Should the Red Tailed Catfish be banned from the fish trade?

The Red Tailed Catfish, Phractocephalus hemioliopterus, is a fish that I've seen being sold. It can reach up to 6 feet long and weight as much as 180 lbs! That's bigger than me! It's usually sold at 2 inches.
In the US, many people have found these fish in local ponds, lakes, and rivers.3 People buy this fish thinking it will stay small but it grows fast.
It needs a fish tank with dimensions of 12' x 4' x 3', which is over 1,000 gallons. 1 (I can't really site sources good, but I'll try!)

The fish will grow up to 18 inches, in the first year alone.2

This fish is caught a lot on the tv show "River Monsters". The fisherman often has trouble pulling in these larger fish. (Who wouldn't pulling a 150 lb out of the water? Especially since the fish doesn't want to come out of the water!)

People will build personal ponds to accomodate their new pet. But some don't and they release these creatures into the wild. Sure, it happens with almost every aquatic fish/organism/plant in the trade, but this fish will eat anything that goes in its mouth. Including tank decor.

Some aquariums will take the red tailed catfish for an exhibit! Think about housing a shark in your backyard, it'd be fairly similar, except the shark would be a saltwater fish and highly aggressive.

I know this fish is a monster, and in my eyes a complete beauty. But I feel it should not be sold to people who do not know how to care for it.
You can't keep Tilapia without the state/federal people coming out and checking out the pond/tank. Why should the Red tailed catfish be any different?

Do you think the Red Tailed catfish should be banned or that you need a permit for one?
SOURCES:
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3
http://www.floridasportsman.com/2012/10/04/exotic-redtail-catfish-caught-in-south-florida-lake/

 

Local pet shops shouldn't have easy access to a fish like that. Many fish shouldn't be sold to the general public.

I don't like the idea of banning fish for sale as a law. I do like the idea of requirements to buy certain fish, but not bans.

 

A guy I talked to said his pet store sold it to him saying it wouldn't get large. 12 inches max.

 

Local pet shops shouldn't have easy access to a fish like that. Many fish shouldn't be sold to the general public.

I don't like the idea of banning fish for sale as a law. I do like the idea of requirements to buy certain fish, but not bans.

agreed.

 

I agree. It's ridiculous to sell a Red Tailed Catfish to someone who may just have a 10 gallon tank for it ("They only get up to 12"...) The result? Stunted growth, early death, unless someone takes the initiative to really build one of those personal ponds. Which I highly doubt lots of people do. I agree that we should have requirements for potential buyers of these fish.

 

I agree that you should have a permit or a license to buy such a large fish. But I also think we need MUCH stricter pet laws in the united states. But that is mostly because I work with rescued exotic animals and see the deplorable and horrific conditions that many of these animals are kept in because someone told the owner "oh yea keep the catfish in a ten gallon" or "you can keep a monkey in a dog crate and it will be fine" -steps off her soapbox-

 

Local pet shops shouldn't have easy access to a fish like that. Many fish shouldn't be sold to the general public.

I don't like the idea of banning fish for sale as a law. I do like the idea of requirements to buy certain fish, but not bans.

That's a more realistic approach IMO. There should just be a collaborative effort through the hobby to get fish dealers to make these tankbusters a 'special circumstances' item rather than just the run of the mill fish purchase.

The hobby needs to come together and if the outcry is large enough, the suppliers and stores will listen.

 

It's animal cruelty plain and simple. I know fish will never be respected like dogs and cats but a fish that can swallow a dog being put in a small home aquarium? Come on.

 

I agree that you should have a permit or a license to buy such a large fish. But I also think we need MUCH stricter pet laws in the united states. But that is mostly because I work with rescued exotic animals and see the deplorable and horrific conditions that many of these animals are kept in because someone told the owner "oh yea keep the catfish in a ten gallon" or "you can keep a monkey in a dog crate and it will be fine" -steps off her soapbox-

I agree!

 

I agree that you should have a permit or a license to buy such a large fish. But I also think we need MUCH stricter pet laws in the united states. But that is mostly because I work with rescued exotic animals and see the deplorable and horrific conditions that many of these animals are kept in because someone told the owner "oh yea keep the catfish in a ten gallon" or "you can keep a monkey in a dog crate and it will be fine" -steps off her soapbox-

I agree too. I'm often amazed at what animals people can buy without special permits etc. But then there are other states that go in the other direction and make it nearly impossible to own anything other than a dog or cat. I guess I prefer that to the overly lax laws, but there has to be a happy medium somewhere....

I do think red tailed cats should not in general be sold, and if they are special ordered should only be done if the buyer can prove s/he has a large enough habitat for a full grown specimen.

Emily

 

It's animal cruelty plain and simple. I know fish will never be respected like dogs and cats but a fish that can swallow a dog being put in a small home aquarium? Come on.

Dogs and cats get abused and neglected all the time too.

 

I don't think they should be banned necessarily, as there are some professionals/experts out there who can properly keep massive fish. But yeah, they can get HUGE. I saw a few at the Denver Downtown Aquarium last week and they were topping 3 to 4 feet.

Stricter regulation and controls are an absolute must. I don't understand why the U.S. is so far behind compared to other countries.

 

Honestly I'm glad we are behind some other places, although most other countries I would say we are far ahead of. Govt regulation and control is a two edged sword and it's going to hurt the hobby while helping it.

