First of all, I agree with this person in that many pet shops are careless.
When dealing with feeders, however, they are often sold so fast that there
is not a problem with them being in a smaller tank, but dead ones must be
removed immediatly, as if they are not, will cause extreemly high ammonia
problems that send fish to the water surface gasping for air!!! This is
something the viewer is probably not aware of. On the other hand, there are
tose stores that just don't care what happens......
For example, in a pet super store in my area, you are allowed to "help
yourself" in retrieving fish!This sounds good to the poorly informed
consumer, but is bad news for fish. This is a terrible idea due to the
possibilities of people having their hands exposed to something that may
harm fish, etc. Also, if someone does not properly know how to catch and
"bag-up" fish, they often chase fish around the tanks with nets, causing a
great deal of stress! You see, these are just the kind of things I have
always talked about when knowing that selecting quality, and perhaps paying
a little more for it is better than a cheap price, only to have the fish you
buy die in two days after purchase!
I wish this person could have been in my store, as it was so clean, one
could eat off the floor!!! I took as much pride in my feeder tanks as I did
my display ones! As for regulations and laws to protect these fishes and
other aquatic life, there are local animal humane societies and local health
departments that may be helpful in addressing that issue, as it may become a
public health issue, or animalconcern with animal health officials. In my
store, there was not even a smell, as I had the air on a filtration system.
Even without the filtration system, there was no smell, because I would not
let the Aquariums reach the proportion of being so dirty as it would cause
odors and other foul things. I have seen super stores and small stores
alike, leave dead fish in their tanks for HOURS!!!! I hope this helps!
Sincerely, Robert S. Carillio Ohio NANFA
>From: Jay DeLong <thirdwind_at_att.net>
>Reply-To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
>To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
>Subject: NANFA-- Fwd: "Pet Shop Problems?"
>Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 10:15:46 -0800
>
>I'm not sure why I got this message, but here it is for thought or
>whatever:
>
>>From: VincentBurkhimer_at_aol.com
>>Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 06:58:40 EST
>>Subject: "Pet Shop Problems?"
>>To: thirdwind_at_att.net
>>X-Mailer: Unknown sub 171
>>
>>Hello my name is Vincent Burkhimer and I am writing you in regaurds to
>>concerns I have about the "methods" pet shop/suppliers, most importantly
>>those who deal with aquatic life and how they are treated.
>> Visiting various, local establishments that sell aquatic life, I have
>>become alarmingly disturbed by the neglect and carelessness people show
>>towards life.
>>It seems as though they do not care for or respect the lives of the
>>aquatic
>>life they sell. For example ..... what they see as "feeder goldfish",
>>putting about 500 of them into a 90 gallon tank with insufficient
>>filtration
>>systems produces diseased and weak/sick fish. yet they see them as feeder
>>fish, a young child may go into one of these establishments and ask their
>>parent for a goldfish (in which they plan to make a pet of) and are they
>>going to possibly be happy when one of those sick fish dies soon after. My
>>reason for writing is to ask if there are any laws to protect the lives
>>and
>>insure proper treatment. also what ,if any, regulations should and must be
>>met by these establishments?
>>I appreciate any help possible. and thank you for your time
>
>--
>Jay DeLong
>Olympia, WA
>
>
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/ nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
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