I saw there was another fish item, but it hadn't been responded to since 98,
so I thought I would enter a new one.

Here is my dilema:

I have a 50 gal breeder tank that I love, and rather inherited in a move. 
We used to keep lake fish in it <smacks her hand for doing something illegal>
that housed blue gill, rock bass, large mouth bass, bull heads, etc.  However,
we had a crayfish who ate all the fish, his siblings, etc.  After a w hile
he got huge just for spite would kill fish.

So now I have this tank, with good filter, heater, everything.  I cleaned it
all when I moved, and I cycled it.  I had thought about buying african ciclids
to put in there, and have one Spotted Sailfin Sucker Catfish (love those guys)
and then had some community fish.  However, I don't know if I should go with
the larger, more expensive fish, or stick with smaller little fish.  I like
them both.  

I have been to University Aquarium, Aquatec, and Fish Doctors.  The africans
I liked are at Fish Doctors, but everytime I go in, they have such an
ATTITUDE, I don't get anything done.  Depending on who you get, they either
talk down to me, look exasperated, or don't even answer my questions.  But
at the other places, the fish haven't been that great.  They also haven't been
able to answer any questions.

What is the general opinion?  What's the plan?  I love my tank, and I love
my big fishy, who is doing well, but what else to do?

25 responses total.

How can it be illegal to keep lake fish in a tank when it is legal to 
catch them and eat them?

mmmmm...fishsticks TONITE!

Because it is illegal to confine them.  Killing and eating is not considered
confinement.

i wanna confine that one with TARTAR SAUCE.

Heh. It just doesnt make sense to me. But then, I am sure that there is 
some sort of logic to it...somewhere. 

I think it has to do with the DNR, with people having to obey the fishing
laws, and there are minimums for being able to keep fish.  If you take ones
for an aquarium before they're large enougth to be legal for fishing, you run
the risk of making the population not as strong the next year after they grow
and spawn, and you also would have lots of people using nets to get the young
ones, raise them, and sell them off.

Hmm I wonder if it is illegal to get a fishing license, go catch a fish 
that is of the legal size and then put it in a tank. Not that it matters 
as one would be very unlikely to get caught in that situation. 

Umm...  It's not illegal, as far as I know, other than the small ones, but
case in point, I had a fishing lisence, caught a 14" large mouth bass (legal
size) and put him in my tank.  There wasn't much room for anything else, other
than a few small fish, seeing as he was that bag (in a 50 gal tank) and the
also JUMP, don't forget, so he made a BIG mess.  It's a matter of tank size
and practicality then.  However, if you can catch them, they'd do well in the
asian fish tank market.  they adore them according to an old neighbor of mine.

So what did you do with him? Eat him?

No, I'm uhh...allergic to eating pets.  And while extremely UGLY, he kinda
grew on you and started to look cute.  Besides, my cats LOVED him.  I ended
up catching him (a task and a half the SECOND TIME) and taking him back and
releasing him.  about 2 weeks after I had caught him.

You missed out on a really tasty dinner. 

I'm not much of a fish person anyway, and I just object to eating something
you had as a pet.  eating fish I catch is one thing, talking to it for 2 weeks
and feeding it is another.  You wouldn't eat your cat...

Yeah but I wouldnt eat a cat I went out and caught either. In fact, when 
it comes to mammals, I only eat herbivores. 

Then there are those people that simply can't eat fish... <grins>

it probably died anyway, you pigs.

<thppppppt>  you got a problem with that?  I like fish sticks, I like shrimp,
scallops, etc, but the "fishy" fish, I don't really go for.

Besides, all living things die eventually....

I don't have any problem with the cycle of life.  Just when that cycle seems
to correspond with something I have taken care of, and something I then eat.

<nods> Sentimentality.  Not necessarily a bad thing.

I'm kinda partial to it.  

especially when you stress it out by catching it in the wild
and stuffing it into a tank because you think it's cute.

killing jar.  period.


get a fuckin gerbil.

Hey, he got ALL the worms he wanted, minnows, and didn't need to hide.  I ALSO
took him back and let him go.

Gerbils are for Richard Gere and Microwaves anyway.  :P

I had a dream last night involving the Dixie Chicks and the lead singer's
favorite gerbil.

<giggles madly>

Ohhhhhh! You kinky gerbil monster you!

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