4 ms·

After getting fish and seeing them in captivity first hand I've decided that I don't think it's ethical to keep fish in captivity in general. As good a home as

After getting fish and seeing them in captivity first hand I've decided that I don't think it's ethical to keep fish in captivity in general. As good a home as I try to give them, they're still wild animals in a little box. I think no matter the size of my aquarium or the effort I put into water maintenance, providing suitable rocks, etc, all of my effort and good intentions will never compare to the home they are meant to have in the wild. I just feel bad for them and bad about myself for contributing to an industry that puts animals in these kinds of conditions.

snikeris 8y ago
Do you worry about his sense of purpose or something? Unlimited food, no predators, might not be so bad for a fish.
- z_open 8y ago
  This isn't your or his decision to make. We don't get to decide if a creature's preference is the cage. There is no way of knowing in the first place.
- drakonka 8y ago
  I worry about a lot of things, including but not limited to the expression of all the instinctive behaviours that a fish would have in its natural habitat that living in a glass box prevents (no matter how enriching we try to make the captive environment). I could write a lot about this, but I've dwelled on it enough as it is. Suffice to say I have just decided on a personal level after keeping fish that I do not think they are a suitable species for "ethical" captivity in the home.
  - malnourish 8y ago
    Legitimate question, how do you feel about dogs? I find your ethics intriguing (in a positive way, to be clear).
    - drakonka 8y ago
      First I'd like to iterate that I am not trying to convince anyone to share or understand my views on this, I'm only posting this because you asked the question. I have some conflicting and sometimes contradictory feelings on animals in captivity in general and tend to lean against captivity in the majority of cases. Personally I feel better about keeping dogs in captivity than fish. Dogs are domesticated and want to be around us. Not only that but they can be around us fully, as opposed to sitting in a box for their entire life. They love and care for us in their own way, are very in tune with our emotions (and we with theirs), and have evolved to live alongside us (if one chooses the appropriate kind of dog for them). Where I live the laws on keeping dogs are more strict than some countries, and dogs enjoy a lot of access with their owners. They can't be left alone for more than a few hours at a time, so if a person is to keep a dog they either take it (almost) everywhere with them or sign up for dog daycare where the dog gets to spend the work day playing with other dogs and humans. I think dogs are in tune with us enough to be legitimately happy, and life alongside humans has become the "natural habitat" for many types of dogs (again assuming one chooses the appropriate dog).
      - ChristianBundy 8y ago
        I'm curious, do you consume animal products? I appreciate you answering these personal questions, no stress if you're not interested in continuing the barrage of questions. :~)
        drakonka 8y ago
        I'm ashamed to say yes. I cut meat out years ago but do still consume dairy and eggs. More recently the vegan alternatives at local grocery stores seem to be getting better and better, so I'm starting to consume less of those as well. Hopefully in the near future I will be able to honestly answer "no" to this question :)
        ppseafield 8y ago
        I feel the same about keeping pets. The vegan options overall have gotten so much better in the last 5-10 years. It's easier now than it's ever been!

snikeris 8y ago

Do you worry about his sense of purpose or something? Unlimited food, no predators, might not be so bad for a fish.

z_open 8y ago
This isn't your or his decision to make. We don't get to decide if a creature's preference is the cage. There is no way of knowing in the first place.
drakonka 8y ago
I worry about a lot of things, including but not limited to the expression of all the instinctive behaviours that a fish would have in its natural habitat that living in a glass box prevents (no matter how enriching we try to make the captive environment). I could write a lot about this, but I've dwelled on it enough as it is. Suffice to say I have just decided on a personal level after keeping fish that I do not think they are a suitable species for "ethical" captivity in the home.
- malnourish 8y ago
  Legitimate question, how do you feel about dogs? I find your ethics intriguing (in a positive way, to be clear).
  - drakonka 8y ago
    First I'd like to iterate that I am not trying to convince anyone to share or understand my views on this, I'm only posting this because you asked the question. I have some conflicting and sometimes contradictory feelings on animals in captivity in general and tend to lean against captivity in the majority of cases. Personally I feel better about keeping dogs in captivity than fish. Dogs are domesticated and want to be around us. Not only that but they can be around us fully, as opposed to sitting in a box for their entire life. They love and care for us in their own way, are very in tune with our emotions (and we with theirs), and have evolved to live alongside us (if one chooses the appropriate kind of dog for them). Where I live the laws on keeping dogs are more strict than some countries, and dogs enjoy a lot of access with their owners. They can't be left alone for more than a few hours at a time, so if a person is to keep a dog they either take it (almost) everywhere with them or sign up for dog daycare where the dog gets to spend the work day playing with other dogs and humans. I think dogs are in tune with us enough to be legitimately happy, and life alongside humans has become the "natural habitat" for many types of dogs (again assuming one chooses the appropriate dog).
    - ChristianBundy 8y ago
      I'm curious, do you consume animal products? I appreciate you answering these personal questions, no stress if you're not interested in continuing the barrage of questions. :~)
      - drakonka 8y ago
        I'm ashamed to say yes. I cut meat out years ago but do still consume dairy and eggs. More recently the vegan alternatives at local grocery stores seem to be getting better and better, so I'm starting to consume less of those as well. Hopefully in the near future I will be able to honestly answer "no" to this question :)
        ppseafield 8y ago
        I feel the same about keeping pets. The vegan options overall have gotten so much better in the last 5-10 years. It's easier now than it's ever been!