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Fish-related stories are always of interest to aquarists and this week we’ve seen some “Sensational Stories of Serrasalmids in Shropshire Sewers” to put it in tabloid terms. As is often the case, the truth is often sacrificed for a good story and so we were only too pleased to help the local media get to some of the facts behind the case of the fishy sewer blockage.

Andrew Bradbury from our store at Mere Park, just outside Telford, helped BBC radio Shropshire and BBC radio 5 live discover the real culprit behind the piranha scare in a Telford sewer. Having received this photograph of the fish in question it was immediately obvious that this was no piranha – discussion amongst staff both on the shop floor and elsewhere concluded that this was definitely a cichlid of some kind, possibly a Tilapia or Central American cichlid. Unfortunately the condition of the corpse makes it difficult to establish an identity based on diagnostic features such as colour or pattern.

He then rang BBC radio Shropshire and told them what he had found out. Then the fun began for Andrew as BBC radio Shropshire asked him to speak live about his findings at 5.30 that day. Andrew stepped up to the challenge and explained his findings in lively discussion with the host (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01vfxww ; approximately 2 hours 40 minutes in). Subsequently, a call from BBC radio 5 live saw him recounting his detective work at 11.30 that evening.

It is highly likely that the fishes in question were dead before being disposed of in such a callous manner but all of us at Maidenhead Aquatics are proud to support the Big Fish Campaign that seeks to inform customers of the hazards of buying species that outgrow their welcome. 

Whether alive or dead, the toilet is not a suitable way to dispose of pets and we urge fishkeepers to use either bins or burial when dealing with expired fish and to contact their original supplier for help in rehoming fishes that outgrow their aquaria.