Tank packaging shows too many fish!

[jlinsey]

I've noticed lately that the photographs on tank packaging show what I've now learned are way overstocked tanks. For instance, our 6 gallon tank shows about 5 goldfish or 20 smaller fish in the photographs on the box. Yesterday I saw an ad for an 8 gallon tank with three goldfish. It seems to me this is false advertising which probably misleads a lot of people into overstocking.
I remember when shopping for our tank, being surprised when told you could only put about 6 fish in it, because my initial impression was probably subconsciously based on the box photograph. I just looked over the box, there's no disclaimer about fish capacity nor even that it doesn't include the gravel, plants, etc. I'm so surprised that apparently are there no regulations that require the advertising photographs to depict a more reasonable and safe quantity of fish in the tank.

If this has been discussed at length before, links are welcome. Thanks

 

[amosf]

Yes. I also recently saw a 23lt (6g) tank with a photo of 5 goldfish in the tank. I has to be a bad thing. New people see that and assume that's what they can really put in the tank...

 

[DepotFish]

I just started this topic in the Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine forum and in goldfishparadise.com. I got more bad reactions than good from the magazine people. Apparently they don't want to take the initiative to get companies to show proper pictures in there advertisements. I think we could all personally make it known to tank companies though. After all. If a person want to buy a ten gallon tank, they will take whatever brand the store offers. They aren't going to compare pictures and take the overstocked one.

 

[jamesrm]

How many pet stores do you see that have info on how to cycle tanks? It is the same reason that most people come here and post wondering why their schools of fish died in 4 days after setting up their tank.

Stores do not really care about educating, they care about bottom line. Some employees will help out, but you need to be lucky.

Now, all of that is partaining to chain stores. LFS's are historical MUCH better.

 

[mongplop]

While you are at it why not also start a campaign against mattress manufacturers advertising their products with a rhinocerous rolling over a bed or lobby automobile manufacturers to cease making cars that can exceed or appear capable of going more than 70mph!

Dont be so pedantic!

 

[jamesrm]

Removed by user. Sorry that this was misinterpreted as criticism.

 

[rich311k]

Folks thats it. Drop this and keep it on topic. Any other word and you will be kicked from this thread.

 

[roka64]

I agree with rich. It is good to see a hobbiest concerned for not only their own tanks but in others. I think a lot of places do that in order to appeal to people, you know, a lot of colors and such. Some photos are more than likely phoptshopped.
I believe fish capacity is dependant on the owner's knowledge or lack there of. It is totally up to us to insure the proper livestock is added to a tank, so as to not overcrowd and overstress our delicate ecosystems.

 

[Hara]

I think that advertisers and box designers shouldnt have to be in the job of educating people. It is time people take responsibility for their own actions and that includes educating themselves about the things they buy. I am pretty sure that if you had nothing on the box at all...the undeducated people would be just as likely to stuff as many fish in there as they thought were pretty and cool.

Put the blame where blame belongs, on the individual purchaser that doesnt care enough to learn, or is arrogant enough to think they know it all. This happens with just about all types of pet purchases there are, not just fish.

 

[mongplop]

And is exactly the same phenomenon that caused Macdonalds to have to display ''warning-contents may be hot'' on their coffees!

There is always somebody somewhere wishing to apportion misdirected blame.
Education required to successfully use a certain product is solely the responsibility of the individual.If manufacturers in all areas of produce only advertised depicting reality,the front page of your holiday brochure could be very murky.

 

[hc8719]

While you are at it why not also start a campaign against mattress manufacturers advertising their products with a rhinocerous rolling over a bed or lobby automobile manufacturers to cease making cars that can exceed or appear capable of going more than 70mph!

Dont be so pedantic!

in both your post you are harshly accusing, mongplop. this thread had good intentions, i agree that they advertise stuffed tanks, and it misleads people.

how many of us even knew about cycling when we started our first tank, i didnt. its not the conusmers fault when petsmart advertises the minimum tank size for a BGK as 20 gal!

this thread, like i said, had good intentions, so dont be a This portion of your post has been edited, it is in violation of the User Agreement. Further violations of the User Agreement could result in removal from our community. and post non-related things, tank stocking and cars that go faster than 70 when the speed limits 65 are two different comparisons. cool it

 

[mongplop]

this thread, like i said, had good intentions, so dont be a jerk and post non-related things, tank stocking and cars that go faster than 70 when the speed limits 65 are two different comparisons. cool it

Seeing as you wish to escalate this and call me a jerk I will digress,my comparisons were wholly appropriate in the context that I stated them.If somebody is bone enough to believe that a picture of a product for advertising purposes is a true representation of it's recommended usage then they have only themselves to blame when it goes tits up.

