I actually kind of agree with ae123. Not in the sense that it should be flat out banned, however, but more that better care should be achieved if you want to get into the hobby in the first place. The problem with supermarket like stores that have 100s of one particular fish at your disposal is that it seems to cheapen their life somehow. If someone can run out and buy a few bags of fish whenever they want, they may not take it as seriously. Most customers say to me "Well, if it dies, I can just come back and get more tomorrow." Yet if we didn't overpopulate and order way more of a certain fish or other animal than we can reasonably accommodate.. maybe people would see it as more of a luxury and less as a divine right.
And hey.. I get that most people don't see it any differently than selling feeder fish. Feeder fish have been a constant source of mental confusion for me. I feel bad for the fish being bred for slaughter, but ultimately see that they are serving a purpose... even if it still bothers me somehow. What purpose do fish serve to people who you try to educate about responsible fishkeeping.. who decide it's still okay to put 10 mollies into a 1 gallon bowl? Is it the process of trial and error.. finding out things that work and don't work? Or is it just entertainment; something that gives that person instant gratification? Is entertainment so important that snuffing out ANY life.. (fish, dog, cat, hamster, bird, etc)? Yeah, they may be new to it and not understand, but it doesn't excuse them from not listening when someone strongly urges against it... and then repeating the same thing endlessly because it's not as though they can't just replace them on a whim.
My personal opinion is no. However, I am in a job that involves catering to peoples desires for that instant gratification. No one I work with enjoys it, more than a few of us have written to corporate trying to get small animals, birds and other exotics at least REDUCED in numbers. You have no idea how many animals are in the back of retail chain stores because a holiday is coming up. The risk of illness is tripled, the conditions are harder to keep at a healthy level. All for what? Mass numbers to be entertained by a little critter that will fall out of favor in a few short months? Granted, this does not always happen. You get your gems occasionally. Adults, and often children, who love them and want the best for them and who do not see them as disposable playthings.
So I can see why someone might want to ban them. Does it suck for the people who are actually responsible? Yeah. I can, however, think of the notion fondly because while there are always going to be people who provide good shelter and living space.. there are triple the amount that will do otherwise. Is it worth my having my lovely little fish if I know others may not be so lucky? Not really.
I don't ever see that happening, however, because there is too much
money to be made off the skins and scales of the pet industry. I just hope that big businesses start making some effort to find a way to educate the public so that mishaps and social responsibility are something that becomes commonplace. By no means do I think that banning them is the end all answer. Just the share of knowledge.. which is why I love this site and the people on it!
By the way, no.. I am weird and I don't eat seafood.
I'm sure maybe I sound like some PETA flag waver, but I am not a fan of that particular organization, actually.
