Hypothetical Question

[Fishwish]

I'd call the Humane Society, not the Police. Let them assess the situation and make the call.

 

[armac]

I'd call the Humane Society, not the Police. Let them assess the situation and make the call.

I said authorities, you fill in the blanks.

But how bad would it have to be, just overcrowded tanks?

If so look at the cichla thread just posted, that tank is overcrowded.

 

[Fishwish]

I don't have a big problem with overcrowding as long as the water parameters are maintained within reason. It's difficult not to acquire too many of anything you really enjoy...I wouldn't hesitate to report chronic neglect, which is pretty obvious: dirty, smelly water, emaciated fish, open wounds-that sort of thing. Keeping in mind that people sometimes miss a few water changes. Fish do get sick or old and lose weight. But, you can tell when you're looking at creatures who belong to a person with either no compassion or no common sense.

 

[armac]

I don't have a big problem with overcrowding as long as the water parameters are maintained within reason. It's difficult not to acquire too many of anything you really enjoy...I wouldn't hesitate to report chronic neglect, which is pretty obvious: dirty, smelly water, emaciated fish, open wounds-that sort of thing. Keeping in mind that people sometimes miss a few water changes. Fish do get sick or old and lose weight. But, you can tell when you're looking at creatures who belong to a person with either no compassion or no common sense.

So if you saw a fish you could tell if it were in a state of "chronic neglect" ?

 

[greenterra]

So if you saw a fish you could tell if it were in a state of "chronic neglect" ?

If it was a fellow fish keeper, I would not report them but I would lose respect for them as a hobbyist.
I have a very close friend that has a couple of Oscars in a 40g with several large gold fish with no intention of ever upgrading. The tank is in a sad state of affairs but I would never report them either. He may be a non-caring fish keeper but he is an awesome friend that has always been there when called upon. I guess I value the friendship a lot more.

 

[Outlander]

I don't know if I could 'shop' a friend, but there was someone on this forum that I wouldn't hesitate grassing on (ignoramus). He/she claimed you could keep "a 20cm fish in a 20cm tank" WTF!!!!!!!!!!!! HE/she had no filtration system on there tanks (pics revealed this) and no substrate, plants, rocks to house bacteria... When he/she posted a thread asking why his/her fish kept dying from fungus, gill rot etc, well you can imagine it got a bit heated
The thing that REALLY did it for me though was the fact that he/she claimed the keeping conditions were ok for that type of fish (yeah right!). And argued against the advice which was being given!!!!????

After fighting his/her case and still being unwilling to change the way they kept fish I think they would deserve everything they got from the authorities. Oh and I'm only a novice btw, and have lot's to learn, but I've not lost a fish up to now (touch wood) so I must be doing something right.....Maybe it's the filter that's helping.......? haha.

 

[Fishwish]

If you were invited to another hobbiest home, what would it take, or would you never consider, for you to call the authorities on that hobbiest? I understand that people, many people here, become very excitied and buy too many fish at times. But to what extent would it take for you to call the in authorities?

I have been in law enforcement, in the past, and I cannot see ever calling in the law on a fellow hobbiest. I guess that is why I would not make a good Freshwater and Game Warden........just for conversations sake.

Let me add, after thinking for a minute, I am not talking about if you walked into a child porn ring or something bizarre, of course you would call in the law. I am simply talking about fish not being housed up to your personal standards.

There, hope that clarifies things.

Not looking at the fish alone, out of context. I'm assuming we're still in someone else's fishroom, observing the overall conditions and judging their actions and attitude...

 

[Fishwish]

That's not the quote I was trying to insert. My reply was to:

"So if you saw a fish you could tell if it were in a state of "chronic neglect" ?"

 

[armac]

Here is the fish

 

[Fishwish]

That looks like the shot from the thread I mentioned earlier, about Lucifer. No, I would not make a judgement based on that one photo. I certainly wouldn't report someone based on it. I'm only reporting someone based on my personal, firsthand observations. As I recall, the buyer was not expecting to see such bad living conditions as he encountered based on that internet photo of the fish. Photographs can be misleading. You never know what hellholes you may walk into in another person's home/basement.