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What do you do with fish that you no longer want?

Fred Dulley

Member
Joined
8 Jul 2007
Messages
562
Location
Cardiff, Wales
Well, since we've had "What do you do with old hardscape?", i was then wondering something else..
What do you do with fish that you no longer want?
Maybe you want to try something else. Maybe they are causing problems in the tank? Maybe you're making way for a new type of fish. Maybe you're just plain bored of them!
Many occasions am I wanting to replace some fish however I can't seem to take them anywhere. No shops near me accept them, not even the LFS I work at because "we don't have quarantine facilities".
Am I right in thinking that a lot of you trade them in at MA's?
Worst comes to the worst then I could try the "Buy/sell/swap" sections of forum, but there aren't many people in Somerset that I know on the forums.
Anyway, what do you do with fish that you no longer want?
 
I took a load of endlers to my LFS the other weekend. First time I've taken fish to my LFS. They wouldn't give me a credit note or anything :bored: They're an OK shop but aren't too generous.

Other than that, I've given fish away in the past.
 
Okay, I think that the key is really a good choice to start with. But having said that, it can be a problem.

I swapped 12 cardinals last year for 6 phantom tetra and 6 rummies, i swapped because I really didn't like the cardinals at all in the end. they were all healthy though. (My LFS are great). eventually (within a few months) all the phantoms had died! so i just got some more rummies instead.

now i have 5 black neons (which have been in my tank for 2 years) and 7 rummies (and shrimp and otos). All of these fish will stay in my tank for the rest of their lives, i really don't like the idea of using the fish and just shipping them off when you are done (if it can be helped).

also I did euthanise one platy once, as I had two, and when one died, the other was extremely depressed and didn't eat for weeks, it made me suprisingly sad :(

I think the longer you keep fish, the more natural their behavior, and the more you learn about the species, and after all, even though we are interested in plants, the fish are the ones that suffer! I LOVE FISH :lol:

anyway that's my story :D
 
I don't take fish back once I'm bored with them. I just don't think it's very kind and like to think I'm doing the best I can for my fish. Only downside is that I have to wait some years until they die naturally before I can have a change. Not that many shops in my part of the world are very keen on taking fish back and even if they do they won't give you anything for them.

James
 
I'm with James here. The only fish I ever take to LFSs are ones I've bred and need to sell and I do get store credit for these from my LFS.

If you want a change set up extra tanks!!! I can move my fish around when I get bored of them and have a couple of tanks that are 'reservoirs' with some older fish in that i can then take out and use and put back. It also gives you an extra tank to grow plants on and bulk up rarer types, without being a perfect aquascape (not that I have any of those!!!)
 
The correct answer is to pm me with what you want to get rid of and then personally deliver anything I chose to my door for nothing more than a cuppa ;)

AC
 
JAmesM said:
I make a sammich with them.
:lol: :lol: :lol: :twisted:

I've had to take some to MA before when I bought a tank "including fish" from a well known auction site! I only rehomed themas they were either too big for the tank or not suitable to live together! Dunno what the bloke who had them all together thought when he bought them :rolleyes: . Other than those, I've tried to only buy fish that won't outgrow the tank and they'll be here 'til they die I hope!
 
Put 'em on the pan with some chips.

No, seriously. I just put them in another tank (most likely my sisters tank, that's the dumping ground). I've never taken any fish to a shop. I just wouldn't know what to say - ''can you take these fish for me''. I would feel guilty and stuff.
 
Thomas McMillan said:
Put 'em on the pan with some chips.

No, seriously. I just put them in another tank (most likely my sisters tank, that's the dumping ground). I've never taken any fish to a shop. I just wouldn't know what to say - ''can you take these fish for me''. I would feel guilty and stuff.

make sure you ring up first ;) they may not want them, MA have a policy in which they will never leave a person with a fish they dont want.
 
Thankfully I've never been in the situation where I can't keep the fish I have. If I were then I'd try the local MA or the boards on here/TFF.

I've had guppies before that I didn't want but they didn't last long in the end (not in a sinister way, only that they are relatively short lived fish!). Haven't as yet come across a fish I bought but end up not wanting.
 
Personally, I don't see a problem with taking fish to a shop for any reason.
As long as I know the employees won't be re-selling them to an idiot who will mistreat them.

I have given some fish to my local MA before and I know they only ever start to discuss fish with people once they know some details on the set up that person has. Really good.
 
Grosvenor Tropicals outside Belfast used to take fish from you and give you half the money they sold them for. Not sure they took any old fish, I sold a few breeding pairs of Angels and Apisto's through them in the past.
 
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