RandomWiktor
Rabid Betta Activist
Venting isn't spamming is it? If so, I apologize with sincereity.
Anyways, I just feel the need to get this out. I began fishkeeping in September of 2004 by way of "rescuing" sick and dying bettas and goldfish and nursing them back to health, or at least giving them a peaceful place to die. At first, it was really interesting and fun; I learned a good deal about fish disease processes, and was able to save a few lives in the process. However, I'm finding that the fish that I have nursed back to health seem to end up getting reoccurances of their ailments. I don't know how much research has been done on the topic, so perhaps it is possible that some diseases in fish are latent, and relapse in times of stress. I see this to be the case; all of my fish seem to get whatever they came in with after I transport or do something else that stresses them out. I feel like I haven't "saved" any fish at all; their quality of life can't be so great if they keep falling ill despite the fact that ALL of my husbandry has been 100% by the book. Rather, I feel like I've just prolonged their suffering. Emotionally, I am completely burned out from the rollercoaster of watching a fish rise like a phoenix out of a seemingly desparate situation, just to crash and burn once more. I know fishkeeping takes patience, and I am indeed a patient person, but I am also someone with a huge emotional investment in each and every fish. I'm thinking this is NOT the hobby for me.
Furthermore, I am finding myself increasingly disheartened by the state of the fish industry in the US. I suppose since the dog, cat, bird, and rodent retail industries are in a dismal state, and those are animals we RESPECT, I should have known fish would be treated very poorly in stores and by owners. However, I didn't really realize the extent to which until I started looking. I can't find a single decent LFS in my area. I feel like every time I come in to buy a bottle of dechlorinator or a new filter cartridge, I'm funding torture. And it is torture. These stores have starving fish cannibalizing one another in the feeder tanks, bettas in sludgy water with their fins rotting off, incompatible species stressing one another out, outbreaks of diseases that go untreated... basically, everything that would be a misdemeanor or even felony punishment of committed upon a mammal. I never bought birds, rodents, dogs, or cats from a pet store because I oppose treating them like products and disagree with the way most of them come to the shelves. Am I not a hypocrite for buying fish - even as rescues - especially when they are being bred and kept in even more deplorable conditions? I have to be able to sleep well at night, and I truly can not knowing that I am supporting this industry.
I am also finding that very few people care for their fish properly. Obviously, the people here are mostly fish enthusiasts and would sell their house to give their fish a better life, but most of them are bought, kept in a bowl for a few weeks, then die of disease. The level of owner ignorance is very alarming to me. I am equally distressed by the way people with no experience or knowledge are just breeding fish gratuitously because "they want to" with no regard to the health of the stock, and no consideration of what they will do with the fry. These are all things I oppose in other animals, and lo and behold - here I find myself equally appalled in fish, as well.
I know I could seek out a reputable breeder to purchase fish, but frankly I'm not sure I'm keen on keeping a species that isn't fully domesticated, which encompasses many fish with a few exceptions. I'm finding that most really don't thrive in a captive environment and would be better off not being bred as pets whatsoever. And while I love my bettas and goldfish, even the level of domestication they have gone through has not really changed the fact that some of them just don't cope well with the stress of captivity. I have one betta who is simply terrified of being exposed like he is in a tank; he smacks into the aquarium walls with every loud sound, is so nervous he won't come out to eat at times, and generally seems pretty friggen miserable. What right do I have, buying an animal not even suitable for captivity? Here I've lectured so often to people who want to keep wild animals as pets, and I essentially have one sitting here in my own room!
I think things would have been different if I had started out going to a reputable breeder instead of rehabilitating sick fish. They may have been different if I could find a decent, affordable supplies-only store. They may have been different if I just had a healthier stock of fish. However, I really am fed up and burned out on fishkeeping. I think after this batch grows old and passes away, I'll convert a few tanks to Madagascar Hissing Cockroach habitats, and sell the rest so I won't be tempted to buy any more fish.
I'm very sorry if I've offended anyone with this rambling rant. I didn't mean to target any one person, or say that fishkeeping was wrong, or act like none of you care for your fish properly; quite to the contrary, I have the utmost respect for almost all of the fishkeepers and breeders on this board because you put an amazing amount of care and consideration into keeping your fish. I just needed to vent about some things that were bothering me, and establish with myself the reasons as to why I'm throwing the towel in. Thanks, all, for listening, and hopefully I've not created any bad blood in the process.
