Pets You Will and Will Not Own.....
- Thread starter sillysally
- Start date
Nope, I wasn't using the names interchangably. I was trying to save time by not having to type it out twice.
How does this work for you instead?:
My husband worked at Petsmart for about a year during college. They didn't carry saltwater fish because it was NOT worth the expense (even if their policy says it's for "moral" reasons- glad to know their "morals" carry over to the small animals and birds
). Petco carried them at a certain point, but I'm sure they learned the juice was NOT worth the squeeze.
Fresh water fish are generally under $20 a piece... $20 would be an EXPENSIVE Petco OR Petsmart fresh water fish.
Saltwater is EXPENSIVE. If your store gets 10 clownfish to sell at $30 a pop and 8 of them die, that is $240. Even if the store spent only $10 a piece on them, that's $80 down the drain. Killling 8 tetras isn't going to hurt their business in comparison.
Actually, there IS a consistant supply. Clowns are easy to breed, Bangai Cardinals are tank bred, MOST popular fish are VERY VERY VERY common in the wild. Our local fish stores are always packed with fish... and a huge variety to boot.
How does this work for you instead?:
My husband worked at Petsmart for about a year during college. They didn't carry saltwater fish because it was NOT worth the expense (even if their policy says it's for "moral" reasons- glad to know their "morals" carry over to the small animals and birds
). Petco carried them at a certain point, but I'm sure they learned the juice was NOT worth the squeeze.Fresh water fish are generally under $20 a piece... $20 would be an EXPENSIVE Petco OR Petsmart fresh water fish.
Saltwater is EXPENSIVE. If your store gets 10 clownfish to sell at $30 a pop and 8 of them die, that is $240. Even if the store spent only $10 a piece on them, that's $80 down the drain. Killling 8 tetras isn't going to hurt their business in comparison.
Actually, there IS a consistant supply. Clowns are easy to breed, Bangai Cardinals are tank bred, MOST popular fish are VERY VERY VERY common in the wild. Our local fish stores are always packed with fish... and a huge variety to boot.
When I worked at petco we did carry saltwater fish and I know that store still does carry saltwater. They certainly weren't the basic varieties either - there were a few that were captive bred like clowns and the sort but most were like everywhere else. Wild caught. They arrived on Wednesday morning packed in boxes from the bunchers. They were crowded into tanks with known water issues and bought on a whim. I can't tell you how many people walked up tapped on the glass and said they wanted a Nemo for their kid's room or wanted a reef tank with no thought into how the animals inside that tank would get along or if the tank was big enough for what they wanted to do.
http://www.unep.org/pdf/from_ocean_to_aquarium_report.pdf This pretty well settles up my objections to it.
http://www.unep.org/pdf/from_ocean_to_aquarium_report.pdf This pretty well settles up my objections to it.
Petco sells mice, rats, and hamsters to anyone who wants one... so is it morally wrong to own them as well?
They are wild caught, but they are FISH. Do you eat wild caught fish? Is that okay?
As long as someone has the proper tank size/equipment, and knows what they are doing, I see no problem in owning wild caught saltwater fish. Again, Petco is NOT a good example of where to get fish. Our local fish stores care a LOT about their livestock.
They are wild caught, but they are FISH. Do you eat wild caught fish? Is that okay?
As long as someone has the proper tank size/equipment, and knows what they are doing, I see no problem in owning wild caught saltwater fish. Again, Petco is NOT a good example of where to get fish. Our local fish stores care a LOT about their livestock.
If the animals involved have a greater chance of dying a horrible drawn out death from being poisoned, mishandled, and IMO abused than living a long healthy life. Yes, I do think in that very real scenario it's wrong to own them no matter if it has fins or feet.
Yes I eat wild caught fish that I lop the heads off of personally. Not the same thing - at all. There are regulations to keep people from overharvesting fish, I certainly can't poison the water to get them, I can't take home marine life to live in the equivalent of a bucket just because I feel like it, and I can't even used a barbed hook anymore.
Local fish stores can care until the cows come home about the critters in their tanks. Doesn't change the fact that some critters just don't thrive in captivity and far too many don't survive the trip to get there.
Yes I eat wild caught fish that I lop the heads off of personally. Not the same thing - at all. There are regulations to keep people from overharvesting fish, I certainly can't poison the water to get them, I can't take home marine life to live in the equivalent of a bucket just because I feel like it, and I can't even used a barbed hook anymore.
Local fish stores can care until the cows come home about the critters in their tanks. Doesn't change the fact that some critters just don't thrive in captivity and far too many don't survive the trip to get there.
Poisoned? Abused? Mishandled? I only buy fish that are MAC certified:
http://www.aquariumcouncil.org/
http://www.aquariumcouncil.org/Product_Services.aspx?tab=p1
Besides caring about how the fish ended up in a fish store, I also would not take my chances adding a sickly fish into my tank.
http://www.aquariumcouncil.org/
http://www.aquariumcouncil.org/Product_Services.aspx?tab=p1
Besides caring about how the fish ended up in a fish store, I also would not take my chances adding a sickly fish into my tank.
