Topic for debate speech

[AngelFishGirl]

Fun.... An English speech *eyeroll*
I need help choosing an aquarium topic!

The topic is your opinion on a certain debate topic, such as flag burning, nuclear power, global warming, gay marriage, poverty, etc.

We get to choose whatever topic we want though

Well, before you ask "why post this here?" It's because I want my topic on something that I'll actually enjoy.
I want to do something on freshwater tropical fish. Mainly Angelfish if possible.

But I want some ideas that could be research able from all of my fellow aquarium lovers. Any debate topics?

So far I've only thought of:
Is it okay to cull fry due to deformations?

Any help would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!

Thank all!

 

[bud29]

Is this a debate over ethics or can it be about anything?

 

[phin]

Whats the format of the debate? Are you presenting both sides; just one side, unrefuted; or taking one side in an actual debate with someone else?

 

[Scottyhorse]

Maybe about keeping angels in tiny tanks?

 

[piao liang yu]

You could cover fish in versus fishless cycling. You could consult jetajockey for all your research for fish in cycling.

 

[phin]

I think a broad topic of the ethics of keeping fish as a hobby and the industry it has spawned is a good topic. I would think that 99.9% of the members of AA would consider themselves ethical when it comes to keeping fish, but there is always a lobby against anything and then the wingnuts who think its wrong to keep fish as a hobby at all.

Lots of points to argue under this umbrella:

• fish farm breeding
• dye injection
• selective breeding (see blood parrot)
• poor knowledge by the casual person (i.e. goldfish in a bowl, no cycle)
• big-box retailer practices
• intentionally overstocking (i.e. mbuna tanks)
• capturing of wild fish to confine

these are just off the top of my head, I'm sure you could come up with more.

The arguement wouldn't be for or against each individual topics, but the fact that fish keeping as a hobby had created an industry that engages & profits from some arguably unethical practices. Is an individual's engagement in the hobby unethical in that it supports (even indirectly) an industry that may have some unethical practices?

I'm just throwing it out there. Doesn't reflect my personal views, just a topic for debate.

 

[bud29]

Lots of points to argue under this umbrella:

• fish farm breeding
• dye injection
• selective breeding (see blood parrot)
• poor knowledge by the casual person (i.e. goldfish in a bowl, no cycle)
• big-box retailer practices
• intentionally overstocking (i.e. mbuna tanks)
• capturing of wild fish to confine

these are just off the top of my head, I'm sure you could come up with more.

The arguement wouldn't be for or against each individual topics, but the fact that fish keeping as a hobby had created an industry that engages & profits from some arguably unethical practices. Is an individual's engagement in the hobby unethical in that it supports (even indirectly) an industry that may have some unethical practices?

I'm just throwing it out there. Doesn't reflect my personal views, just a topic for debate.

OK ideas I guess, although I do want to point out that blood parrots are the result of hybridizing, not selective breeding, and not all mbuna tanks are overstocked. Hybridizing could be a topic you could talk about, though.

If you're not looking for an ethics debate, and just looking for a fish debate in general, aquarium salt is always a good one. Here are a few links to some threads that may help you get some ideas going:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f23/fishkeeping-ethics-162479.html
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...time-wild-caught-or-captive-breed-214900.html
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f23/ethical-fishkeeping-236985.html
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f100/hybridizing-thoughts-and-should-i-208417.html
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f100/hybrids-237593.html
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/is-aquarium-salt-needed-227851.html

 

[AngelFishGirl]

Thanks all! The speech is on just a specific topic and you have to state your opinion in a speech.

 

[AngelFishGirl]

I think a broad topic of the ethics of keeping fish as a hobby and the industry it has spawned is a good topic. I would think that 99.9% of the members of AA would consider themselves ethical when it comes to keeping fish, but there is always a lobby against anything and then the wingnuts who think its wrong to keep fish as a hobby at all.

Lots of points to argue under this umbrella:

[*]fish farm breeding
[*]dye injection
[*]selective breeding (see blood parrot)
[*]poor knowledge by the casual person (i.e. goldfish in a bowl, no cycle)
[*]big-box retailer practices
[*]intentionally overstocking (i.e. mbuna tanks)
[*]capturing of wild fish to confine

these are just off the top of my head, I'm sure you could come up with more.

The arguement wouldn't be for or against each individual topics, but the fact that fish keeping as a hobby had created an industry that engages & profits from some arguably unethical practices. Is an individual's engagement in the hobby unethical in that it supports (even indirectly) an industry that may have some unethical practices?

I'm just throwing it out there. Doesn't reflect my personal views, just a topic for debate.

Great post. Thank you. I really like fish farm breeding and selective breeding.

 

[Zimmanski]

Personally I would do it on the dye injection and genetically altering of fish, such as adding jellyfish DNA into danios to create *glofish* or how some fish like blood parrots have been selectively bred to get a mutation where the fish can't even close its mouth, or how goldfish have been inbred to create "telescope eyes" that make it almost blind. Not that I have anything against people who own these fish, I just personally don't like it. I think someone could go on for days debating about this topic, sounds like an easy English paper to me! Haha

 

[marsh]

Personally I would do it on the dye injection and genetically altering of fish, such as adding jellyfish DNA into danios to create *glofish* or how some fish like blood parrots have been selectively bred to get a mutation where the fish can't even close its mouth, or how goldfish have been inbred to create "telescope eyes" that make it almost blind. Not that I have anything against people who own these fish, I just personally don't like it. I think someone could go on for days debating about this topic, sounds like an easy English paper to me! Haha

This would be a good topic to take a stand on and provide arguments to support your stance.