Being self righteous and accusing a producer of not taking this into account,whilst they may have wrongly advertised, does not impart responsibility on them.This thread by all means may have been started with the best of intentions but equally could have been solely started as a means of registering one's conscientous credentials with regards to the fishkeeping hobby.

 

[rich311k]

Ok that is enough. mongplop and hc8719 you are both off this thread. Lets keep this on track please. It is not that hard to have a civil conversation about the given subject.

 

[roka64]

Hc8719, please do not resort to name calling. As you stated this topic was started with good intentions.
Mongplop, your input and experiences/opinions are very welcome, as well as any other person that is willing to present them in a respectful way.
I don't believe it is fair to jlinsey, who was sharing personal experience.
Let's get back on track.
Thanks,
--Scott

 

[LandGhoti]

I think that advertisers and box designers shouldnt have to be in the job of educating people. It is time people take responsibility for their own actions and that includes educating themselves about the things they buy. I am pretty sure that if you had nothing on the box at all...the undeducated people would be just as likely to stuff as many fish in there as they thought were pretty and cool.

Put the blame where blame belongs, on the individual purchaser that doesnt care enough to learn, or is arrogant enough to think they know it all. This happens with just about all types of pet purchases there are, not just fish.

Here here. I totally agree with this. Advertising is not meant to educate; it's meant to sell. Pictures of dozens of schooling fish in less than 10 gal tanks with tons of decorations is a very enticing image. It conjures up all kinds of coziness in the potential amateur fish owner. While it is not meant to be some kind of pictorial DIY fish tank, it is misleading if you know anything about it. But if someone is serious enough about this hobby at the outset, they will (or should) make the proper arrangements to do it right. Sometimes I am an idealist.

Of course, we have all made (and still make) mistakes with our tanks, and we all learn from them. Perhaps look at those idyllic pictures as fish hobbyist weed-whackers. The people who do their homework will figure out the reality; the others will remain in the dark and give up. In the end, companies want things to look pretty. Advertising a 2.5 gallon with one betta and a cherry shrimp would not sell. Now, if those companies used pics of people's tanks from this site, that would be a different story! They'd be flying off the shelves.

 

[tropicfishman]

its all about grabbin the customers eye, if a customer see's a reasonable sized tank, for a good price full of bright colored fish and plants it makes them want some thing just as beautiful, alot of newbies are also under the impression that you can have as many fish as you want as long as they have "room" to swim, they usually don't knwo about not mixing certain species, etc. of course the wally world workers aren't goign to tell them they can't, they just want to sell the fish, its all about getting more money, I thinkits a flat out shame, it all should come in brown box'x and have ahuge booklet about proper fish care and maintence, evena brief common species list of what will go together and what won't would be nice

 

[Jchillin]

I thinkits a flat out shame, it all should come in brown box'x and have ahuge booklet about proper fish care and maintence, evena brief common species list of what will go together and what won't would be nice.

I received that very thing with my first 30g tank. A small pamphlet on "proper" aquarium care. Mentioned a bit about the 1" rule and how to set up the tank. Never mentioned the cycle or conspecifics, etc. I then realized it was actually an advertisement produced by the manufacturer's of the tank, not a true "how to" guide.

Just as I don't believe a "new and improved" laundry detergent will get my clothes cleaner than the existing non-improved brand (are they saying their product didn't work?), or buying a particular brand of cologne will make me more popular, one should not believe the ad itself. Advertising is simply a method of competing for our dollars, nothing more.

 

[docrak]

Just as I don't believe a "new and improved" laundry detergent will get my clothes cleaner than the existing non-improved brand (are they saying their product didn't work?), or buying a particular brand of cologne will make me more popular, one should not believe the ad itself. Advertising is simply a method of competing for our dollars, nothing more.

There must be responsibility in advertising. Look how beer ads have evolved in the past 30 years. Manufactures can not make wild claims about their products just so that people buy their product. I would equate this to an auto manufacture misrepresenting their horsepower or miles per gallon figures. Just ask Mazda how it feels to be sued for juicing their numbers.

I can't say anything about my product that isn't true; i.e. Showing an over stocked tank might be considered misrepresentation. On the other hand we have no idea of what the recommended maintainace cycle for such tank might be. The manufacture left that information out. They might be doing daily water changes. Leaving information out is not misleading, its the users responsibility to educate them selves. Ford and GM don't teach you how to drive anywhere in their manuals.

 

[Shelby_Tempo_GT]

car ads show people breaking the speed limit

Food ads show people eating unhealthy portions.

Clothing ads show unhealthy, unnatural physiques


its advertising. They overemphasize to make to make the product look appealing to make the sale.