Is fish keeping ethical?

[Prestigereef]

One of the moderators suggested I share some of my old videos with you all...

This is a good place to start... is fishkeeping ethical?

 

[RobZilla04]

Seriously?

 

[hdsoftail1065]

I thought this was a great video! Thank you for sharing this one.

 

[recess62]

Great topic for discussion. I totally agree that we should be considered caretakers of our “guests”. Research research research is so important. I tend to be spiritual. Fish value their lives as much as we do. That is why they try to swim away when we try to catch them There have been posts on this forum where people have taken fish from the wild knowing that they are difficult to keep. Gathering livestock knowing that the species has limited survival rates is unethical

 

[cracker]

I have to say , I believe that everyone of Gods creatures here on Earth have a right to make a living . Is it right to take a fish that was swimming free in the sea of life? No, I'm torn actually and the thought that all the money involved is driving research into breeding & raising these marine animals might actually be good overall in the future. Hard call but I still do it.

 

[ca1ore]

Meh, it's an old debate with all of the arguments for and against having been well 'baked'. Nature doesn't 'care' about individuals; it cares about species survival and ecosystems. Just think about the breeding strategies for most aquatic organisms - large quantities of eggs with the goal of a 'few' surviving to replenish breeding stocks. I have long been of the view that as long as this hobby behaves sustainably, the loss of individuals is incidental. As climate change and pollution continues to batter wild reefs, wouldn't it be ironic if the last surviving coral species were those in captive tanks. I do believe that if a particular species of animal cannot be maintained in a captive environment, it should not be collected; but it's less about 'ethics' to me and simply just not being wasteful.

 

[Neo Jeo]

My fish love me! They say it all the time. Dont ever put me in the ocean! I say I know... You're not going anywhere!

 

[Crabs McJones]

Wasn't able to watch the video (stuck at work) but in my perception, taking any animal and caging it up is technically unethical. They're meant to grow and flourish in the wild on their own in their natural habitat. However, as long as the fish and coral is kept in proper conditions (correct tank size, water parameters, food, lighting ect..) I find that our tanks have the potential to serve better conditions than some parts of the oceans today when pollution, increased temperatures, and overfishing are considered. So is the animal better off in our tank or in the ocean? It's really hard to say.

 

[PDR]

I haven't had a chance to watch the video but on the general topic, yes I think it is just as ethical as keeping any other animal in captivity. I think there is this misconception that the reef is some kind of utopia, when in reality it is closer to a war zone.

I think our only responsibility is to keep fish in appropriate conditions (tank size, water quality, diet, etc), and do what is reasonably possible to keep them safe and healthy.

 

[chris85]

The way I see it is it all depends on the person that is keeping the fish or critter!!

I will try and elaborate later when I get off.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

Here's an interesting philosophical discussion between Richard Ross and Nathan Hill on the topic of ethics and marine aquaria. It's a long read, but it's a really good discussion. There aren't many prescriptions, but there are very many questions asked from each author's point of view, which really gets you thinking.

 

[michael giordano]

I believe that all fish are in a sort of prison in our tanks but after a while they get used to it and it becomes Normal for them

 

[tank o tang]

No more so than keeping my dog, or the land that was cleared to build the houses we live in. If we were ethical we would still be cavemen and not at the top of the food chain. Going to go enjoy a cheeseburger for lunch now.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

IMO, there are a couple of situations where it is more ethical than others...

1. Some folks in the NY area will go out and catch tropical marine fish that have been caught in the Gulf stream and are on a one way trip to winter death. Unless you are really torturing them, they may well be better of in a reef tank than where you caught them.

2. Some fish truly have little interest in more space than a good size aquarium can provide. Clownfish in a good size natural host anemone, for example. Mine typically never went anywhere else in the tank, even with another same species anemone there. those clowns, at least, almost certainly were not suffering from lack of additional space.

 

[chad vossen]

Given that we go through the trouble of sourcing net caught fish, or aquacultured fish. Then quarantine them to clear them of disease and parasites, as well as condition them to their new environment. I think this hobby can be very ethical. There are people that don't care where their fish come from, as long as it's the cheapest price they can find in the solar system. I consider these customers more ethically ignorant. Then there's the hobbyist that procures their fish from quality sources, which already go through a quarantine process. They'll pay more knowing that this fish was cared for better in the supply chain.

I've evolved through this hobby a lot since 2005. I started out with a 10 gallon tank with crushed coral, mandarin, and some sun corals. Whoops! Now I'm loosing sleep at night as I try to raise angelfish, dottybacks, blennies, and sea urchins. I've turned my hobby into a business to provide ethical and sustainable options to everyone.

I also try to raise monarch butterflies in the summer from eggs to offset the butterflies that I've hit with my car.

 

[ncaldwell]

Its definitely on the aquarist whether its ethical or not. I prefer not to keep large fish but I've seen others including a YouTube video with sharks large triggers and more in a 55 gallon where the shark is almost as large as the tank. My purple tang is my largest in my 5 foot tank and I almost feel guilty for having him, but he was an almost dead petco rescue and I'd do it again. Some see fish as replaceable ornaments and some dont

 

[Cherub]

every time I've ever lost a fish I wonder this same thing. it's pretty messed up that we make these glass boxes and many with inferior knowledge bring home fish to "try them out" with out much regard for their lives. It's no better than someone tying up a dog to a park bench and walking away in my opinion. I do my best to care for the animals I keep but after all these years I still have losses and it never gets easier to deal with.

 

[vanpire]

Which is more ethical, eating fish or keeping them in our aquariums? Hmmm.

 

[Brian W]

As long as you keep them in a large enough tank, keep their home clean and feed frequently I'd like to think my fish think they have hit the jackpot.
They get to live their long life out without fear of being eaten.
They get fat and eat everyday.
They do not have to constantly work for their food.
They get to swim in some of the most expensive corals . lol

 

[kz4q66]

My fish love to be in my tank so they do not have to deal with body lotion, sun cream, oil spill , plastic waste, chemical waste, bigger fish ....