Fish are FRIENDS, not expendable!

[phoenixkiller]

I talked to my cousin today, and I noticed a dead guppy in his 55 gallon tank. I asked him if he was disappointed because of the death. He said, "Not really. These guppies are a dime a dozen. I have billions more." (I do know that this particular species is pretty common, but should not be-, well, read on.) I said that these are living, breathing things. Not some piece of dirt that is expendable. (I actually did not say these words exactly, but this is a rude summary of what I DID say.) He said "Well, so are beetles and ants. But nobody cares about them an more than they do about fish." I found this frustrating since he had been in the hobby for five years and counting. I have always found fish to be as much as a friend or living being as a human. I wonder if there is anyone out there with a "pet peeve" for these people who do not view fish as companions, but as expendable beings "created" to be killed off in aquariums owned by this type of people. Can anyone agree with me that these people should respect fish a TAD more?

 

[Cynic]

Fact of the matter is it's hardly an uncommon point of view.

What was your counter argument to the ants comment?

 

[mysticeel]

I feel your pain. I will do anything I can for my fish. My lionfish broke his jaw and the odds of him recovering was slim to none. Plus, if he did survive he would have a deformity. Most people told me it would be cheaper just to flush him down the toilet. Luckily my lfs is awesome and took him in. They worked with him ever day forcing food into his mouth using a syringe. The lfs owner went the extra mile by massaging his jaw to prevent lock jaw. Within a few months he was back to normal. When I brought him home i spoiled him with live ghost shrimp and black mollies as a treat. His name is spiky but his nickname is 'stuffed turkey'.

 

[boadams87]

I feel your pain. I will do anything I can for my fish. My lionfish broke his jaw and the odds of him recovering was slim to none. Plus, if he did survive he would have a deformity. Most people told me it would be cheaper just to flush him down the toilet. Luckily my lfs is awesome and took him in. They worked with him ever day forcing food into his mouth using a syringe. The lfs owner went the extra mile by massaging his jaw to prevent lock jaw. Within a few months he was back to normal. When I brought him home i spoiled him with live ghost shrimp and black mollies as a treat. His name is spiky but his nickname is 'stuffed turkey'.

Now that's a real LFS!!!! I wouldn't ever buy anything from anyone else ever! !!!

 

[phoenixkiller]

Fact of the matter is it's hardly an uncommon point of view.

What was your counter argument to the ants comment?

Oh it was the same as the other comment he made.

 

[jkdubs2]

I talked to my cousin today, and I noticed a dead guppy in his 55 gallon tank. I asked him if he was disappointed because of the death. He said, "Not really. These guppies are a dime a dozen. I have billions more." (I do know that this particular species is pretty common, but should not be-, well, read on.) I said that these are living, breathing things. Not some piece of dirt that is expendable. (I actually did not say these words exactly, but this is a rude summary of what I DID say.) He said "Well, so are beetles and ants. But nobody cares about them an more than they do about fish." I found this frustrating since he had been in the hobby for five years and counting. I have always found fish to be as much as a friend or living being as a human. I wonder if there is anyone out there with a "pet peeve" for these people who do not view fish as companions, but as expendable beings "created" to be killed off in aquariums owned by this type of people. Can anyone agree with me that these people should respect fish a TAD more?

It's all in how you look at things I guess. Say these were his feeder fish for another pet then you wouldn't be as hurt by its death but since it wasn't and he wasn't crushed by its death then all of a sudden it's a big deal. I myself take great care of my fish and want them to live but inevitably I will outlive them and I know this. Things die. I won't lose sleep over it.

 

[mysticeel]

Now that's a real LFS!!!! I wouldn't ever buy anything from anyone else ever! !!!

We call the lfs owner our fish veterinary. He cures both corals and fish. The only problem is that he is too good at his job. My lionfish grew 2inchs while in his care. When my hammer coral was sick and I brought it in, it grow about 3-4inch.

 

[TheFishBoss97]

i understand, but what will you say to a murderer or killer? and the insect thing is quite valid, please don't say you haven't killed some living thing

it depends on how people see it, and how they view things, id bet that at least 50% of ppl who keep fish feel that way, because more than 1/2 of ppl who keep fish keep cheap fish in small tanks............