 

I believe there are many fish that should not be sold on the open market, arowana, red tailed cats several others, there are also many reptiles and snakes I believe are too readily available. If one feels they ca properly care for a contained pet (buy this I mean something that lives in your house not a pasture) that can grow to outweigh an average adult they should have to prove that they can properly care for it for its life. If your neighbour has a horse and its in a paddock and its wallowing in filth and being starved you can call the someone and report them, but if someone is doing that to fish or reptiles in their basement no one knows about it. Heck most of the add I see on kijijI for fish are of tanks that 1/3 of the water has evaporated out of them, and they have lost interest so they are just trying to sell the tank, and it's fish. It's really very sad to see for me. Today I am hoping to pick up a gourami, an angel, a Molly and a red tailed shark in fact from one such situation. There is also a Pleco, but unfortunately unless it happens to be a bristolnose I just can't give it a home, even the red tail shark worries me.

 

Dogs have been bought and used as weapons, used for fighting and used for food. Cats have been bought for food and bought and put into hoarder homes. I wouldn't say ban those critters.

I do agree that there are some really strange things sold on a regular basis to people who can't care for them but as far as large fish sold my lfs sells catfish, plecos, sting rays, koi and a few other fish which are already in their open tanks in sizes as large as 3-4 feet. They are a little better about asking what you are putting your fish in but I've bought fish before where the employee will ask what I'm putting them in and I'll say "8 gallon" and they say nothing at all. Really my fish only go in the 8 gallon temporarily but they don't know that. It's just common to sell fish and hope they end up in appropriate homes. Even if it were "banned" you know people would still get ahold of it. If there's a demand then there's a supplier. We just need some restrictions to help guide sales to the right people.

 

In my opinion, there's no difference really between having the ability to purchase that fish versus a goldfish when you have a 1 gallon bowl and a common pleco when you have a 5 gallon tank.

There are many fish that shouldn't be sold to the average consumer at all, but when it comes down to it, whose job is it to research the species that they plan on purchasing? The consumers.

I wouldn't buy a car just because the salesman said it was perfect for me. Why should I buy a living creature that depends on me for it's health and well-being just because a salesperson says it's perfect for me. Common sense really.

 

Difference is that even if you did buy a car because someone said you could, or you thought it was pretty, or cool, or just because you can its still just a car, not a living creature, there is no comparison.

 

You missed my point entirely. I'm referring to not doing the research myself but trusting a stranger to tell me what's best for me. It's a valid comparison.

 

But it's irrelevant. Cars are not living things. Trusting people to do their research and putting animals lives at risk is not fair to the animals.

 

I understood what she meant, and her point for comparison was fine. Relax and don't read so much into it, it's just a discussion. We don't want the thread closed.

 

In the same boat as redtails are ID shark catfish. It's utterly irresponsible to purchase either of these fish unless you have the proper means to care for them; in the IDs case, that would be about a 40 foot long tank for a single mature specimen!

Now, sales being banned isn't an ideal solution, for there are institutions and professional fish keepers that can help keep a species from the brink of extinction, but I still think it should be regulated is some way. It doesn't even need to be government legislation; LFSs could stand to be a little more responsible with who they sell these fish to.

 

Maybe we can get them to pass legislation that requires lfs employees to actually know what they're talking about! That could solve all of these problems, in a nutshell.

I think I have a future in politics.

 

But it's irrelevant. Cars are not living things. Trusting people to do their research and putting animals lives at risk is not fair to the animals.

To an extent though, people do this all the time with all their pets.
They keep cats outside in busy areas, filled with disease and other predatory animals. They clip bird wings which damages their respiratory system over time. They feed dogs a grain based diet sprayed with mystery animal fat, when in fact, meat proteins are far more beneficial. They buy small puppies, then toss them in the woods when they get too large. Or buy rabbits, don't get them altered, and then "set them free" when they get hormonal and aggressive and mark everywhere. And they keep Goldfish in tiny ten gallon aquariums, and then pat their backs when the fish live "a whole two years".
Ignorance kills animals all over the spectrum, and in my opinion its up to the informed to speak up and make sure people understand what they are doing to their pets. I really don't like the law regulating things people should be smart enough to do on their own, once laws like that pass it makes it extremely difficult for even qualified owners to get their hands the animals they want.

 

Wow, never thought this thread would get so active! Anyways: you can't own tilapia without people from the state coming out and checking the premises to have them.

Why should large fish be so different? They've been released into the wild and are unintentionally destroying native habitats.

 

I'd not as "educated" as others here when it comes to fish but the little that I am learning it has A LOT to do with pet stores and them giving wrong information.

I have gone to both Petsmart and Pets Barn and given bad information.

Petsmart told me getting a common pleco was okay for my 27 gallon tank and that was so not true.

I then went to Petsbarn and got ONE tetra....not knowing that they are schooling fish. Came home and realized the poor tetra was so lost he looked scared! I then went and bought two more and he was so happy. (Learned from here he was a schooling fish and that's why he looked lost)

I then asked about getting koi and the iridescent shark they were good at telling me that koi were usually for ponds but also told me that you can have them in an aquarium but they need to be alone or with gold fish. After I did my research tho I learned that koi are best and should ONLY be put in a pond NEVER an aquarium....wrong information from them again.

As far as the shark they told me he would be "fine" in my tank....did my research here and again I learned the sharks are again only for LARGE tanks just like the common pleco.

I know WE as the buyer should do the research before hand but you would think that the seller should educate the buyer as much as possible. Even if the buyer knows most of the info, a seller should WANT to educate a buyer to help in any way possible.

 

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