Puffer eating clownfish

[my2rotties]

Well he said he paid way more for the bigger fish because only one fish would fit in the styrofoam crates they ship in. So I figured he had ordered the larger fish since he had to pay more to ship them. That is according to what he said.

Originally Posted by sphelps

Talking about ethics and bringing in large fish, you would be surprised how often retailers receive fish they didn't order. Retailers usually have to order direct rather than through wholesalers to compete with competitors and get a better variety of stock. The problems associated are usually related to poor communication capabilities. For example, sometimes you order a "large" tang and you'll get a 6" tang, another time you'll get a 16" tang. And sometime you'll get something you didn't even order and probably never would. There simply just isn't as much control as some might think or hope for.

Unfortunately it's more complicated than just blaming retailers, in the end we the hobbyists are to blame.

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by my2rotties

Well he said he paid way more for the bigger fish because only one fish would fit in the styrofoam crates they ship in. So I figured he had ordered the larger fish since he had to pay more to ship them. That is according to what he said.

Not necessarily, it sounds like he was explaining why the bigger fish cost more, it's still very likely he didn't order it that big. I would bet he sold the fish for close to "cost" since he paid so much for shipping. Why purposely bring in large fish when you make more money selling smaller fish and they are easier to move?

[sphelps]

I agree with Wes and I stand by my previous statement that we hobbyists are to blame.

If you're against bringing in large fish or certain species of fish, despite what you might think, buying them doesn't help the situation. You're only supporting the exact cause you're against.

In order to make a difference you should not purchase the fish you're against bringing in. That way the retailer is more likely to sit on the fish and yes it might die but the retailer will loose money and might take further efforts to avoid bringing in the same fish. By purchasing the fish you may think you're helping but you're not, the retailer now thinks that the fish sold and he could sell another. Simple supply and demand, the theory of any business.