what to do with free fish

[crazyfishlady]

OK. So My sister told me about a month ago that a woman she works with is getting rid of all of her fish & do I want them. So, OF COURSE my response is "What is she going to do with the tank?" I agree to take the whole mess (FREE :dance: ). Fast forward to yesterday.
We go to this woman's house to move everything out. Free 55 gallon tank w/ stand filter, heater, & some decent decor. The fish, I was told, were 2 large plecos & 3 possible silver dollars. I have planned from the get go to ditch these fish at a lfs.
The plecos are HUGE. As in they can't turn around in the tank. The possible silver dollars, are 5" pacus. The woman says that they are 3 - 5 YEARS old.:jaw: So these fish are incredibly stunted, or not actually pacus.(I'm pretty sure though).
Finally my question, or request for advice: If I wanted to get rid of these fish quickly: w/in a month.(Want to order F0 Aequidens Diadema from Jeff Rapps next week [drool] ). Is there an ethical way to do it? Should I euthanize them? Should I explain what the deal is to the LFS and see if they'll take them? And if they do take them, will they be ethical enough to explain the deal to possible new owner??
I'm already having trouble getting rid of the plecos, even though pond season will be starting soon. I have already had 2 places refuse to take any of them.
What would you do??

[jonah]

Have you tried one of the Minnesota clubs? I would think that somebody might want the plecos. I'm having a hard time believing that the others are really pacus. I've seen pacus stunted in smaller tanks than a 55g and they were bigger than that.

[crazyfishlady]

I won't be able to post a pic until Wed. or Thurs., but I will post a pic of them later this week.
I haven't tried any clubs yet, but that's a good suggestion. Thanks.

[mr_climbatize]

i have a friend who sometimes freezes unwanted fish. he believes it to be the best way to euthenize them.

i only freeze very sick or dying fish.

[mr_climbatize]

im having a hard time believing u cant get rid of massive plecos???

[djfungus]

What kind of plecos? Common or a bit more exotic? I may be interetsed in one, possibly both if my uncle wants one for his tank and then pond come this spring :)

[crazyfishlady]

I can take pics of them. I'm thinking they would be pretty expensive to ship. They are both about 13" long. They would be free tho, except for the cost of shipping.
I don't know if it was intentional or not, but Mr. climbatize, you may have helped me out with your other thread in this forum.
I have heard of red hook silver dollars & seen the regular SDs with the yellow fin, but I had never heard of spotted silver dollars. I think that may be what I have! Mine are not as high-bodied as other SD's & have the spots. They also have more red on their bellies than what I have seen in pics of spotted SDs, (basically they look like a baby pacu) but because of their age & relative size I think they must be this variety of silver dollar. If they are, I think I might keep them.
I do still want to get rid of those plecos though...

[djfungus]

Post a pic when your able to. I'll check them out and see if I can take them off your hands. Your right, shipping may be a bit too expensive. At some of the websites where I can order fish online, they only charge $25 for shipping, no matter how many fish so that wouldn't be too bad if an "average joe" can get those same rates. I'm not sure.

[mr_climbatize]

yes, the spotted silver dollars have more of an elongated body than the regular variety.

where i am they are 4 times the price of regular SD.

KEEP THEM!