Is a fish, just a fish?

[emmalene_bunny]

Hi everyone

So to make a long story short, I purchased a Mexican fighting fish (Betta) on Friday morning, I also purchased its correct enclosure that came in an essentials pack that had everything that I needed to house & take care of him correctly. Now, I had a bid of a debate with one of my boss's as he did not want in that enclosure, he wanted it kept in this clock thing that makes noises, that I had a fake fish in from Australia Post, it was twice the size, and truthfully was not in the slightest bit seemed to be a healthy living area for a fish.

My problem is, that when I buy pets, I buy them to take proper care of them, to make sure they live out to their fullest of years possible, so when all my workmates started to place bets on what Day & Month my little fish would die, it got me a bit upset and I wanted no part of it at all, which I thought was more than fair, but apparently not. I of course ignored it, until they made laminated copies of all of the staff's dates they had picked on the background of our new fish, I pulled it down, it went back up, twice this happened. I'm all for office fun/ jokes, but this just didn't interest me in the slightest.

Now I've had another conversation with my boss who put it in perspective that "It's just a fish, if it where something that mattered like a dog or a cat I would understand, but it's a fish" then continuing to say "I'm going fishing in a few weeks, are we going to have a problem then?" I eat all meat and I eat fish, and I didn’t argue that there is a big difference to purchasing a fish as a pet & to purchase (or in his case catch) a fish for food. I also didn't want to argue that my belief was that it was still a living creature and still deserves to be given the best chance at life it surroundings that are better suited for it, I mean I can agree on some circumstances that yes, it's a fish, it will eventually pass away like everything else, it is easily replaceable if it does pass away, but that doesn't mean I can't try to pro-long its life or try to give it the best care possible, like with any pet & other living creature.

Just wanting some other inputs & thoughts on the matter, do you consider fish (or any other animal for that matter) just as easily replaced if it dies, that it's simply just a fish even if it's 'housed' incorrectly.
I’m just looking for peoples honest opinions.

 

[Snowman]

Let it go... it's just a bit of office fun. Look after it and out last all the bets or make them give you the prize money if you make it out live the year.
For me a fish is just a fish..... I dont want to see them hurt are mistreated. But I'd just replace a dead fighter or goldfish without any emotion.

 

[KaotikJezta]

Sorry, but you should not have put a siamese fighting fish straight into anything that has not been cycled up with bronze comets, It won't like the ammonia and nitrite spikes that are going to happen over the coming weeks. Where did you get it, they should have told you all of this instead of just handing over the poor fish. They also need a tank at least 10 litres and a heater which hopefully they sold you.

 

[mad_at_arms]

Document workplace harassment.
Go to Dr and claim stress.
Sue pants off company.
Profit.

 

[Shotta]

fighting fish dont need heaters only probably in winter
i breed fighting fish and they can live in chinese containers or real small aqariums providing they have adequate surface temp
in the wild they are found in backwater creeks

 

[TheJoyces]

Never heard of a mexican fighting fish before.... Do you mean a Siamese fighting fish? If so then don't get too attached they don't live very long any way. I used to breed them, really pretty (well the males are the girls are lame) The longest one I ever owned was like 3 years old.... Maybe I'm just a sucky fish owner. But in answer to your question, yes I consider fish replaceable.... unless it was like an awesome fish that could jump through hoops of fire, do my housework and cook dinner every night... I still wouldn't mistreat any of the fish in the household but I'm not that upset when one of the fish dies.

 

[KaotikJezta]

fighting fish dont need heaters only probably in winter
i breed fighting fish and they can live in chinese containers or real small aqariums providing they have adequate surface temp
in the wild they are found in backwater creeks

You live on the mid north coast, she lives in Melbourne. Yes they can live in small containers but would you want to live locked in your bedroom forever.

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Never heard of a mexican fighting fish before.... Do you mean a Siamese fighting fish? If so then don't get too attached they don't live very long any way. I used to breed them, really pretty (well the males are the girls are lame) The longest one I ever owned was like 3 years old.... Maybe I'm just a sucky fish owner. But in answer to your question, yes I consider fish replaceable.... unless it was like an awesome fish that could jump through hoops of fire, do my housework and cook dinner every night... I still wouldn't mistreat any of the fish in the household but I'm not that upset when one of the fish dies.

Three years is not bad for a betta. Apparently a university somewhere kept them in 20 litre tanks and excersised them everyday by chasing them (don't ask me) and heated the water and they had males that lived nine years. I have heard 3-4 though with proper care.

 

[Shotta]

fish like saratoga or giant oscars,arowana,archerfish,discus most types of cichlids and all marine fish/corals arent replaceable to me because they cost heaps and they are awesome to look at, what i consider replaceable fish are gambusia,goldfish,rosybarbs,guppies,platies,tiger barbs,danios because they are cheap and i often see them for sale as feeder fish just my opinion

 

[Snowman]

You live on the mid north coast, she lives in Melbourne. Yes they can live in small containers but would you want to live locked in your bedroom forever.

That's silly. The requirements for a fighting fish and a homosapien are completely different. I hate the whole anthropomorphic approach to keeping animals.

 

[KaotikJezta]

That's silly. The requirements for a fighting fish and a homosapien are completely different. I hate the whole anthropomorphic approach to keeping animals.

That is not anthropomorphic, fighters do not spend there lives in the wild in bodies of water the size of a coffee mug.

 

[Snowman]

That is not anthropomorphic, fighters do not spend there lives in the wild in bodies of water the size of a coffee mug.

No they live in small puddles that dry up.

 

[TheJoyces]

You live on the mid north coast, she lives in Melbourne. Yes they can live in small containers but would you want to live locked in your bedroom forever.

