Are feeder fish legal ?

[Paul_MTS]

So when was the last time you ate a live cow?

Every cow was alive before you ate it, same with the chickens. Just because you didn't kill it don't make any difference, it was still killed to feed you.

(sorry to dissagree with you SirMinion)

Thats not the point!!

I feed lance fish which is like us eating beef, but feeding feeder fish is like us chasing a cow around a field with our steak teeth in!!

I would like the law to be changed in the UK.

 

[Candyco]

I didnt read the question right i thought it said is it illegal, Its completely legal i dont see why not. Humans get to eat cows and stuff so why cant fish have some meat

Yeah I agree. Snakes can eat mice, humans can eat cows, fish should be able to eat smaller fish. It's a little thing called..........NATURE

If some1 slapped a live cow on my plate i think i'd hurl!

 

[Candyco]

Well.... my Red-Bellied Piranhas r very happy with their prawns, cod and other raw meats we may give them whilst preparing dinner. What they've never had they're not going to miss are they!!!!!

 

[jflowers]

I would like the law to be changed in the UK.

From what? Its already illegal to feed live vetebrates. Job done.

Jon

 

[Paul_MTS]

.....changed for it to be legal!! I'm sure my fish would love to have some proper excercise and chase around there food every now and then.

 

[jflowers]

Oh LOL, sounded like you were arguing the other way, sorry, my bad.

Jon

 

[SirMinion]

So when was the last time you ate a live cow?

Every cow was alive before you ate it, same with the chickens. Just because you didn't kill it don't make any difference, it was still killed to feed you.

You've missed my point entirely.

The point is that we do not slice cuts of beef off live cattle, they are humainly killed first, we do not eat chickens while they are still alive.

 

[ferrikins]

Ok been thinking, acherly me and my b/f had a debate about it last night, got into some very complected and deap stuff, won't bore you with that though.

But I put this to you, why is it ok to feed life fish, yet it is wrong to dye fish.



Oh yeah and well said CFC

 

[SirMinion]

But I put this to you, why is it ok to feed life fish, yet it is wrong to dye fish.

Neither are ok, IMO, but I would think that people would argue that dyed fish suffer for longer, and for vanity, whereas feeder fish die quickly, and so that another fish might live.

 

[jflowers]

Looks to me like 36 out of 48 members would prefer little 'insignificant' fish to be fed to fish that could eat frozen foods.

Replys to That will take some reading in the morning

Jon

 

[SirMinion]

Looks to me like 36 out of 48 members would prefer little 'insignificant' fish to be fed to fish that could eat frozen foods.

Replys to That will take some reading in the morning

Jon

I'd swear that when I voted 'yes', that poll said "do think feeding live fish should be illegal?"

Perhaps the author of this thread has his own agenda...

 

[jflowers]

Looks to me like 36 out of 48 members would prefer little 'insignificant' fish to be fed to fish that could eat frozen foods.

Replys to That will take some reading in the morning 

Jon

I'd swear that when I voted 'yes', that poll said "do think feeding live fish should be illegal?"

Perhaps the author of this thread has his own agenda...

The thread and the poll are different questions, very confusing.

Jon

 

[Bryan]

So when was the last time you ate a live cow?

Every cow was alive before you ate it, same with the chickens. Just because you didn't kill it don't make any difference, it was still killed to feed you.

You've missed my point entirely.

The point is that we do not slice cuts of beef off live cattle, they are humainly killed first, we do not eat chickens while they are still alive.

I agree with you 100%. That is more cruel.
But
In the wild fish like Oscars hunt, eat live fish. As a fish owner I want my fish be as happy and live as natural as can be. I think they need the chase and kill, to make them happy/healthy (happy is healthy).
If your going to make it wrong to feed fish to fish, then it should be illegal to sell fish like Oscars that need live fish.

 

[Timmy]

It is my understanding, as a snake keeper, that feeding live vertebrates is not illegal in the UK. I would like to see a reference which shows it is.

If a snake will not eat pre-killed food is it more humane to let the snake starve to death or let the snake very efficiently and quickly kill its own food under controlled and monitored conditions?

 

[black angel]

well a friend of mine asked the RSPCA about feeder fish using piranha as an example. still doesnt really answer it as it seems no one is sure what the law actually is and theres a lot of grey area.

Thank you for your e-mail about Feeder fish. We have spoken to our Wildlife Department about this matter and they have said that as far as they are aware, there are no legal constraints on feeding live fish to other fish. There is also no legislation that specifically allows the use of certain fish to feed certain other fish, such as suggested by the pet shop staff. However, there is clear evidence that fish are 'sentient' (meaning that it has been proven that they feel pain). Such action of feeding live fish to other live fish could potentially be an offence under the Protection of Animals Act 1911, if a vet agreed that unneccesary suffering had been caused to the fish fed to the other fish. The difficulty in proving there has been an offence committed, would be in trying to prove that the fish fed to the other fish were intentionally and knowingly caused pain by the pet shop staff because of their actions. Piranhas (depending upon the species) will scavenge fish scales off live fish, take dead fish or meat sinking through the water, or if hungry enough, could attack other live fish. However, piranhas do not require the offering of live fish in captivity to trigger feeding, as feeding can also be triggered by dead meat/fish being dropped into their water tank. Another issue that could have an inpact on the welfare of the piranhas and the live fish being added to their tank as their food, is that the taking of fish from one water environment and then releasing them straight into water of a different temperature, salinity etc., can instantly shock the a fish's system and could prove fatal. If after receiving this information you feel that the pet shop staff are practicing a method of feeding which is against the welfare of the fish concerned, you can contact our 24 hour National Advice and Cruelty Helpline on 0870 55 55 999 and report the pet shop concerned, in complete confidence. One of our local RSPCA Inspectors can then visit the shop and discuss these practices with the staff and make recommendations on how best the piranhas can be fed in a humane way that does not involve feeding them live fish. Thank you for contacting us with your concerns. Kind regards RSPCA Enquiries Service