Is Fish Really A “Sad Pet”?
Most of us have underrated fishes, they are much more intelligent than what we think they are. Many studies have proven that fishes can recognize each other and they can also remember past social interactions that they’ve had with other fishes. So their is no surprise in saying that fish can also get sad.
Fishes can feel Pain
Fish have complex nervous systems and react to painful stimuli the way all other animals do — their breathing rate increases, their muscles contract, and they try to escape. Dr. Donald Broom, an English biologist and emeritus professor of animal welfare at Cambridge University, said that anatomically, physiologically, and biologically, the nervous system (which interprets pain signals) in fish is virtually the same as in mammals.
When you buy a fish, you could be leading to the extinction of a species:
According to reports every year 200 million fishes are captured to support a $300 business of Aquarium Fishes (which we call hobby). Some of the fishes have endangered due to over fishing, in order to sustain this industry.
Your Fish is a Stolen One
It is estimated that around 95% of salt water fishes sold in pet shops have been captured from waters around Fiji, Indonesia, the Philippines, and other Pacific islands. They were very happy in their natural habitat, but now that are being held in captivity.
Fishes are Social Animals
A behavioral ecologist at the University of Bern in Switzerland, said, “Fish have some of the most complex social systems known. … You see fish helping each other. You see cooperation and forms of reciprocity.” Fishes communicate to each other in many ways like through a range of low-frequency sounds etc.. Now they are kept alone or with a small group in tanks which not only makes them unhappy but also weakens their natural growth.
When you buy a Fish, you are supporting a greedy Industry
Approximately 90 percent of these fish are raised on farms. Goldfish, for instance, are usually bred in giant tubs in facilities that produce as many as 250 million fish per year. Tropical fish sales are estimated at $200 million to $300 million a year worldwide.
Misconception Leads to unfair conditions for fish
many people believe that betta fish can survive without being fed regularly and without living in a “complete ecosystem.” Their tank might consist of nothing more than a vase and a plant, and so the fish are sentenced to dull, lonely lives and slow deaths by starvation. In nature, betta fish live in shallow, slow-moving streams and rice paddies —bettas in captivity require sizable aquariums (a minimum of 2.5 gallons per fish), and temperatures maintained between 76 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
