walk to get a new monsterfish.

Well I went to a reputable and very well rated fish store in DC and was sold two irridescent sharks as small silvery fish great for my 35 gallon. One suicided the first night. Luckily I had somebody take who lives next door and has a 70 gallon with Cichlids. The shark is TINY TINY like less than 2” so when it gets larger we might try taking it to the Baltimore Aquarium.

Good luck, saw an interview lately with a zookeeper at a public aquarium, saying they would only take monsterfish of a certain size. Which makes sense, considering often the real monsters are in their enclosures for decades and grown out accordingly.

 

And if LFS's wouldn't still sell them.

To be fair, the chain stores near me have the mature size and minimum aquarium size posted for their fish. I'll certainly agree that it would be better if they didn't sell them, and I'm not making excuses for their employees giving customers bad advice, but some of the blame for those situations falls on the consumer.

 

I've seen tiny Iridiscent Sharks and plecos sold in tiny bags to people that couldn't guess how big they'd get.

Buttttttttt I would never buy an unknown fish before getting all the info available.
So there is a liability with the public as well.

 

Yes. Agreed. And now I know. I didn’t post it when it first happened bc I was so ashamed and I learned a life long lesson—and not just about fish—but I learned to research research and more. My chain stores also post the information minimum size and also adult length. For ex I saw a gorgeous black knife fish and didn’t even ask about it (it was small) bc I saw it can be up to 18”. It hadn’t said tank size but I can do the math.
This store that sold the sharks was a dedicated non chain fish store and I did tell them no jack demseys (they were in same tank as the iridescent sharks) bc they’re too large. Again I have learned a life long lesson but I asked a number of questions (if you’ve seen my post on this site I do Ask a lot) and was told these small silver guys would act as a buffer for the aggression. They also said get two so they can swim together and since then I’ve learned that iridescent sharks need more than just one buddy
But at this independent tropical fish lagoon store they didn’t have the info handwritten (like they usually do in a non chain store) and I should have asked more questions. AGREED AND ALWAYS WILL. it’s a two way street. But I have been on road trips to stores two or three hours away and all the local chain stores in Baltimore and I’ve gotten incorrect info but never at the sake of a fish’s life.
Lesson learned. And really I can’t control what a seller will try to do but I can learn to do my due diligence so the lesson is for me not for them. I cannot control what anybody will do but I can learn my own lessons. It’s similar imho to when salespeople say you can cycle for three days. At the beginning I was so excited to GET SOME FISH I might have done that. So when something sounds too good to be true it likely is!

 

The mans mullet is quite impressive. They should make this into a TV Show tbh. That way they can expand even more and save countless of monster fishies.

YESSSSS the mullet! When I saw it the first time I was like holy cow. Now I'm over here wondering what hair products he uses because his mullet looks nicer than my hair!

I'd love this to be a TV show. It'd be a cool documentary type show! I mean heck Dr. Pimple Popper has a hulu show! This guy should too! Maybe we should all write to hulu and disney (for their national geographic) about them

 

Oh those are great videos to watch. I watched the rescue & then the HUGEEEEE Pacu rescue. Amazing work. So much love for the hobby and very kind to the previous owners.

 

Love this channel! I don't think these fish should be totally taken out of the pet industry...but something should be done. As in no chain stores selling them, only from breeders with knowledge, and you should have to have a permit or something. They need to be put in good homes for their entire lives, not an okay home until they are too big and need to be given away.