“Any Size is Fine."
Elsy Rios
The five gallon or less crisis
The betta fish (in the picture) is dying rapidly. First time pet owners are largely responsible for the betta death toll, usually, due to misinformation. Using small tanks is controversial when people own betta fish. Specifically, nano tanks which can range from 1 to 10 gallons are considered too small for these fish.
To your right, you'll find a picture of two tanks. These are examples of one gallon tanks; they are flashy but are a toxic environment for fish. These days, these fish are valued more as decoration then as pets, An article in the National Geographic states: "..They will not be healthy or happy living in so-called 'self-contained ecosystems,' confined in a vase with nothing but a plant on top to feed them—their natural diet is insects and larva, not roots. Bettas need filtration, warm water, enrichment like plants and caves to explore, and regular feeding and tank cleaning." (Kristin Hugo, 2018) The picture doesn't even have a filtration system; they're placed in a kitchen to make the room look nice. It's abuse.
Fish feel pain
An employee at an exotic pet shop spoke highly of his job, and all the tanks were kept in pristine condition. This shows me that not all aquatic pet shops are bad. For the most part, shops like Petco and Pet Smart always take good care of their animals. Or, possibly, it the location of the store could make the care of fish worse. In poorer, sketchier places, fish may not be as well cared for as they should be.
The worst part is that fish are sensitive creatures by nature, with the ability to feel and understand the graveness of their situation. Betta fish may not be among the smartest fish, but they feel the sensation of pain just as easily. ¨Fish are among the most abused animals on the planet, and while many people say fish don’t feel pain, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Though the scientific community has been slow to accept that fish feel pain, the vast majority of biologists and veterinarians now agree they do. In fact, fish are similar to dogs, cats, and other animals in their experience of pain and pleasure. Sadly, fish aren’t granted any protections from cruelty. There is not a single law that protects fish in the United States, whether they’re raised as pets, research subjects, or food.¨ (Loria, 2018) This speaks volumes about our society, especially because for fish, they are utterly helpless in the face of cruelty. I don't think that they can make an expression of agony or whine like a dog or a cat, they can only gasp for air- and then only when you take them out of the tank.
So, while the majority of shop owners take good care of their betta fish, there are fish being abused all over the world, whether it's at fish farms or delis or science laboratories. Rarely do people pause to consider reporting abuse or stopping it, most don´t even think to wonder if it's happening take salmon for example. I understand the ¨circle of life¨ so i'm not saying you shouldn´t eat them. What I'm saying is that maybe instead of skinning the fish, then dropping them in scolding hot water, you should end their suffering before hand. Some people claim it gives the fish more ¨flavor,¨ but i think a living thing's life is a little bit more important then some extra flavor, right?