"growing out" fish with plans to rehome. . . how do you feel about this?

[MoshJosh]

So back in my freshwater days. . . (like 8 months ago), the "rule" was don't buy a fish until you have the right size tank. . . people would want to keep a baby oscar in a 20 gallon and plan on upgrading later etc. . . this seemed to be the rule and not doing so seemed frowned upon. But now that I live in the saltwater world it seems different. I have seen a lot of people get a fish and either plan to upgrade and or plan on selling it back to LFS once it's too big.

Now this is obviously just my perception and I could be way off base. . .

Assuming my perception is correct why do you think that is? Some of my theories would be there are far less "nano" saltwater fish so we bed the rules a bit for variety, or maybe because large saltwater fish are more desirable/harder to come by than large freshwater fish so returning to LFS is more viable and not a permanent home. . . like it might be for a 16" oscar?

Anyway, how do you feel about buying small/juvenile saltwater fish with the plan to rehome them when they outgrow the tank?

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

Lots of people do this. I feel like there isn't anything morally wrong with the concept (it isn't like a dog or cat that would lose a "bond"), but there are lots of logistical and practical problems. A LFS might go back on any prior deal to bring a fish back after a few months, and then you're just stuck with it. Can also be stressful for the fish, lots of moving back and forth and going through multiple quarantine systems within a short period of time is just asking for trouble. Probably not something I'd do, but there isn't anything inherently wrong about "renting" a fish if you can deal with the issues that come with it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I just wish those with big fish would get a hold of me . . LOL
I love big fish and big tanks.

 

[UtahReefer]

I don't see it as a problem... If you started a tank, let's say 45g cube and put a Bristle Tooth juvenile in there (2" or less) to handle algae, as long as you had a plan to give him up in about a year or move him to a larger system there's no harm in this. The fish would love having every bit of algae to himself.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

I tend to prefer smaller fish. So I would want to provide a tank that allows for the adult size of the fish.

 

[o2manyfish]

For me it's never been a size issue. I've had bigger tanks 125, 300, 400, 560 and 750 but I love small fish. I don't get fish that get giant like a Vlamingi Tang. But I also have to say that in Saltwater outside of groupers and sharks most fish don't outgrow their aquarium.

I have been to lots of public aquariums that have 12" long hippo tangs - Heads always rotted away - but giant Hippo tangs. We had a pair of hippo tangs that we got at about 5" and after 9 years in a 400g and then a 560g they were only 8.5" long.

My dad had a 50g AIO reef. We put a tiny 1.5" yellow tang in that tank. When we broke the tank down 13 or so years later the fish was about 2"

Now certain fish, like an Achilles and Powder blue will get more and more anxious as they get bigger. While in a large tank they have room to freak out, in a smaller tank, when they freak, they slam themselves into the rocks or side panels and you end up needing to net a corpse.

I've always been a fan of small fish. Even with larger tanks I love having tons of little fish rather than a few monster fish.

Sometimes rehoming doesn't have to do with size, but with beauty - albeit subjective. For years I raised Cortez Angel fish till they were about 5-6" then I gave them away. Not cause they were too big, but just not attractive to me. I always loved the beauty of the Poor Man's Imperator - The Koran Angel. But once it gets its adult colors it's no longer cool to me.

And the most rehomed fish I have ever kept were Chevron Tangs. In my decades in this hobby I have gotten dozens of Juvenile Chevron Tangs that have been rehomed when they lost their juvenile color.

I'm in Los Angeles - so finding homes for fish you don't want has always been easy. And for me it's never been a money issue, as needing to sell the fish, I would just give them away so I could get a new smaller, prettier version.

Dave B


PS - My wife doesn't know of my long history of trading in an older model for a younger prettier model -- Let's keep this just between us

 

[Enderg60]

If you actually do it, then there is no issue at all. I used to rotate tangs in my 58g. Purchase at 2", bring back to the store at 4-5" and get a new one thats 2".

The problem is most people dont bother doing it. They just let the fish get huge, it eats other fish, bio load goes sky high and the tank becomes a pain to care for. This is when they decide to sell or give the system away as they loose interest.

98% of this is people that would come in wanting a 75g for a lionfish and an eel.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Good conversation.

