What's The Deal With The Fish In The Aquarium At Bps? 2025
clh121787 reply :
Some have open wounds. Some look short and very fat for their length. And most of all some fish's eyes are almost completely popped out of their heads? Does anyone know why? Or if these fish are even healthy.
RoLo reply :
Worst of all, they don't hit senkos.
I'm tying on a Fat Ika as we speak.
gulfcaptain reply :
The open holes around the top of the head are from "Hole in the head" disease. Poor nutritional diet as well as feeding them feeder goldfish (if they do). Oscars get it really bad if they don't have a really good balanced diet and people choose to feed them just feeders instead of a variety. I would almost be the other issues you see are probably secondary issues as well as most being older fish that may be in the tanks.
68camaro reply :
On 11/30/2015 at 11:00 AM, RoLo said:Worst of all, they don't hit senkos.
I'm tying on a Fat Ika as we speak.
LMAO
everythingthatswims reply :
Don't worry, I know a guy
Angry John reply :
On 11/30/2015 at 11:18 AM, gulfcaptain said:The open holes around the top of the head are from "Hole in the head" disease. Poor nutritional diet as well as feeding them feeder goldfish (if they do). Oscars get it really bad if they don't have a really good balanced diet and people choose to feed them just feeders instead of a variety. I would almost be the other issues you see are probably secondary issues as well as most being older fish that may be in the tanks.
They need to feed them a balanced pellet food like hilari but i don't think many people know or say anything so it will continue until people speak up.
BaitMonkey1984 reply :
On 11/30/2015 at 11:00 AM, RoLo said:Worst of all, they don't hit senkos.
I'm tying on a Fat Ika as we speak.
Never heard of a bass that won't eat a wacky rigged 5" senko. Must be a new sub-species.
Bluebasser86 reply :
Turns out, putting too many fish in a tank and feeding them poorly is bad for them, who knew? 
Looking for the big one reply :
I've always wondered how the bass are actually doing. I definitely agree with the nutritional value of the food they get, but I also think that with so many bass in the same tank there could be a lot of fighting. And keep in mind that all the bass in those tanks are probably female, if that has anything to do with it.
Jtrout reply :
Almost all the bass in my local bps are big! 5lbs-11pounds i think the 11 pounder was caught in the potomac river on a blade bait! Her eyes are almost completely out of her head lol
Spankey reply :
They shouldn't even have those tanks. Cabelas also. Put the fish back home where they belong. Same would be for any of us if you were taken to India or Ethiopa and retained to eat and drink what the deal with there every day. A bluegill or sunfish deserves better than that, let alone a trophy bass. I
Spankey reply :
Disrespect for one of gods creatures. No, I'm not a real religious guy.
gulfcaptain reply :
Like all public aquariums, the health of the fish are in the hands of the person designated to look over them. Captive fish can live a long time and be healthy if they have swimming room.....which they do, have clean water....which they do, and are fed a balanced diet and not over fed.....which seems to be lacking. BPS and Cabelas would be better if they were to swap out fish (keep them for a few months and return them back to the lakes and rivers where they were donated by anglers). If they are big old fish that look like they wouldn't make it, how about donating them to a hatchery. But I don't see BPS investing $$$ into the fish they feed and making sure they are high in nutrition before feeding them, nor investing in crayfish, lots of night crawlers, and the man hours to devote to a set of 2-3 persons to make sure the fish in their stores are cared for. I'm sure there is enough "fish geeks" that would love this chance though. But unfortunately most are cared for by outside services (which may not hire those "fish geeks")which clean and supply the store with what they feel is best so honestly the fault lies on the people hired to keep those fish heathy and alive....not just alive. Caring for large fish isn't as easy as some would think. Where I am the Striped bass are lean, the bass overweight, the catfish and carp are healthy...lol, and the bluegill look horrible. Some fish are healthy while others aren't so much. I don't think the services they bring in have the investment, time, and attachment to those fish that need individual care and special feedings when it's about getting in and out. This is just my opinion though and observatons from someone who is a "fish geek" and used to run and manage a few major pet store fish rooms.....and not always the way management liked, but my fish were heathy and I had a lot of regular repeat customers.
Bluebasser86 reply :
I'm not sure if BPS does it the same way Cabela's does but at Cabela's it was custodial that took care of the tanks (feeding the fish and cleaning them). Only thing they hired anyone for was the filtration and pumps. None of them had a clue what they were doing and it showed when all the less hardy fish (walleye, pike, SMB, trout) either died off or were eaten. Now the biggest tank in the KC store has all 3 of the big species of catfish, gar, drum, carp, bluegill/sunfish, and a few bass. So basically it's like a typical Kansas lake. One of them even got herself bit hand feeding the biggest blue cat in the tank, which was nearing 100 pounds, and almost pulled into the tank.