Anyways, I just feel the need to get this out. I began fishkeeping in September of 2004 by way of "rescuing" sick and dying bettas and goldfish and nursing them back to health, or at least giving them a peaceful place to die. At first, it was really interesting and fun; I learned a good deal about fish disease processes, and was able to save a few lives in the process. However, I'm finding that the fish that I have nursed back to health seem to end up getting reoccurances of their ailments. I don't know how much research has been done on the topic, so perhaps it is possible that some diseases in fish are latent, and relapse in times of stress. I see this to be the case; all of my fish seem to get whatever they came in with after I transport or do something else that stresses them out. I feel like I haven't "saved" any fish at all; their quality of life can't be so great if they keep falling ill despite the fact that ALL of my husbandry has been 100% by the book. Rather, I feel like I've just prolonged their suffering. Emotionally, I am completely burned out from the rollercoaster of watching a fish rise like a phoenix out of a seemingly desparate situation, just to crash and burn once more. I know fishkeeping takes patience, and I am indeed a patient person, but I am also someone with a huge emotional investment in each and every fish. I'm thinking this is NOT the hobby for me.
Furthermore, I am finding myself increasingly disheartened by the state of the fish industry in the US. I suppose since the dog, cat, bird, and rodent retail industries are in a dismal state, and those are animals we RESPECT, I should have known fish would be treated very poorly in stores and by owners. However, I didn't really realize the extent to which until I started looking. I can't find a single decent LFS in my area. I feel like every time I come in to buy a bottle of dechlorinator or a new filter cartridge, I'm funding torture. And it is torture. These stores have starving fish cannibalizing one another in the feeder tanks, bettas in sludgy water with their fins rotting off, incompatible species stressing one another out, outbreaks of diseases that go untreated... basically, everything that would be a misdemeanor or even felony punishment of committed upon a mammal. I never bought birds, rodents, dogs, or cats from a pet store because I oppose treating them like products and disagree with the way most of them come to the shelves. Am I not a hypocrite for buying fish - even as rescues - especially when they are being bred and kept in even more deplorable conditions? I have to be able to sleep well at night, and I truly can not knowing that I am supporting this industry.
I am also finding that very few people care for their fish properly. Obviously, the people here are mostly fish enthusiasts and would sell their house to give their fish a better life, but most of them are bought, kept in a bowl for a few weeks, then die of disease. The level of owner ignorance is very alarming to me. I am equally distressed by the way people with no experience or knowledge are just breeding fish gratuitously because "they want to" with no regard to the health of the stock, and no consideration of what they will do with the fry. These are all things I oppose in other animals, and lo and behold - here I find myself equally appalled in fish, as well.
I know I could seek out a reputable breeder to purchase fish, but frankly I'm not sure I'm keen on keeping a species that isn't fully domesticated, which encompasses many fish with a few exceptions. I'm finding that most really don't thrive in a captive environment and would be better off not being bred as pets whatsoever. And while I love my bettas and goldfish, even the level of domestication they have gone through has not really changed the fact that some of them just don't cope well with the stress of captivity. I have one betta who is simply terrified of being exposed like he is in a tank; he smacks into the aquarium walls with every loud sound, is so nervous he won't come out to eat at times, and generally seems pretty friggen miserable. What right do I have, buying an animal not even suitable for captivity? Here I've lectured so often to people who want to keep wild animals as pets, and I essentially have one sitting here in my own room!
I think things would have been different if I had started out going to a reputable breeder instead of rehabilitating sick fish. They may have been different if I could find a decent, affordable supplies-only store. They may have been different if I just had a healthier stock of fish. However, I really am fed up and burned out on fishkeeping. I think after this batch grows old and passes away, I'll convert a few tanks to Madagascar Hissing Cockroach habitats, and sell the rest so I won't be tempted to buy any more fish.
I'm very sorry if I've offended anyone with this rambling rant. I didn't mean to target any one person, or say that fishkeeping was wrong, or act like none of you care for your fish properly; quite to the contrary, I have the utmost respect for almost all of the fishkeepers and breeders on this board because you put an amazing amount of care and consideration into keeping your fish. I just needed to vent about some things that were bothering me, and establish with myself the reasons as to why I'm throwing the towel in. Thanks, all, for listening, and hopefully I've not created any bad blood in the process.