Aquaculture has been very popular for the last 5 or so years. Most corals can be "fragged" from "mother colonies"- eliminating the need for wild harvested coral.
The trade of fish is being regulated. Check out Marine Aquarium Council (MAC):
All MAC Standards have been prepared through lengthy, inclusive, and participative development processes involving industry, consumer, economic, environmental, and social interest groups. During their preparation, stakeholders from around the world and from all parts of the supply and demand chains were consulted. The process by which MAC Standards have been developed follows the World Trade Organization (WTO) requirements.
Have you researched the aquarium trade since working at Petco?
The trade of fish is being regulated. Check out Marine Aquarium Council (MAC):
All MAC Standards have been prepared through lengthy, inclusive, and participative development processes involving industry, consumer, economic, environmental, and social interest groups. During their preparation, stakeholders from around the world and from all parts of the supply and demand chains were consulted. The process by which MAC Standards have been developed follows the World Trade Organization (WTO) requirements.
Have you researched the aquarium trade since working at Petco?
Speaking of aquaculture, I've always wanted to tour ORA! They breed mandarins, clowns (TONS of cool colored clowns!), blennies, etc, etc. Here's a link:
http://www.orafarm.com/products/fish/
They have clams, shrimp, TONS of corals... ALL aquacultured
http://www.orafarm.com/products/fish/
They have clams, shrimp, TONS of corals... ALL aquacultured
My list of "will own" is sooooo much shorter than my "will not ever in a million years own" list, so I'll stick to it.
Will own:
-dogs (however, I'm very picky. The only qualifying breeds are APBT, rescued "pit bull", Bull Terrier, Fila, Dogo Argentino, Rottweiler, Shar Pei, and Cairn Terrier. There are a few exceptions, but I would have to think about it.
-horses
-donkeys
-mules
There are some other animals I would consider owning, but there are some I'd never own (not even over my dead body. I truly despise cats.)
Will own:
-dogs (however, I'm very picky. The only qualifying breeds are APBT, rescued "pit bull", Bull Terrier, Fila, Dogo Argentino, Rottweiler, Shar Pei, and Cairn Terrier. There are a few exceptions, but I would have to think about it.
-horses
-donkeys
-mules
There are some other animals I would consider owning, but there are some I'd never own (not even over my dead body. I truly despise cats.)
K
I'm kind of "meh" about birds. My grandfathers housekeeper had a parakeet that twittered early morning and spit seeds at everyone. Best bud had a cockatiel that was awesome though. I've always had too many cats to keep a bird comfortably. I saw this one kind, think it was called an African parrot that looked too beautiful to be real!
I've had quite a lot of creatures over the years - dogs of course, hamsters, gerbils, a guinea pig, a chinchilla, lots of ferrets, cats, rabbits, fish, a llama and a skunk. The onyl non-dog pets I still have are an old cat and three middle aged ferrets. I'm not sure if I'll get another cat or not when Cheebee is gone. These are probably the last of my ferrets, after owning them for almost 20 years (wow that makes me sound really old...). I have no desire to own any more rabbits or rodents and really, I could just be done with cleaning up after animals who potty indoors all together. The skunk was a good lesson in why some animals are not popular as pets I would probably enjoy having a few llamas if I had property, even though they're rather weird creatures. I'd have sheep for my dogs too LOL Always wanted a horse too but again, the whole property thing and realistically I probably would not like the expense involved with them.
I would probably enjoy having a few llamas if I had property, even though they're rather weird creatures. I'd have sheep for my dogs too LOL Always wanted a horse too but again, the whole property thing and realistically I probably would not like the expense involved with them.
I've had quite a lot of creatures over the years - dogs of course, hamsters, gerbils, a guinea pig, a chinchilla, lots of ferrets, cats, rabbits, fish, a llama and a skunk. The onyl non-dog pets I still have are an old cat and three middle aged ferrets. I'm not sure if I'll get another cat or not when Cheebee is gone. These are probably the last of my ferrets, after owning them for almost 20 years (wow that makes me sound really old...). I have no desire to own any more rabbits or rodents and really, I could just be done with cleaning up after animals who potty indoors all together. The skunk was a good lesson in why some animals are not popular as pets I would probably enjoy having a few llamas if I had property, even though they're rather weird creatures. I'd have sheep for my dogs too LOL Always wanted a horse too but again, the whole property thing and realistically I probably would not like the expense involved with them.
I would probably enjoy having a few llamas if I had property, even though they're rather weird creatures. I'd have sheep for my dogs too LOL Always wanted a horse too but again, the whole property thing and realistically I probably would not like the expense involved with them.
I just wanted to say how cool it is that you had a skunk.
Some pictures of Skunky...