WIGuide reply :
I know the BPS in Springfield has either 2 or 3 full time biologists that work to keep the fish/creatures alive and well. I don't know if all stores have the same deal going on since Springfield has a larger number of aquariums. I would doubt they do though. I've been to quite a few BPS stores, and I haven't seen too many issues in their tanks. Cabels on the other hand is a whole different story. I haven't been to tons of their stores, but the ones I have, it seems that pretty much ever fish in their tanks is next to death.
As far as the issues you're talking about, the open wounds happen. A parasite could have gotten into the tank, or the fish could have scraped itself on something in the tank. Being fat for their length could be considered over feeding, but look at fish in nature. We're always trying to catch the biggest fattest bass out there and to grow them large you've got to feed them that way. Bulging eyes usually indicate an old fish as their eyes generally keep growing.
scaleface reply :
I looked like that after sitting through the Big Cedar Lodge Time share seminar but hey , I got to see the Dolly Parton wild west show for free .
jjrayguns reply :
I have noticed older Bass and larger Bass all get the big bulging eyes. I see it a lot down here in florida on bass 6-7+ pounds.
tomustang reply :
On 11/30/2015 at 12:27 PM, BaitMonkey1984 said:Never heard of a bass that won't eat a wacky rigged 5" senko. Must be a new sub-species.
That's cause Johnny teaches them to only hit Stick-O's
the reel ess reply :
They're only doing marginally better than the ones that line the walls there.
reb67 reply :
On 12/2/2015 at 1:22 AM, tomustang said:That's because everyone is throwing senko s now you have to go old school drop in a tube bait
That's cause Johnny teaches them to only hit Stick-O's
SNK reply :
I've noticed at my local Cabela's that the fish's eyes seem get a white look to them, almost like they were starting to go blind...best way I can describe it.
Big C reply :
The BPS "Zombie Apocolypse Fish Tank" has been a children's favorite for years...I just wish they would stop selling the dead fish to Captain D's.
5 Dollar Fishing Game reply :
At the new BPS here in NC the biggest LMB in the tank is 11.50. The guy caught it last year in Jordan Lake. He donated it. Got $100 cash. $100 gift card to BPS and a free replica of it worth $400.
No marine biologists at this store. Healthy fish though. Been open almost 2 years.
Slade House reply :
Update on the 2 largemouth Bass in my aquarium. Ive had them since they were 3 inches long, and now they are easily over a pound , both of them happy in their 200 gallon tank in my garage. they have heat, and i make sure they have plenty of room to manuver. going to be building them a pond out back cause me and my GF have grown way too attached to them. (originally caught from Casitas , Cali). They eat some goldfish, but we try and feed them rosy red minnows, and we supplement their diet with big fat night crawlers which helps with the parasites. one of them likes to be pet by my GF. love it when they eat the minnows watching them suff their mouths till fish are spilling out of their mouths.
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 12/2/2015 at 11:01 AM, 5 Dollar Fishing Game said:At the new BPS here in NC the biggest LMB in the tank is 11.50. The guy caught it last year in Jordan Lake. He donated it. Got $100 cash. $100 gift card to BPS and a free replica of it worth $400.
No marine biologists at this store. Healthy fish though. Been open almost 2 years.
Not really a "donation" if there's a monetary exchange or reward.
There's rumor that you can do the same at the BPS or Cabela's in KC. I know you can't at Cabela's, BPS should be the same (very illegal to sell game in KS without a license). Cabela's tried to run a promotion to receive giftcards in exchange for live fish, or mounts of fish/game, it was promptly shut down by the state.
gulfcaptain reply :
On 12/2/2015 at 6:56 PM, Slade House said:Update on the 2 largemouth Bass in my aquarium. Ive had them since they were 3 inches long, and now they are easily over a pound , both of them happy in their 200 gallon tank in my garage. they have heat, and i make sure they have plenty of room to manuver. going to be building them a pond out back cause me and my GF have grown way too attached to them. (originally caught from Casitas , Cali). They eat some goldfish, but we try and feed them rosy red minnows, and we supplement their diet with big fat night crawlers which helps with the parasites. one of them likes to be pet by my GF. love it when they eat the minnows watching them suff their mouths till fish are spilling out of their mouths.
I'd stay with the rosy reds (fathead minnows) instead of goldfish. I'd set up a tank to house them before feeding and feed them a healthy diet as so when you feed your two new pets they get the best nutritional value as well as you can kill any disease or parasites prior to feeding. Also look at ghost shrimp or if you can find smaller crayfish to feed them it will help keep them healthy as well. And they like crickets too. Variety is the best. Thought about doing the same thing with one of my extra tanks I have and getting a couple small fish to have in there before returning them the next spring.
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