View Full Version : Goldfish Prize ban fails
excuzzzeme
07-15-2008, 7:42 AM
Although this is in the UK, I feel it is of interest to all :
Government rejects petition to ban goldfish prizes (http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=1706)
However, it concluded that the possible welfare benefits of a total ban were minimal and "did not justify ending the great pleasure felt by children and their families when they win a pet as a prize."
That's a pity - thanks for the link.
The Zigman
07-15-2008, 9:34 AM
Actually when I was about 8 I won 2 goldfish at the fair...
about 6 months later they died.... shortly thereafter, for my birthday, I was given a 20 Long... I have had aquariums since....
the goldfish prize is actually what got me into the hobby in the first place...
jpappy789
07-15-2008, 9:49 AM
Quite sad that they feel 2 weeks of enjoyment by the kids and their families outweighs the entire lifespan of a goldfish...whatever
Draal5
07-15-2008, 10:14 AM
Actually when I was about 8 I won 2 goldfish at the fair...
about 6 months later they died.... shortly thereafter, for my birthday, I was given a 20 Long... I have had aquariums since....
the goldfish prize is actually what got me into the hobby in the first place...
That's how I got started with 2 gold fish that out grew the bowl then went into a huge tank. well huge to a 7 yr old any way he lived a long happy life.
I bet that that is how lots of people got started.
Eupterus
07-15-2008, 10:30 AM
I think they should at least switch to handing out guppies. Guppies are easier to house for majority of the public.
Lupin
07-15-2008, 10:43 AM
I just received an email from PFK about it. Shame.:(
the goldfish prize is actually what got me into the hobby in the first place...
Ditto.
SchizotypalVamp
07-15-2008, 12:21 PM
I agree, they should hand out guppies or other very small, hardy fish.
MidnightPyro
07-16-2008, 1:20 PM
I think they should hand out puppies instead. Not because I dislike puppies, but because people seem to be much more aware of the responsibility and commitment that they take and might think twice. Can't slap a puppy in a tiny bowl and give him food once in awhile. Maybe at the very least give them a little pamphlet with information on how to care for a goldfish properly.
I always felt kinda good as a kid when I won a goldfish...mainly because we had a goldfish pond in the backyard. I just put them in there and didn't have to worry about it anymore.
gagaliya
07-16-2008, 1:41 PM
This is a good thing that they are not banning goldfish as festival prizes. Not because i want the goldfish to suffer, but the fact that it caused a lot of people to get into the aquarium hobby from generation to generation. Which in turn leads to research on fishkeeping and a deeper understanding of fish, as oppose to "put it in water and it will be fine" mentalility that's the commonly accepted motto.
For myself, when i was little every summer my uncle would take me to a huge fish/aquarium flee market (i was living out side of US). We would get about 8-10 fancy goldfish put them in a 2 gallon unfiltered bowl, then put 1 or 2 strings of hornworts on top of the tank to "generate oxygen" lol. Suffice to say the fish died every summer after a few weeks, even though i was always very diligent in changing the water each day (or rather ask my grandmother to help me)
I couldnt figure out for the life of me why the fish keeps dying, I noticed the air bubble stick the fish sellers use in all of their tanks and was convinced that was the reason, that if only i had a bubble stick my fish would live.
This mystery(and guilt i guess) were always in the back of my mind and fishkeeping became one of the item on my todo list, it wasnt until about 20 years later, when i finally decided to try this again, and had the resources to do the research and buy the proper equipment that i realized why my goldfish died :wall: