Don't get fired up, it's a theoretical question

[Diskboy12]

^+2 Great way of putting it!

 

[jlnguyen74]

One big fish in small tank, or many small fish in a big tank is no different IMO. If you keep fish because you truly enjoy fish, and don't view them as a material object or good luck charm, then you wouldn't do either of those.

That's the difference between a fishkeeper and one who keeps fish. JMO

It's kinda hard, don't you agree? Would you see yourself as a fishkeeper or one who keeps fish?

 

[dragonsong]

Well, our most important goal as fish keepers should be to give our fish long, healthy lives and watch them flourish with their best potential in an adequate aquarium. If you don't care if they are stunted and unhealthy, then you shouldn't have the priviledge to keep these animals.

^ Exactly

 

[Juxtaroberto]

Yes, that's all that happens. However, "all" isn't such a small thing. Ethically and morally, it is reprehensible. You have taken it upon yourself to care for a living thing, and to do it incorrectly knowingly is atrocious. That fish has no choice of whose tank it ends up in, while you, on the other hand, DO have a choice what fish end up in your tank.

 

[thewaterboy]

some of the responses sound accusatory. like i said, im not planning on doing this. it's just something to talk about. i don't really believe that a fish stops growing and it's organs don't.

 

[GhostShrimpMan]

Simply put, it's unethical.

 

[Eupterus]

I think in this case, have to ask what the point of keeping a pet fish is.
If the fish is being kept for a hobby and is sickly and growth stunted, then what is the pleasure in that?. A hobby is intended to be about enjoyment.
Do you enjoy seeing a sickly unhealthy animal?.

If the fish is being kept for money and breeding purposes, then the fish will be too sickly and stunted to breed.

So in my mind, keeping a sickly stunted fish serves no purpose. Setting a tank up with plans for a sickly stunted fish just seems pointless to me.
I could understand someone was raising a fish in a grow out tank, lost their job and then ended up with a sickly stunted fish because they couldn't upgrade as planned.

 

[jlnguyen74]

Yes, that's all that happens. However, "all" isn't such a small thing. Ethically and morally, it is reprehensible. You have taken it upon yourself to care for a living thing, and to do it incorrectly knowingly is atrocious. That fish has no choice of whose tank it ends up in, while you, on the other hand, DO have a choice what fish end up in your tank.

Fish don't have any choice at all, because if they do, they won't choose to be in an aquarium, where a power failure, an unsecure lid, an incompatible tankmate, a vacation from its owner/keeper, or an overfeeding, etc... could doom their future. We do have a choice, a choice to put it in an aquarium, or leave it where it is

 

[ecoli73]

I always chuckle about ethics of keeping pets...Is keeping a guppy in a 125 gallon tank ethical? It's not a lake or a stream you know...

BUT

Keeping a TSN in 75 gallon has some real draw backs...you won't really enjoy a fish that either just lay there motionless and/or gets spooked easily...and in case of TSN and other large catfish, spooking it may result in a busted tank and a flooded room. Unless one enjoys these things I suggest not to do that.

 

[jlnguyen74]

I always chuckle about ethics of keeping pets...Is keeping a guppy in a 125 gallon tank ethical? It's not a lake or a stream you know...

BUT

Keeping a TSN in 75 gallon has some real draw backs...you won't really enjoy a fish that either just lay there motionless and/or gets spooked easily...and in case of TSN and other large catfish, spooking it may result in a busted tank and a flooded room. Unless one enjoys these things I suggest not to do that.

Well put!