i dont know about you lot, but i get really peeved out with people who say they can have as many fish in a tank as they like because (here ya go here is the famous line everyone thinks is true.)

THE FISH WILL ONLY GET THE SIZE OF THE TANK

Just thought i would say, this is complete crap. Oh ok, in one theory yes they will only grow to the size of the tank. But they're under so much stress and pain etc, their bodies want to grow and are supposed to grow but cant. I like how people would keep a pair of oscars in a 15g and say that line. But as soon as i ask, well would you keep a baby 10inch shark in a 30-40 gallon for its life? And they just tell me it's a different thing, which is bloody well isn't. Sorry for this rant but it really grinds me gears when i hear people say that because its a load of RUBBISH!

Bret

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www.geckoshide.co.uk

Same here!!! It drives me mad! And it's sooooo common.

I used to work in an aquatics shop and anything that grew big I'd always ask the tank size before selling and people used to get really shirty! The main thing was sailfin pleco's... oh I've got a 60 litre tank, so he'll just grow to that size... NO!!! Grrrr!!!

Anyway... I'm gonna go before I go into real rant mode! lol

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Bret, the link isnt working

it isnt a link lol.

Completely agree with you there. I refuse to serve customers as soon as they come out with that line. Just a case of telling them to go somewhere else because we don't encourage cruelty.

I find that the people on the other side of the argument can be much worse. You know the ones who think that fish shouldn't be kept in tanks because it's cruel. Then you ask them about what pets they have, and it's 'oh i've got a dog, but thats ok because he doesn't know any different' but they seem to think that all fish have this vision of the wild despite being born and raised in a tank.

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1.1 leos, 1.1 fat tails, 0.2 Beardies, 1 Whites, 2.0 Cresties, 4.1 Cats, Fish: 4.4 P. Dovii, 5.5.6 Peacock Bass (5 sp), 1.1 C 'Cobra', 1.1 festae, 1.1 green terror, 1.1 nics, 1.1 C. Marmorata, 1.1 C. Johani, 1.1 C. 'Strigata', 1.1 C. 'red tapojas'; 1.1 P. Friedrichsthalli, 1.1 Mots, 1.1 managuense, 1.1 H. Bocourti, 1.1 H. Pearsi, 1.1 H. Carpinte, 1.1 H. Cynoguttatum, 1.1 V. Argentea, 1.1 V. Zonatus, 1.1 N. Salvini, 2.2 Grammodes, 3.4 Hoplarchus Pssiticus, 2.2 Trimacs, 3.4 haitiensis, 1.1 tetracanthus, 3.2 Red tiger mots, 14 Uaru (2 sp) 1.1 Umbies, 2 Arapaima, 3 Red tail catfish, 1.1 P. Leopoldii, 1.1 P. Motoro, 3 Silver Arowana, Var. polypterus, var. Channa sp, M. wyckii, 3 siamese tigers, 2 jelly catfish, 1 Golden dorado
Member number 1717

I agree there too Mike!

My Dad asked me last year how come I disagree with animal cruelty but keep my gecko's in 3ft tanks, because they must travel more than that in the wild... I just replied "And why are your cat's house cats???"

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While for some species it may be true to say that they grow at a slower rate in captivity, the "tankbuster" fish are all too common. However I would love to know how these myths are spread.

Emz, rather than telling the customer to take his business elsewhere, why not encourage them to buy a species that fulfills the same niche but won't outgrow the tank? Why did your store stock the big plecs in the first place? For instance Common and sailfin Plecs are a bit redundant when bristlenoses are available. Freshwater shrimps are great little algae munchers and quite interesting in the right tank etc etc. And for the most part an anti tankbuster policy would be of benefit to stores and public aquariums because in the end, they are expected to "rescue" giants that are impossible to sell.

I find most animal rights people to be well meaning but misguided. Amongst those of us who rescue animals for a living we call them "bunny huggers". They release minks from fur farms. Only for the mink to massacre most of wales. Causing untold carnage to local eco-systems. They do not like animals to suffer and yet protest against the testing of products intended to be used for vetinary purposes. They rail against zoos and public aquariums despite these institutions captive breeding programmes preserving many species that would be extinct otherwise.

thats my biggest problem with the animal rights lot. yes they mean well, but like you said they don't always go about it the right way. Instead of them targeting the actual problems such as the people who keep animals cruelly, they target places like zoos etc despite the breeding programs you highlighed. theres animals in the world that only exist because of the breeding in zoos. examples are the pere david deer and prezewalskis wild horse (can't spell that properly i dont think)

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1.1 leos, 1.1 fat tails, 0.2 Beardies, 1 Whites, 2.0 Cresties, 4.1 Cats, Fish: 4.4 P. Dovii, 5.5.6 Peacock Bass (5 sp), 1.1 C 'Cobra', 1.1 festae, 1.1 green terror, 1.1 nics, 1.1 C. Marmorata, 1.1 C. Johani, 1.1 C. 'Strigata', 1.1 C. 'red tapojas'; 1.1 P. Friedrichsthalli, 1.1 Mots, 1.1 managuense, 1.1 H. Bocourti, 1.1 H. Pearsi, 1.1 H. Carpinte, 1.1 H. Cynoguttatum, 1.1 V. Argentea, 1.1 V. Zonatus, 1.1 N. Salvini, 2.2 Grammodes, 3.4 Hoplarchus Pssiticus, 2.2 Trimacs, 3.4 haitiensis, 1.1 tetracanthus, 3.2 Red tiger mots, 14 Uaru (2 sp) 1.1 Umbies, 2 Arapaima, 3 Red tail catfish, 1.1 P. Leopoldii, 1.1 P. Motoro, 3 Silver Arowana, Var. polypterus, var. Channa sp, M. wyckii, 3 siamese tigers, 2 jelly catfish, 1 Golden dorado
Member number 1717

i see in your profile you work in a fish shop in bucks !!!! would love to visit it, can you give me the address as i go to your neck of the woods alot . thanks .

Yellowfish... I didn't say I sent people elsewhere dud I? I can't see it! lol.

We used to sell bristlenoses too, I didn't do the ordering so I don't know why we still sold plecs.

I would ask people the size of their tank, and then explain that they grow big and therefore they would be much better off with eg a bristlenose (These ones in this tank here Sir/Madam) All the while biting my tongue and thinking do some reading!!! It's such a bloody myth!!

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Sorry Emz, I have a tendency to scan read everything on forums. The blessing is that I can get the gist of most conversations in less time. The curse is that I make alot of assumptions in doing so.

Otherwise I empathise with you.