What do you believe is cruelty or abuse when it comes to fish?

Paperlantern4

Gambusia
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Feb 6, 2014
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A lot of people don't think fish can be abused, because they are seen as "merely fish". A lot of people keep them in tiny, dirty tanks and don't think twice about it. What do you define as abuse or cruelty when it comes to fish?

The Oscar I had rescued when I was younger (R.I.P) was kept in a small, dirty tank and school kids used to poke him with pencils in the water. I find that to be horrible cruelty, even if he was "just a fish".

What is your take on this issue?
 

pops

Alligator Gar
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Nov 24, 2013
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do not keep the water with in fish keeping perams, do not feed your fish to keep them with in healthy perams, do not supply a tank large enough for the fish you have. Do not supply proper filtration, put 2 fish together that you know are going to tear each other up. dying fish for color. it can be a long list.

any thing does not provide for your fish to live a happy long healthy life is abuse. IMHO
 

divemaster99

Dovii
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Jan 10, 2014
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Putting fish in a cycling tank without doing water changes periodically.
not feeding fish, just because.
not feeding fish, because you are tires of them.
not doing water changes.
putting fish together that aren't compatible.
Goldfish in bowls, or ANY fish for that matter!
dying fish.
keeping fish in to small a tank.
touching fish without their consent (ex. Chasing mollies with hand, counter example. Petting a cichlid that will let you).
same as pops, the list could go on forever!
 

Paperlantern4

Gambusia
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Feb 6, 2014
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Very good points, I especially agree with the "touching fish without their consent". I hadn't really thought of that.

Where do you stand on flushing healthy fish just because you do not want them anymore? I know a lot of people who do that and it makes me REALLY sad, even in the case of small fish like goldfish and neons.
 

divemaster99

Dovii
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Jan 10, 2014
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Very good points, I especially agree with the "touching fish without their consent". I hadn't really thought of that.

Where do you stand on flushing healthy fish just because you do not want them anymore? I know a lot of people who do that and it makes me REALLY sad, even in the case of small fish like goldfish and neons.
Terrible, I don't even like to think about it! People just need to put themselves in the fishes place. "Oh look I've been in this tiny tank for 1 month and now they are killing me while I'm in perfect health because I don't amuse the simpletons". That's my view on it anyway.
 

divemaster99

Dovii
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Jan 10, 2014
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I completely agree, it's nice that people have the same view points as me, I kind of thought I was in the minority :p
Whether we are or not, that doesn't mean we are wrong. There are just so many uneducated people out there who go and get fish. IMO you should need to take and pass a test to get a permit to keep a specific animal, otherwise you don't have it!
 

lp85253

Polypterus
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Mar 12, 2009
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I completely agree, it's nice that people have the same view points as me, I kind of thought I was in the minority :p
this is probably the wrong joint to look for the "he -man fish haters club" members (little rascals joke):)
 

Paperlantern4

Gambusia
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Feb 6, 2014
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I feel the same way, especially when it comes to exotic animals like parrots. I used to run a small-scale rescue out of my home until it got way too emotionally taxing. You'd be surprised how many people want to dump their parrots because they are too loud, destructive, messy, time-consuming, needy, etc. If only they had researched before actually getting one, they would have known these things. :/ Same goes with fish, people think they are easy pets when they aren't.
 

lp85253

Polypterus
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Mar 12, 2009
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yep .people luv the exotics...till they have to take care of them long term , then it's somebody else's problem
 
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