House Fire

[Ruskull]

If my house was ablaze and a genie gave me the chance to have 2 minutes back inside, guaranteed no death, I'd rescue more sentimental things like old photos, things that can't be replaced. Sorry fish, I love you, but you're replaceable in that situation.

Pretty sure I read about a LFS that had a serious fire back along, and apart from a few tanks which smashed under the heat, most of the fish were still alive.

But photo isn't worth much except sentimental value. Fish / other critters have a high value (at least to the world we live in).

I consider sentimental value to be much higher than material value though. I have no intention of selling my fish, so they're only worth to me what it would cost to replace if I lost them. If my full tank got wiped out it'd probably cost a day's wages or so to replace the fish. If I had to replace the tank and the plants as well, maybe 5 or 6 days' wages. In any case, these are all material goods that I would hope to be able to claim for on the home insurance. I know the individual fish will be dead, but I don't have any fish with any special sentimental value or that look any different to every other fish of their species.

Old photos and stuff are highly sentimental to me and irreplaceable, therefore priceless. Fish, I can throw some money at someone and I can have what I had back in a manner of speaking. The photos, not so.

I didn't mean in money. I meant in them as beings that contribute to the world (not talking about value to humans).

The part with not having fish with sentimental value explains it, however I wouldn't leave my Tzuppy in the burning house if I had the option to save him and I could save him. Then Bee and Cracker, even though out of the two only Bee has shown some character but without Cracker she seems incomplete, they're like Laurel and Hardy.

As for pictures / memories, I have tons of them, but all that can be actually kept in one secure place that won't disappear until I die. *points to head*.

I agree.

Truth be known I'd save.........

My Son
My Wife
My Dog
My Cat
My AR15

..............and then I'd go back in and fight the fire to save the fish. With 3 tanks heavily stocked I'd have no chance of saving all of them by putting a fish at a time into buckets.

 

[FishBlast]

I am looking at my fish tank now and asking them what they contribute to the world. They're not coming up with many answers for me, tbh.

Aside from the view that we humans see as beautiful, they contribute by recycling matter. Pretty much the basic contribution all creatures have. Sometimes something so tiny could affect something very big.

More contributions that also involve humans: They actually are the reason why fish sales exist (now depending on views, this could be a good thing or a bad thing).
They are the reason why we're here in the first place (on this forum, also the reason why TFF exists anyway).
They contribute to relaxing their owners (at least mine do, I just need to watch them for a few minutes when I'm stressed and I feel better).
They are the reason why so many companies make sales on so many fish-related products. Which means more work places for humans.

The list could go on, as a tiny thing could affect the world. But when thinking of the big picture, it may appear too complicated. Or it may appear irrelevant. But the effects of just a few fish can be noticed.

 

[scotty]

i would be wondering what kinda fish i could claim for with my house insurance!!!

 

[FishBlast]

If my house was ablaze and a genie gave me the chance to have 2 minutes back inside, guaranteed no death, I'd rescue more sentimental things like old photos, things that can't be replaced. Sorry fish, I love you, but you're replaceable in that situation.

Pretty sure I read about a LFS that had a serious fire back along, and apart from a few tanks which smashed under the heat, most of the fish were still alive.

But photo isn't worth much except sentimental value. Fish / other critters have a high value (at least to the world we live in).

I consider sentimental value to be much higher than material value though. I have no intention of selling my fish, so they're only worth to me what it would cost to replace if I lost them. If my full tank got wiped out it'd probably cost a day's wages or so to replace the fish. If I had to replace the tank and the plants as well, maybe 5 or 6 days' wages. In any case, these are all material goods that I would hope to be able to claim for on the home insurance. I know the individual fish will be dead, but I don't have any fish with any special sentimental value or that look any different to every other fish of their species.

Old photos and stuff are highly sentimental to me and irreplaceable, therefore priceless. Fish, I can throw some money at someone and I can have what I had back in a manner of speaking. The photos, not so.

I didn't mean in money. I meant in them as beings that contribute to the world (not talking about value to humans).

The part with not having fish with sentimental value explains it, however I wouldn't leave my Tzuppy in the burning house if I had the option to save him and I could save him. Then Bee and Cracker, even though out of the two only Bee has shown some character but without Cracker she seems incomplete, they're like Laurel and Hardy.

As for pictures / memories, I have tons of them, but all that can be actually kept in one secure place that won't disappear until I die. *points to head*.

I agree.

Truth be known I'd save.........

My Son
My Wife
My Dog
My Cat
My AR15

..............and then I'd go back in and fight the fire to save the fish. With 3 tanks heavily stocked I'd have no chance of saving all of them by putting a fish at a time into buckets.

Well, not saying to save all but at least some if possible. Though the firefighters might already have saved them by that time lol.

Assuming my parents wouldn't be able to wake up and run, I'd save in this order:
My dad
My mom (her second because she's been annoying...)
My turtle
All 3 of my fish (glad I don't have a lot of them).
My newt along with her tank.
My HDD, as most of my 3D projects are on it.

If I had a cat again, it would have been 3rd after my mom. Furry creatures burn faster than scaled ones.

 

[Jay-93]

The first thing I'd save is my family. Then pets that aren't submerged in water. Then expensive/sentimental items.

The things that can't be replaced will take priority, and in all fairness, fish fall way short of that category.

 

[FishBlast]

To me pretty much anything with a personality isn't replaceable. I may be able to get something that looks like it, but it won't be that creature.
Even Hoplos, none that I've had were like the other.

