Moving overseas - what to do with fish

kittle

New Member
Hi,
I'm not sure if this topic has been covered in the forums (can't seem to find any recent ones) but i have a few damselfish and i'll be moving overseas within the month and i don't really know yet what i'm going to do with them.
I've read suggestions on other forums to give them to someone, give it to the LFS, or kill them. Well, problem is there's no one i can give it to, the LFS lately have had really unhealthy fish in there (seen a few with ich, which was confirmed by the assistants there. also, some of them look like they're about to die so yeah), and i really don't want to just kill them.
So, does anyone have any suggestions what else i can do? I was thinking of maybe driving to the beach and putting them in the ocean... i don't know if that would be ok. If anyone can let me know, that'd be great.
Thanks!
 

bang guy

Moderator
Please do not let them loose in the ocean. Many ecosystems have been destroyed by doing that.
If you cannot give them away then they should be humanely euthanized.
 

cranberry

Active Member
I'm gonna to say a BIG +1 here. If anyone ever takes a piece of advice from me, I want it to be to never return anything to the sea.
 

kittle

New Member
hey,
thanks for your replies! can you tell me why it's bad to do so? i don't really know much about ecosystems and such =(
 

socalnano24

Active Member
a. I'm pretty sure you don't live at their place of origin, especially if its not tropical waters they wouldn't have much of a chance in most US oceans unless you live in the Keys or something (that still doesnt' mean it'd be ok)
b. there's outbreaks of non native fish across the US every year, saltwater and freshwater where a new species exploits a niche and can wipe out native species and then destroy food chains.
(this recently happened on the east coast after hurricane Katrina hit, there's been an outbreak of lion fish(in which probably a few were swept from a broken fish tank) that have started decimating local fish, now people are being urged to hunt them when they go skin diving or scuba diving)
c. I don't really have a C, but considering they're just damsels I'd just put em in a cup of water from your tank and put em in the freezer (sorry, but if you can't find a home that may be best, typically damsels are hard to give away since their such

[hr]
!)
 

cranberry

Active Member
Originally Posted by Kittle
http:///forum/post/3163437
hey,
thanks for your replies! can you tell me why it's bad to do so? i don't really know much about ecosystems and such =(
Your damsels are non indigenous to our waters. They don't belong there. Potential impacts include competition with native species for food and habitat, reduction of natives by predation, transmission of diseases or parasites, and habitat alteration.
 

socalnano24

Active Member
Originally Posted by dan81
http:///forum/post/3163615
Wow bro....U wanna freeze them alive? That's so wrong in so many ways...
haha, she's looking for options, she said she can't take them to the LFS or give them away.
having the water temperature lower slowly will slow down their metabolism and they will die, but its not like it'll be an agonizing death. I've heard accounts of people dying from hypothermia or coming close and once you go numb its not supposed to be painful.
I'd say its better than flushing them or taking them out of water wouldn't you?
 

truperc

Member
Why is there nobody you can give them to?
Usually a post on craigslist for free fish, would get some quick replys.
 

small triggers

Active Member
a bet way to euthanise humanely is to put the fish in a glass of water and add about 6 drops of clove oil.....the fish will die in about 5 minutes vice freezing it and having all of its capillaries burst, hypothermic or not, its gotta hurt?
 

fretfreak13

Active Member
Following along. I'm sorry about you having to give up your fish. Do you have a local reef club? Research and see if you can find one, I'm sure they'll take your fish. Post on craigslist and hoobly about free fish. Hopefully ironchef can take them for you. =(
 

kittle

New Member
hi,
i'm currently based in Maui, Hawaii and pretty much no one i know is willing to take care of them =( Guess i'll have a look around a bit and put some ads in and see what i can do about giving them away.
thanks guys for your suggestions and replies =)
 
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