Re-thinking the "grow out and trade" practice

[treesprite]

I'm having second thoughts about the practice of getting  fish that I know I will only keep for part of its life due to growth.  I have done it in the past, and was planning on doing it to be able to get a captive bred yellow tang, but I think I need to change my mind.

 

How can we know really, at what point a small fish that will eventually get big needs to be in a bigger space? If a fish needs a 5 ft tank when fully grown, at what point does it start suffering unduly from being in a 4 ft tank? 

 

I have always figured, like a lot of other people, that up to about 4", a yellow tang would be okay in a 48x18 tank.  I have nothing to back that up except for knowing that a lot of people use the "grow out and trade" practice because they think it is adequate to prevent problems for the fish. It's a better situation than keeping the fish in the 4 ft tank it's entire life, but at the very least, it causes stress for the fish who has to suffer the transfer and adjustment to an unfamiliar tank. 

 

I would really like to know what other people think about this topic. If anyone knows of any research on it, please point it out to me. D

[Jon Lazar]

There's nothing wrong IMO with rehoming a fish that's grown too large, so long as the aquarist knows what they're doing.  I've used a large Lee's specimen container to gently corner many, many fish to move them from one tank to another.  Usually between hospital tanks or QTs, but also in smaller reefs.  It works great and usually doesn't scare the fish. 

 

If you've never caught a fish and don't have a specific plan on how you'd do it, you probably shouldn't buy a fish that's going to outgrow your tank.

 

Also, I think our tanks are less stressful in some ways than many people think.  Remember, most fish in the ocean get eaten by other fish and are constantly looking over their "shoulder."  Fish in the ocean are constantly trying to defend their territory, and compete for mates.  Much of these competition pressures are reduced in our tanks when we only stock one of each species.

 

 

[ScooterTDI]

Having seen giant schools of tangs in the wild roam over miles of reef, it doesn't really matter to me whether one is in a 4' or 5' tank. All of our aquariums are too small for a tang to really exhibit wild behaviors. That being said, I think buying a captive bred yellow tang would help to mitigate the moral quandary since it never has seen a wild reef and never will.

[treesprite]

28 minutes ago, ScooterTDI said:

Having seen giant schools of tangs in the wild roam over miles of reef, it doesn't really matter to me whether one is in a 4' or 5' tank. All of our aquariums are too small for a tang to really exhibit wild behaviors. That being said, I think buying a captive bred yellow tang would help to mitigate the moral quandary since it never has seen a wild reef and never will.

 

Yeah, the practice of keeping them in aquariums, does it itself present an ethical dilemma. I'd like to be able to be in the hobby without crossing the line to being cruel. 

 

Edited September 5, 2020 by treesprite