Rex was smart and did tricks, was a good fry guard / babysitter - literally sat on the baby fish(although Seadra came a close second).
Moustache was a nice female and quite playful. Rex and her were so cute when they stood face to face.
Bitza died kind of young, I dropped her by accident while water changing (was doing 100%). She was quite active and would chase my other fish around even though they were bigger than her.
Seadra was the calmest Hoplo I've had. He was like the opposite of Tzuppy.
Tzuppy is a hyperactive and stubborn catfish. He is also a glutton unlike any other ones I've had. He recognizes people and attacks human strangers by splashing at them.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

IN order,
1. Kids
2. Husband
3. Cats
4. Self

and if its a small fire like i started leaving a pizze box in the oven and turning it on, then Ill just put the fire out.

 

[soybean]

I am looking at my fish tank now and asking them what they contribute to the world. They're not coming up with many answers for me, tbh.

Aside from the view that we humans see as beautiful, they contribute by recycling matter. Pretty much the basic contribution all creatures have. Sometimes something so tiny could affect something very big.

More contributions that also involve humans: They actually are the reason why fish sales exist (now depending on views, this could be a good thing or a bad thing).
They are the reason why we're here in the first place (on this forum, also the reason why TFF exists anyway).
They contribute to relaxing their owners (at least mine do, I just need to watch them for a few minutes when I'm stressed and I feel better).
They are the reason why so many companies make sales on so many fish-related products. Which means more work places for humans.

The list could go on, as a tiny thing could affect the world. But when thinking of the big picture, it may appear too complicated. Or it may appear irrelevant. But the effects of just a few fish can be noticed.

MY fish just swim around a tank in my hallway. I wouldn't save them for any of the above reasons in a house fire.

 

[Tizer]

I'd do all of the sensible options, then grab my NAS drive if i could (a life times worth of pictures on it). Saving fish wouldn't even come into my head. But i would soon be down the garage getting the 4 spare CO2 canisters i have down there and attempt to keep the fire at bay a little.

 

[soybean]

Yeah, to be fair, for a small fire, I'd probably utilise the large tank of water I have in the hallway for practical reasons. Sorry fishywishies.

 

[phoenixgsd]

As for pictures / memories, I have tons of them, but all that can be actually kept in one secure place that won't disappear until I die. *points to head*.

thats not strictly true, the brain is a very delicate thing, i see every day people of all ages who cant remember family let alone the precious memories they once had due to accidents or dementia, its only a photo or some other visual promt that reminds them, allbeit breifly

 

[CezzaXV]

I am looking at my fish tank now and asking them what they contribute to the world. They're not coming up with many answers for me, tbh.

Aside from the view that we humans see as beautiful, they contribute by recycling matter. Pretty much the basic contribution all creatures have. Sometimes something so tiny could affect something very big.

More contributions that also involve humans: They actually are the reason why fish sales exist (now depending on views, this could be a good thing or a bad thing).
They are the reason why we're here in the first place (on this forum, also the reason why TFF exists anyway).
They contribute to relaxing their owners (at least mine do, I just need to watch them for a few minutes when I'm stressed and I feel better).
They are the reason why so many companies make sales on so many fish-related products. Which means more work places for humans.

The list could go on, as a tiny thing could affect the world. But when thinking of the big picture, it may appear too complicated. Or it may appear irrelevant. But the effects of just a few fish can be noticed.

This is true, and I admire anyone who would go back in to save fish, but assuming all my family were out I wouldn't go back in to save my fish. I consider their lives worth nothing compared to mine and definitely not worth risking it for. You make some good points there but we're not talking about eradicating all fish in the world, we're talking about the lives of the few I have.

The reasons you give could actually be arguments against going back in to save them. If I lose my fish and my tank, I'm going to put money back into local businesses by buying replacements.

Realistically though, let's say I did go back in and rescue my fish and I had them sat there in buckets outside my house. No heater, no filter, they went up in the fire. My purse (with my bank card) and my laptop have gone up in the flames, so it's very difficult for me to acquire these things. Even if I got these things, the filter would be new and uncycled. The best case scenario is that I'd be stuck with my fish in a fish-in cycle, being exposed to ammonia and getting ill and possibly dying. My house has burnt down along with all my belongings. In that situation, trying to get my fish through a cycle with daily water changes is going to be the last thing on my mind and the last thing I have patience for.

 

[andyg81]

simple for me, open the door the dog would run out of her own accord (probably wouldnt come back) my wife would be grabbing anything of value and id probably fetch a few cans of lager from the fridge lol

no in all seriousness the fish would be the last thing on my mind, it would be a case of once i knew my wife and dog were safe id be grabbing the box we have full of all the important files / documents, our wedding album box and a jar thats full of money (well hidden in the house) lol

it would be my wife, the dog and me in that order. sorry fish but your on your own.

 

[chokko]

i'd chuck a bag of potatoes on the fire before i run out

fresh corydora and chips........mmmmmmmmmm

 

[FishBlast]

The cases of dementia are quite rare though so since I can still remember, I wouldn't go for pictures. Purse and useful documents maybe (unless it's too late and the fire has already devoured my wardrobe).

I even wonder sometimes if I'd save my parents only because of the mutual contributions we have (such as I do the house cleaning / dish washing while they - well at least dad - bring home the food). I tend to be less attached to humans, more to animals. I have only 3 close friends (2 out of which I never met outside the internet). The rest of my friends I cannot see as true friends as they were also in for the "You scratch my back and (maybe) I scratch yours."

Side note: A lot of people here tend to get angry when a fish is in danger. But when it comes to saving a few fishes they own that could be saved (in the case of a fire that isn't likely to kill a human), they'd just leave the fishes behind and take material, lifeless memories. Interesting.