 

[jkdubs2]

i understand, but what will you say to a murderer or killer? and the insect thing is quite valid, please don't say you haven't killed some living thing

it depends on how people see it, and how they view things, id bet that at least 50% of ppl who keep fish feel that way, because more than 1/2 of ppl who keep fish keep cheap fish in small tanks............

Who was that towards? Just curious lol

 

[jetajockey]

I tear up every time I bite into a fish sandwich .... but seriously, everyone places different values on things. I bought a few dozen fiddler crabs for fishing bait, kept them fed and in a nice tank, but have no qualms with putting a hook through them next trip.

 

[Aski247]

I'm of the point of view, as this is my "hobby" and not so much as my pet. Now... That does not mean I don't become attached to some of my fish, and at the same time it does not mean I won't sell/trade that same attachment to try something new that may interest me.

For ex- I have kept many many SA cichlids. And currently have a 30g tank set up with a mated pair of cons. I am intensely thinking of selling my cons to maybe start up a brackish tank so I can eventually get a green spotted puffer.

Another ex- I have a bichir I have had roughly for 8months who I think is so cool... But... He's hogging a 55g tank to himself and I think I wanna try cons/FM's. So he may get sold too.

Now in both examples I gave, I do care for my fish well and are kinda attached to them, but this hobby and my time invested is to what best keeps ME... Interested and available to keep giving my best effort to provide to the needs of multiple tanks as well as fish.

I have lost year+ old fish due to reasons out of my hand ie-"winter power outages" I once lost a Jag cichlid. And all though it bummed me out for a day or two it gave me a reason to Learn and look up new fish. It's loss is the reason I have the most amazing Trimac now.

One thing is for sure I like changing things up in my tanks, I love learning about new species of fish and I'm always open to trying new things. I guess with this mentality and a great lfs which I sell back/trade with, I don't allow myself the time needed to properly get attached.

Might be why all my friends in the hobby refer to me as a "fish flipper"

Anyways just my point of view. I don't tend to sweat the way people treat or care about their fish. I just try to give my advice the best I can and they can take it or leave it.

Some people will act as if they don't care about any pet, fish/turtle/snake/dog/cat. And some act as if any of these listed are their baby's.

::shrugs:: peoples emotions are just as random/unpredictable as any fishes.

 

[Sharkbait54]

Fish are friends, not food. Hehe

 

[mysticeel]

Fish are friends, not food. Hehe

"I shall call him 'Squishy,' and he shall be mine, and he shall be my Squishy.

sorry I had to do it ^^

Even though my lfs is willing to help anyone out with their sick fish. He tells me how some of his customers will flush their sick fish down the toilet. He wishes they would be more human and put them into the freezer, because they will fall asleep and feel no pain. Unfortunately that is the way life is. I am all for eating fish and meat. I personally go out of my way to buy only farmed raised fish (i am lucky that I have access to farm raised fish, while other countries don't have this luxury). Even though I am one person that is at least 1 fish that does not have to be removed from the ocean. At the same time there are so many more people bring fish to the edge of extinction from over fishing such as leaf sea dragons and blue fin tuna. I believe there should be a balance...but than that would be more of a political view -.^

 

[Monkey Magic]

I feel your pain. I will do anything I can for my fish. My lionfish broke his jaw and the odds of him recovering was slim to none. Plus, if he did survive he would have a deformity. Most people told me it would be cheaper just to flush him down the toilet. Luckily my lfs is awesome and took him in. They worked with him ever day forcing food into his mouth using a syringe. The lfs owner went the extra mile by massaging his jaw to prevent lock jaw. Within a few months he was back to normal. When I brought him home i spoiled him with live ghost shrimp and black mollies as a treat. His name is spiky but his nickname is 'stuffed turkey'.

The cycle continues he got fed with live food you cant really get to sensitive if someone has no concern about their fish dying you cant force them to feel bad. how many animals die making theyre food??? Your feelings towards your fish and his fish are clearly from opposite sides of the scale its just how it is....

