Heartless Fishkeepers

[~Jessie~]

My fiancee is on a reefkeeping forum because he is into fish tanks, but whenever a topic seems to come up about the well-being of another animal, it is immediately deemed "not for this forum". So, he posted in one post where a guy just recently bought a pet store that obviously sells puppies. Anyways, heres the thread,

{Edited by Mod}

I just find it pathetic and disturbing that these people that claim to care about animals don't at all care about dogs and other pets besides fish. Anyone else notice this about people that commonly own saltwater tanks?

 

[Denaluvscorgis]

That's really to bad!!!!!

 

[SummerRiot]

.. I like how they go on about how "peta style posts" dont belong and its a "reef only" forum.. YET..

They go on about REPTILES!! WTF...

 

[SizzleDog]

I couldn't find any evidence that the store sells puppies... could you highlight it for me?

We have a fish/pet supply store that is the leading SW supply resource for miles around... they have dogs and cats, but for adoption - the Animal Rescue League of Iowa has the back end of the store!

 

[~Jessie~]

1. The phone number is 972-527-PUPS

2. He was asked if he sold puppies and parrots, and would not answer... he said it was a "reef discussion."

 

[squirtsmom]

I am sorry, but I don't get too excited about fish. I think they are great if you like them, but there are other animals in the world too.

 

[~Jessie~]

I mean, don't get me wrong- I've met plenty of people who have saltwater fishtanks and like all animals. There is a LFS down the street from us that we always visit. The owner is big into the environmental aspects of reefs... she feeds her 2 dogs holistic foods, and brings them into her shop everyday! However, there are so many people in the hobby who think that fish are the only things that matter... and most of these people treat their fish inhumanely as well! Many people are also out for the "status symbol" of a big, expensive reef tank... and they couldn't care less about the well-being of the livestock in that tank.

 

[~Tucker&Me~]

There are also lots of people in the world that are the exact opposite.

Fish are treated as decorations and are considered a perfect first pet for their 5 year old .

It's a sad, sad world .

~Tucker

 

[~Jessie~]

There are also lots of people in the world that are the exact opposite.

Fish are treated as decorations and are considered a perfect first pet for their 5 year old .

It's a sad, sad world .

~Tucker

Many of the people on that forum are like that. People will get tangs and put them in their 30 gallon tanks... and overstock their tanks like crazy.

I consider all of this to be animal crueltly... whether they are dogs or fish.

 

[StunnedMonkey]

I just find it pathetic and disturbing that these people that claim to care about animals don't at all care about dogs and other pets besides fish. Anyone else notice this about people that commonly own saltwater tanks?

No. And you're painting with a pretty broad brush. I have a 100 gallon reef tank, am active on Reef Central, and I have a puppy. So they didn't get themselves all in a huff over the puppy thing. So what? It's a reef forum. It's not the place to pontificate over puppy mills. I've yet to see a thread over HERE about mixing tangs in a 30 gallon tank, or maybe about children making sneakers for pennies a day in Asia. Don't you people care?

 

[~Jessie~]

No. And you're painting with a pretty broad brush. I have a 100 gallon reef tank, am active on Reef Central, and I have a puppy. So they didn't get themselves all in a huff over the puppy thing. So what? It's a reef forum. It's not the place to pontificate over puppy mills. I've yet to see a thread over HERE about mixing tangs in a 30 gallon tank, or maybe about children making sneakers for pennies a day in Asia. Don't you people care?

Wow. I actually see diverse threads on here all of the time. I guess you wouldn't know, seeing that you only have 72 posts.

I will say again (since you obviously can't read):

I mean, don't get me wrong- I've met plenty of people who have saltwater fishtanks and like all animals. There is a LFS down the street from us that we always visit. The owner is big into the environmental aspects of reefs... she feeds her 2 dogs holistic foods, and brings them into her shop everyday! However, there are so many people in the hobby who think that fish are the only things that matter... and most of these people treat their fish inhumanely as well! Many people are also out for the "status symbol" of a big, expensive reef tank... and they couldn't care less about the well-being of the livestock in that tank.

As for the children making shoes in Asia... If I were to say I was opening a sweatshop up in Asia, I would expect people to jump in and ask about I was treating my employees

LMAO.

 

[StunnedMonkey]

Wow. I actually see diverse threads on here all of the time. I guess you wouldn't know, seeing that you only have 72 posts.

I will say again (since you obviously can't read):

Oh brother. So someone who just doesn't happen to agree with you (and has an insuffucient post count) "obviously can't read." I've got 1000's of posts of Reef Central. How many do YOU have? How many threads have you read there? And yet you seem to be the authority on the attitude of reefkeepers. Step down off your high horse.

