DeeDeeK, thanks for starting a thought-provoking discussion. FYI, the following is in response to a couple of ideas (certainly not all) in your original post.
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As for tank design, to each her own, I say. Some people like natural looking aquariums. Some like glitz or kitsch. Some go for pure aesthetic. If the fish are well cared for, what does it matter if they are swimming around a bubbling deep-sea diver or grazing along shiny glass marbles?
(Shout out to Juice: Let me know when you figure out how to rig an ongoing underwater volcano effect. I thought I was the only one who ever had that idea!)
Frankly, I think it's a bit much to declare any particular technology, decor, etc. an "abomination" or "unethical" simply because one finds it personally distasteful. I love my sand substrate; my sister would use buttons, if she could. Again, if the fish are well cared for ...
(By the way, does anyone know if regular colored plastic buttons would leach anything weird into the water? Really. Sis needs to know.)
As for the fish themselves, I'm opposed to dyeing and painting because it can't be good for the fish. And I'm none too happy with the trend toward genetically-modified fish, corn or what-have-you. That said, I also have to respect that humans have been genetically altering plants and animals the slow way, through selective breeding, since the first wolf pups were brought home to play in the cave. Or, more likely, since the first edible grains were accidentally sown nearby, and a wise old gal said something like, "Hey, those tasty grains are growing closer to the cave ... How'd that happen?"
If we are to outlaw recently developed variations such as balloon mollies, what should we do about black moors, crowntail bettas, all those colorful guppies, and so on? How far back in history would we need to go to find completely acceptable — i.e., "natural" — fish? My guess is, we'd end up with nothing but weather loaches, faintly metallic carp and little brown minnows swimming around cold-water tanks. Keep in mind too, that, without selective breeding, all hobby fish would have to be wild-caught, simply to avoid the choices that must be made with domestic stock. It's impossible to select, breed, cull and raise fish without having an affect on the outcome — the quality, color, size and nature of the fish themselves. We simply cannot
have fish for pets without bending nature to our will.
(I know this is taking the argument to extremes. My rant, my rules. 
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Frankly, I'd much rather see people enjoying and properly caring for balloon mollies and even glofish than stunting and starving oscars, common plecos and clown loaches because they are ignorant as to the fishes' needs — and misled by profit-oriented manufacturers, marketing firms, chain stores, LFS, breeders, etc. Keep in mind that ACers represent a fraction of the hobby. For many people, giant tanks, fish rooms, even multiple tanks are simply not an option. If someone can only have a 10 gal aquarium, and they want to fill it with fancy, colorful fish that have been bred beyond belief, I don't have a problem with it as long as the fish fit the tank, and the tank fits the fish. On the flip side, if someone wants to keep sturgeon and can do it right, I say let them enjoy themselves. I like little fish, but the love of monsters is perfectly understandable. Yes, there are people keeping pacu and arrowana in limited and unsuitable conditions — but guppies, neons, platys, etc. also suffer unhappy lives and cruel deaths. The problem isn't the size of the fish; it's the depth of the fish keeper's knowledge and skill. Declaring that any particular type of fish should be off-limits to hobbyists because of its size, finnage, etc. is, I believe, divisive and unhelpful to any discussion intended to improve the hobby.
(I admit that I was taken aback by the recent question as to the size tank needed to keep a Portuguese Man O' War. Gagaliya, my friend, that's just ... scary.)
*pause*
Okay, that's all. I'm done. Thanks, this has been fun
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P.S. My FWDSB is up and running. Happiness!