 

[phoenixkiller]

i understand, but what will you say to a murderer or killer? and the insect thing is quite valid, please don't say you haven't killed some living thing

it depends on how people see it, and how they view things, id bet that at least 50% of ppl who keep fish feel that way, because more than 1/2 of ppl who keep fish keep cheap fish in small tanks............

Yes, I understand that, but do you spend money on bugs? Do you spend at the very least $50.00 on their habitat?

 

[jkdubs2]

Yes, I understand that, but do you spend money on bugs? Do you spend at the very least $50.00 on their habitat?

Everybody has a different hobby. Some people do spend that much on bugs.

 

[mysticeel]

The cycle continues he got fed with live food you cant really get to sensitive if someone has no concern about their fish dying you cant force them to feel bad. how many animals die making theyre food??? Your feelings towards your fish and his fish are clearly from opposite sides of the scale its just how it is....

Nature is nature. I don't mind if people feed their predator fish live food. The only thing that bothers me is when people mistreat any species. Even if a moth flies into my house i will spend all day trying to catch it to put it back outside.

 

[Monkey Magic]

Some people do spend money on bugs just as they do on aquariums. However to say that spending 50 bucks on theyre environment says to me its more the spending emotion as opposed to feeling sad because your fish died to me a 2$ guppy wouldnt upset me nearly as much as 120$ discus purely because of the 118$ difference

 

[Adangelo100]

My dad has that view! I get so upset losing fish but he says "oh.. Well they're cheap how are you supposed to learn what not to do?" I guess back when he had aquariums there wasn't the Internet but still, he couldn't pick up a book?! After getting to know your fish you start to learn their individual habits and they have personalities... I love my babies

 

[phoenixkiller]

I'm of the point of view, as this is my "hobby" and not so much as my pet. Now... That does not mean I don't become attached to some of my fish, and at the same time it does not mean I won't sell/trade that same attachment to try something new that may interest me.

For ex- I have kept many many SA cichlids. And currently have a 30g tank set up with a mated pair of cons. I am intensely thinking of selling my cons to maybe start up a brackish tank so I can eventually get a green spotted puffer.

Another ex- I have a bichir I have had roughly for 8months who I think is so cool... But... He's hogging a 55g tank to himself and I think I wanna try cons/FM's. So he may get sold too.

Now in both examples I gave, I do care for my fish well and are kinda attached to them, but this hobby and my time invested is to what best keeps ME... Interested and available to keep giving my best effort to provide to the needs of multiple tanks as well as fish.

I have lost year+ old fish due to reasons out of my hand ie-"winter power outages" I once lost a Jag cichlid. And all though it bummed me out for a day or two it gave me a reason to Learn and look up new fish. It's loss is the reason I have the most amazing Trimac now.

One thing is for sure I like changing things up in my tanks, I love learning about new species of fish and I'm always open to trying new things. I guess with this mentality and a great lfs which I sell back/trade with, I don't allow myself the time needed to properly get attached.

Might be why all my friends in the hobby refer to me as a "fish flipper"

Anyways just my point of view. I don't tend to sweat the way people treat or care about their fish. I just try to give my advice the best I can and they can take it or leave it.

Some people will act as if they don't care about any pet, fish/turtle/snake/dog/cat. And some act as if any of these listed are their baby's.

::shrugs:: peoples emotions are just as random/unpredictable as any fishes.

You are right, and I greatly respect what you have said. It's not so much that he LOST the fish, but the fact that he viewed it with disdain. I always say don't get attached to your fish, because they only have a few years to live. The point I wish to drive across is, these fish need the respect they deserve. Would you say at a man's funeral, "Oh, there is seven billion other people out there, so I should care less that this man died"? Of course not. People are valuable. By no means am I saying that fish are equal, but they are breathing, eating, and reproducing, just like us. They have organs and blood, just like us. Why should we treat a creature that we greatly cared for with contempt? And another thing, the majority of fish brought into this hobby are wild, taken from their peaceful and natural habitat to live in a glass box. Am I protesting fish keeping? No! We just need to give what time they can give us to help them live adequate lives. When they die, do not treat them like dirt. Do not build a shrine around their grave either. Just respect them. That is all I ask!