Everyone has causes that are near and dear to them, many more important even than puppy mills. (Imagine!). It's complete arrogance to believe that everyone ought to pick them up and run with them on forums not appropriate for the subject.

 

[Psyfalcon]

Nope.

Its a fishboard that wants to stay out of ADDITIONAL flamewars. Its not like they don't have enough already.

In the end, I do believe it is a privately owned forum, and a privately owned store. If you don't like the reaction, go elsewhere, its their business in both senses.

 

[~Jessie~]

My fiancee is a member on ReefCentral, and a fairly active one at that. He has, on many occasions, noticed a trend among most* members on there of not caring about other animals. I just find it interesting that all of them tend to block out all other aspects of life besides reefkeeping. If a post on here turned into a post about child labor for one reason or another, I'm sure it would be an intelligent debate with compassion. However, the minute it happens on there, it becomes "OMG this is not puppy central".

Be different, and be the one that changes that if you are so convinced that this isn't a trend among them. I think its pretty obvious by that post that not one person truly had the compassion for animals to stand up and speak for what they believe is right.

 

[Angel Chicken]

I totally agree with Stunned and Psy here...

I am a fishkeeper myself. Not into reef, but I do keep some cichlids.

I have African cichlids, fish that are known to aggression and will kill other fish if not kept properly in a tank. It is important to keep my tank overstocked... or I will have one dominate fish kill everyone else. I have 30 fish in a 55 gallon tank. All ranging from 1/2 an inch to 6 inches. Because of this, I am cruel to my fish?

In the fishkeeping hobby; Did you know that tangs are ok in 30 gallons tanks? And that reef tanks are commonly overstocked for the same reason I overstock my tank?

 

[mamasobuco]

I'm still a little confused. Without me having to make a long distance phone call, does he sell puppy mill puppies?

I agree with two points. Yes, the guy should have answered your fiance's question. ESPECIALLY after he mentioned that he sells reptiles. Kinda weird that he would mention one and not the other. Makes him look guilty and embarassed about selling puppies. And, yes, it is a reef forum and the topic should not have been discussed any further in that thread after he answered the question. Oh, and the same thing goes for the parrot question.

 

[Psyfalcon]

To many, perhaps most people, reefs are the great escape. This is what they use to block out the real world, for better or worse. Its perfectly within their rights to not want to listen to what he has to say. I did not see anything inappropriate, such as over-moderation, just people saying that they did not want to deal with it in that thread.

He has the right to ask, and hopefully get answered. However the repeated posts are not called for there, it becomes harassment. A PM with relevant info would me much better than continued public accusations. Fish are extremely low profit. He has a great incentive to sell a puppy at even a $100 profit. It could take at least 25 salt water fish to make the same profit. Blasting someone on a message board is not going to help. Either economic or PRIVATE conversation about ethics might.

Bringing this to another forum is very bad form, where the original poster(s) can not defend themselves or their positions. Its enforced on many boards that you don't do that. Its often a quick way to get booted from one I help out on a lot.

You are now painting everyone on that site as uncaring about animals. Think about that for a second.

 

[~Jessie~]

Psyfalcon, you have 10 posts on RC... that hardly qualifies as "helping out a lot."

Once again, I did not say EVERYONE. Please read my posts before you reply. It will save me the hassle of having to requote my posts again:

I mean, don't get me wrong- I've met plenty of people who have saltwater fishtanks and like all animals. There is a LFS down the street from us that we always visit. The owner is big into the environmental aspects of reefs... she feeds her 2 dogs holistic foods, and brings them into her shop everyday! However, there are so many people in the hobby who think that fish are the only things that matter... and most of these people treat their fish inhumanely as well! Many people are also out for the "status symbol" of a big, expensive reef tank... and they couldn't care less about the well-being of the livestock in that tank.

And no, tangs are not okay in 30 gallons. Saltwater stocking rules are much different than freshwater. Post up a picture of a tang in a 30 gallon tang, and trust me, you will get flamed (for good reason, of course). It is inhumane to keep a tang in a small tank. Just as it is inhumane to sell puppies at a petstore.

 

[Psyfalcon]

I never said it was RC.

Furthermore, something people tend to forget, post count is not everything. I've woken up at 3am to use their search function before (the only time its not overloaded to me). Its an invaluable resource, and it would actually be well within the rights of the community to bad dog chat based on bandwith issues alone.

Its their club, let them be.

 

[Psyfalcon]

Be different, and be the one that changes that if you are so convinced that this isn't a trend among them. I think its pretty obvious by that post that not one person truly had the compassion for animals to stand up and speak for what they believe is right.

Fine, thats still an awefully broad brush?

And you're still fighting your fiances fight on the wrong grounds here.