What do you do with fish that have become too large or aggressive to remain in your tank? That is the question my fiancé and I faced last weekend. A pair of Australian Rainbow fish and five Buenos Aires Tetras had grown to be quite large in our tank. That wasn’t the problem though, as there was plenty of room. The bigger they grew, the more aggressive they became. They shared the tank with a variety of community fish, including Zebra Danio. Friday afternoon my fiancé witnessed the Australian Rainbows and Tetras attacking a Danio. The literally bit a piece off of the Danio, who later died.
We were horrified! All of our fish were supposed to be community fish. Sometimes individual fish or groups of fish become aggressive unexpectedly and you are stuck with a tough prospect – what do I do with these fish?
We called Petco and PetSmart first and they told us that they couldn’t take our fish. I’m guessing this is company policy. However, Petco/PetSmart did advise us that local pet stores often take fish and may be able to point you in the right direction if you call.
We googled to find the closest local pet store and gave them a call (make sure the store has a fish section before calling!) The owner was very kind and agreed to take our fish. We arranged a day and time to bring the fish to the store.
My only concern was that the store or tanks or people wouldn’t seem legitimate and I wouldn’t want to leave my fish once I got there. Remember, it is okay to say “I’m sorry, I have changed my mind” if you arrive and feel uncomfortable with the situation. Even though your fish may have overgrown your tank or become too aggressive, it’s important to make sure they go to a responsible place.
Luckily, the local pet store we visited was great. The tanks were crystal clear, healthy, and the owner was super knowledgeable. We felt good about leaving our fish there and know that they will go to a good home.
Another option for finding a new home for your fish is to post an advertisement on a site like Craigslist or other community sites. You can offer your fish for free or for sale and try to find a new home that way.