 

[Harpo]

I too thought this was in poor form. I have always wanted a Niger trigger but knew that it would out grow my system. AWESOME, I'm off to my LFS to buy the tiny Niger trigger.

 

[UtahReefer]

It's not a problem as long as you think of the animal first. My scenario... I have a 40 gallon cube. A week ago I purchased a small juvenile (slightly larger than a quarter) Bristle Tooth Tang. I did this knowing I had the plan to upgrade to a much larger Waterbox Tank in the next 6 months. She's tiny and having a ball in there cleaning my reef. The fact is Bristle Tooth Tangs grow slowly compared to other Tangs and I had a plan to give her the right home down the road. There's nothing wrong with that, it's a plan with the animals welfare in mind.

 

[EliMelly]

I just wish those with big fish would get a hold of me . . LOL
I love big fish and big tanks.

I’ll send you all my fish that outgrow my tank!!!

 

[sandmanfd]

If you actually do it, then there is no issue at all. I used to rotate tangs in my 58g. Purchase at 2", bring back to the store at 4-5" and get a new one thats 2".

The problem is most people dont bother doing it. They just let the fish get huge, it eats other fish, bio load goes sky high and the tank becomes a pain to care for. This is when they decide to sell or give the system away as they loose interest.

98% of this is people that would come in wanting a 75g for a lionfish and an eel.

This is so very true. I personally get fish that I know I can keep for good unless other issues arrive where it has to go.

 

[rja]

I would say no on the simple fact that plans don’t always come to fruition. Therefore, you may run into life problems or logistical problems and end up with a fish that’s too big for your system. Always wait.

 

[snorklr]

if you truly plan to upgrade your tank in 6 mo to a year why dont you just wait till you actually upgrade before you buy? life tends to get in the way of most plans anyway...

 

[00W]

We're all different. As long as the fish gets the proper care I guess it's OK? I get really attached to mine and couldn't think of giving them away unless I had to.
I would buy every fish I saw in my LFS because I knew I could take care of them better. Especially the big fish in the little tanks. Always breaks my heart and I know the right person WON'T buy them. I just can't go in there anymore .
I love the bigger ones.
I have a 150 with 3 fish. Yep 3 fish.
Picasso trigger, yellow tang and a coral beauty. I put the trigger in 2 years ago. Last fish I'm buying. He'll probably outlive me!

 

[McPuff]

I think it's a bit different in saltwater because the fish typically grow slower than in fresh. You see all kinds of people "power feeding" their large freshwater fish but if you do that in a saltwater tank you're going to have problems (and much higher costs!).

For me, I don't like to buy fish to keep for a while and then move them along. I hate rehoming fish. If I get a fish, I want to keep it. This is probably why I have several fish over 10 years old and had one that was with me over 17 years.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I think it's a bit different in saltwater because the fish typically grow slower than in fresh. You see all kinds of people "power feeding" their large freshwater fish but if you do that in a saltwater tank you're going to have problems (and much higher costs!).

For me, I don't like to buy fish to keep for a while and then move them along. I hate rehoming fish. If I get a fish, I want to keep it. This is probably why I have several fish over 10 years old and had one that was with me over 17 years.

Some grow slowly. Ive had people call or come with a large oscar, arrowana, pike, snakehead and similar and these specimens got to a foot or more in a few short months

 

[Paul B]

I have about 44 smaller fish and I like small interesting fish. But if I get something that either is a problem or grows to large, I catch it, usually with this tiny 1/8" hook and give it away.



Recently I caught this Koran angelfish and filefish





Here is a video of me catching a wrasse with that hook which is a pin.

 

[GARRIGA]

Fish started life temporarily in LFS and prior to that several other temporary holding facilities therefore what’s the difference if it spends an extended time in one’s not appropriately sized box once fully grown?

 

[fodsod]

We're all different. As long as the fish gets the proper care I guess it's OK? I get really attached to mine and couldn't think of giving them away unless I had to.
I would buy every fish I saw in my LFS because I knew I could take care of them better. Especially the big fish in the little tanks. Always breaks my heart and I know the right person WON'T buy them. I just can't go in there anymore .
I love the bigger ones.
I have a 150 with 3 fish. Yep 3 fish.
Picasso trigger, yellow tang and a coral beauty. I put the trigger in 2 years ago. Last fish I'm buying. He'll probably outlive me!

You and I are on the same page.