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My bedroom is pretty sweet, air con 50inch telly queen sized bed and some exercise equipment and ensuit...... would I be fed daily in there??? If so and you are planning on my paying my bills and running my household school kids etc then yep I will sit sweet in my room

 

[emmalene_bunny]

Sorry, but you should not have put a siamese fighting fish straight into anything that has not been cycled up with bronze comets, It won't like the ammonia and nitrite spikes that are going to happen over the coming weeks. Where did you get it, they should have told you all of this instead of just handing over the poor fish. They also need a tank at least 10 litres and a heater which hopefully they sold you.

I purchased a betta barracks small enclosure for the fish, although this is not what it is housed in, but what it is I thought that I had cleansed it to the best standard that I could, fresh water and the treatment in the water that came with the enclosure pack, and not in any information I have read had specified that they need 10 liters of water? And nothing was mentioned to me at all that they needed a heater to live & survive? And a heater wasn't mentioned what so ever, all of the fish are kept in small Jars at the aquarium shop I got it from, they have been since I've been going there for over a year & a half.

Never heard of a mexican fighting fish before.... Do you mean a Siamese fighting fish? If so then don't get too attached they don't live very long any way. I used to breed them, really pretty (well the males are the girls are lame) The longest one I ever owned was like 3 years old.... Maybe I'm just a sucky fish owner. But in answer to your question, yes I consider fish replaceable.... unless it was like an awesome fish that could jump through hoops of fire, do my housework and cook dinner every night... I still wouldn't mistreat any of the fish in the household but I'm not that upset when one of the fish dies.

Yes sorry, I meant Siamese fighting fish, damn Mondayitis playing with my brain.

 

[bk201]

Sorry, but you should not have put a siamese fighting fish straight into anything that has not been cycled up with bronze comets, It won't like the ammonia and nitrite spikes that are going to happen over the coming weeks. Where did you get it, they should have told you all of this instead of just handing over the poor fish. They also need a tank at least 10 litres and a heater which hopefully they sold you.

Where do the bronze comets go when the tank is cycled?


@ OP
What do you mean by a correct enclosure essential pack?
I've seen special beta set up's and they are not fit to keep anything living in.

 

[KaotikJezta]

I purchased a betta barracks small enclosure for the fish, although this is not what it is housed in, but what it is I thought that I had cleansed it to the best standard that I could, fresh water and the treatment in the water that came with the enclosure pack, and not in any information I have read had specified that they need 10 liters of water? And nothing was mentioned to me at all that they needed a heater to live & survive? And a heater wasn't mentioned what so ever, all of the fish are kept in small Jars at the aquarium shop I got it from, they have been since I've been going there for over a year & a half.

We keep them in small separated tanks at work to because they wont be there long, we don't sell them in tanks that size and neither does any decent aquarium. As for the fresh water, that is the problem, no good bacteria build up at all and probably only one conditioner. As for your original question, yes fish matter to a certain extent as they still suffer when ill whether they are a 50c goldfish or a $2000 marine.

 

[emmalene_bunny]

Where do the bronze comets go when the tank is cycled?


@ OP
What do you mean by a correct enclosure essential pack?
I've seen special beta set up's and they are not fit to keep anything living in.

It was a little housing kit, it came with the enclosure, the treatment for the water, some betta pellets, I also bought some food & a ph testing kit separate, but all of the people who looked after the "fish"section of the aquarium said that all of those things are what I would need.

We keep them in small separated tanks at work to because they wont be there long, we don't sell them in tanks that size and neither does any decent aquarium. As for the fresh water, that is the problem, no good bacteria build up at all and probably only one conditioner. As for your original question, yes fish matter to a certain extent as they still suffer when ill whether they are a 50c goldfish or a $2000 marine.

I think I need to change aquariums then..

 

[KaotikJezta]

Where do the bronze comets go when the tank is cycled?

We generally loan them and they get brought back when the tanks ready for the fish people want to put in it.

 

[glassless_mind]

I've kept them for years, and they're lovely, interactive pets. Of course you should take good care of it and look after it. I've found them to do very well in 1-5 Litres. In melbourne, they do tend to need a heater, you can get really good ones these days for around $25.

No, I wouldn't have a problem eating fish I'd caught for food. This one isn't food, it's a pet. You can keep a cow as a pet, yet still eat beef, why not a fish?

As to what your collegues did, it is rude and insensitive. Jokes are only funny when everyone is laughing. You can say that to them, and maybe take down their laminated charts, but after that I think just ignore them. Getting upset is probably only feeding the flames.
I'm a vet - I have clients who come in extremely attached to their pets, who love them very much. They are a part of their family, and they are devastated when they die. Other clients don't see animals this way, and find them replacable. Neither view is actually "wrong", so long as the animal is never allowed to suffer. Your collegues obviously view this pet differently to how you do. Their view is not wrong, but it is wrong of them to bully you about it.
I hope that helps a bit

 

[KaotikJezta]

It was a little housing kit, it came with the enclosure, the treatment for the water, some betta pellets, I also bought some food & a ph testing kit separate, but all of the people who looked after the "fish"section of the aquarium said that all of those things are what I would need.



I think I need to change aquariums then..

Yes, sorry but most people either don't know any better or want the sale that day, happens all the time with turtles as well water quality, tank size {which relates to water quality) and heat are often the difference between a fighter living a year and living 3 or 4 years. I had a lady tell me the other day hers, kept in a 25 litre tank with a heater and gentle filtration (another necessity IMO), lived with her 5 years. I say with her as they are usually at least few months old when you buy them.

 

[Snowman]

Want me to set up a tank for you? One of my old planted tanks... the secret is CO2 gas.