Big Fish Tank
Big fish don't always make great pets!
Fish can be very beautiful creatures to look at, and many people want to buy them to display in their homes. This is fine, as long as people know what they are looking after, and how to look after them properly.
In the Aquarium we have an extremely large fish tank with equally large fish inside; these fish have all had to be rescued from owners who didn’t have the appropriate equipment or understanding to look after such fish.
The tank contains Catfish, Tambaqui and Pirapitinga which were all sold as pets when they were small, but they very quickly grow to be much bigger and cannot be kept in tiny tanks or ponds.
The Pirapitinga and the Tambaqui are both part of a group of fish known as Pacus, which are part of a highly lucrative market for home aquariums and they are in great demand.
The Tambaqui and Pirapitinga are vegetarians, they enter the Amazon forest when it floods and scavenge for fruit, seeds and nuts. Their teeth are strong enough to crack open a walnut!
The Catfish follow behind the Pacus and feed on any scraps of food they might miss.
All of these fish require specialist care and attention, and should not be bought by inexperienced aquarists or for a simple home aquarium.
