Maintaining a fish tank or aquarium is a hefty task itself and it needs prior research about what kind of fish someone wants. It mostly depends on two things, the individual’s preference and the availability of the fishes from the local market. This is what goes behind a standard tank set-up idea. The thing that many people consider catching wild fishes has prompted the discussion in the elaborative way in this article. Let us know the pros and cons and what to keep in mind for keeping such wild fishes. First, and foremost, if the deed of catching wild fishes is valid or not, that should be the point of discussion.
Be it freshwater fish, or specimens from saltwater, maximum aquarists trust breeders to get the fishes from. However, there is one more way that is cheaper and useful for many and that is taking fish fresh from the river or sea. Catching wild fish to pet them in a tank! However, wild fishes can be caught for many different purposes as well. There are game fish and feeder fish, where the first one denotes fishing as a recreational activity and the second one means feeder fishes being used as a diet for carnivorous fishes.
Anyways, coming to the main topic, are such wild fishes suitable to be inside a fish tank at home? The question is a tricky one and the answer is manifold.
There are a lot of things that come into play when it is about catching wild fishes for the purpose of owning them. The first one is legal and the second is ethico-moral. Depending on the place, there might be some legal aspects in terms of catching the wild fish species and subsequently keeping them in a tank. If it is legally prohibited, then nothing can go forward.
The other aspect is the ethic that we need to deal with. It is the question that should we catch any wild species and confine it in a much smaller habitat? Wild species are free and migrate on their own will, but snatching somebody from their habitat and keeping them inside a tank, should it be encouraged?
The answer to these questions is intertwined with the care aspect of the fishes. There might be some wild fishes, who can no longer find food on their own, but if they are taken care of, at a home tank, they will be much more healthy. Let us discuss the important things that should be kept in mind in order to foster the wild fishes.
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Tank Size
In the wild, fishes get unlimited access to water bodies, and regardless of their sizes, they can easily move and cohabit with other fishes in their natural habitat. While in captivity it is not possible to give them that much space, though individual aquarists should provide as much space as possible. In this case, one needs to consider the adult size of the fish, because it will grow and need space accordingly. So, even if a juvenile fish is caught, make sure it has enough swimming space once it grows, because changing the tank wouldn’t be possible, so make sure to start off with a big tank.
Water Temperature
Each fish lives in a different water temperature zone, while some fishes are from warm water zones some fishes thrive in cold waters. Individual needs to make sure that whatever regions he is catching the fish from, that should be emulated inside the fish tank. Otherwise there is no point in taking care of the fishes. Aquariums heaters do well in such cases.
Diet
Depending on their species, there are carnivorous and omnivorous diets for the fishes. Some are only algae eaters. The aquarists need to keep in mind that, in the natural habitat, there is no dearth of food and wild fishes can fend for themselves. Omnivore fishes, who are predators and have hunting instincts, would like live prey as their food inside the tank.
Filter
While in the wild, there are natural water purifying agents, but inside a tank, it is not the same. One needs to install a water filter, so that the tank water is not polluted. If there is no purifier, then the water quality will deteriorate and that is detrimental for the fish. This makes living inside the tank difficult for the fishes.
Aquascaping
Plants are important for many fishes, be it from marine or freshwater sources. Many species find it important to spend some time around the plants. There are some times, it could be breeding or any other time, that fishes could use some alone time from the rest of their groups. Also, if there are multiple fishes inside the tank, the plants or ornamental setting of the tank give hiding options to the fishes from other fishes.
These are the basic factors that one needs to think about prior to keeping a wild fish inside a tank. However, most people forget one thing and that is the mental security that a fish requires, especially those who have exposure to wild as well as tank habitat.
The fishes who thrive on their own in the natural setting, might feel less confident and insecure inside a tank. It is important for the fishes to receive as much security as possible. That being said, it is all about providing comfort and companions. For example, there are fishes that are shoaling species or schooling species, meaning they stay together in groups and not solitary. Those fishes need exactly the same type of companionship inside the tank as well.
Similarly, some fishes are diurnal while others are nocturnal. The aquarists need to allow the fishes to continue what these fishes are accustomed to doing in the wild. This is the most important aspect to let the wild fishes gradually settle in the tank set-up.
Things to Remember Before Getting A Wild Fish
However, keeping wild fishes inside a tank could go wrong on multiple levels. Like, aquarists might collect the fish from a certain type of water, but end up keeping it inside a tank with the wrong type of water. This can also happen with the waterflow in the tank. In the natural setting, the current might be different than the tank water flow. Whatever the aquarists do, it needs to be full proof beforehand, only then keeping them inside a tank is justified. Wild fishes can carry parasites and that can lead to infections in other fish tank mates, So, it is suggested to keep the wild fish into quarantine for a few days, and then introduce it to the already existing tank. Also, there is no way to know if the fish is sick or not, one has to consult a professional vet in order to get the fish checked. Keeping it separate for the initial days, and letting it acclimatize with the homely set-up is the only wise way.
