inhumane "Fishquarium" at ThinkGeek -- please help

[cellodaisy]

As you may have guessed from my safety-goggle-bedecked avatar photo, I am a geek. As such, I have long loved all the gadgets and toys and nerdy goodness to be found at ThinkGeek. Fish tanks are not their usual thing, but I recently learned that they are carrying a USB "Fishquarium":

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/usb-gadgets/e5dd/

The listed dimensions are 145 mm x 90 mm x 120 mm. That works out to less than 1/2 gallon (US), not counting the space taken up by the rocks, filter, etc. That would be bad enough, but the product description actually suggests putting in a betta or a couple of white-cloud minnows.

I know that tiny tanks are sold in lots of places, and that this is better than some (being filtered), but since ThinkGeek is not generally in the business of selling aquarium equipment, I think there's a good chance that they would remove it from their catalog if they got enough complaints. We have an opportunity to make a small difference here, more so than at Pet[Whatever].

I can't buy anything from ThinkGeek until they remove it and the rest of the catalog is full of really cool stuff, so that makes me sad. I have already contacted customer service and they were very nice, but all they can do is forward my message to the product review team. Let's give them lots of messages to forward! Please email custserv [at] thinkgeek.com and voice your (politely worded) complaint.

Here's what I said:

Dear Geeks,

The "USB Fishquarium" (http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/usb-gadgets/e5dd/) is too small to humanely house any fish that I know of, and it is certainly too small to house a betta or group of white cloud minnows as the description suggests. While tiny tanks like this are commonly sold as betta tanks, they are inhumane. Bettas can only survive such conditions because they can get oxygen from the air; it is not healthy for them to be in such cramped quarters.

I was deeply saddened and disappointed to find such a product on ThinkGeek, both because it promotes animal cruelty and because I cannot in good conscience make any further purchases until the it has been removed from your catalog. I have many friends who, like me, were planning to buy holiday gifts from ThinkGeek. If this product stays in the catalog, I'll have no choice but to warn them against doing so. Please fix this!


Regards,
Megan Strickland

Thank you!

 

[rockhoe14er]

i feel like having your iphone right next to a tank of water is an accident waiting to happen.

 

[platytudes]

I, too, think that placing an emphasis on the design flaw of suggesting putting expensive handheld electronic devices next to a dripping container of water...vs. the inhumanity of it, is the way to go. I mean, this is just a STUPID, not to mention cruel, contraption. I believe there are other posts about it here, I know I heard about it on some forum (most likely this one)

Incidentally, how would you feel about it if the manufacturer suggested putting ghost shrimp in there or a snail?

 

[platytudes]

By the way, Megan, how have you been? It's been a while

 

[cellodaisy]

I believe there are other posts about it here, I know I heard about it on some forum (most likely this one)

Doh! I didn't even think to check. Sorry about the repetition, folks!

Incidentally, how would you feel about it if the manufacturer suggested putting ghost shrimp in there or a snail?

I think that would be fine. Of course, some people would put fish in it anyway, but those people would be putting fish in some other tiny container if they didn't have this one.

By the way, Megan, how have you been? It's been a while

I'm doing okay, but not finding nearly enough time to do fishy things. Le sigh.

 

[Just Prince]

It's not inhuman. It only becomes in humane when you put the wrong animal in it. Their are plentynof aquatic creatures that would do perfectly fine in that setup. People need to relax on focus on making the worser things about human life better. How can we help animals when we can't even help ourselves. But hey everybody needs simething to rTtle their sabre at.

 

[SubRosa]

To the op it seems that you're more concerned with the sales pitch than the product itself, since you agree that it would be suitable for some livestock, just not certain ones that are claimed by the seller/mfg to be suitable. Bearing this in mind calling for the complete removal of the product from the catalog seems a bit extreme. I would agree that the sales pitch is out of line.

 

[cellodaisy]

It's not inhuman. It only becomes in humane when you put the wrong animal in it. Their are plentynof aquatic creatures that would do perfectly fine in that setup. People need to relax on focus on making the worser things about human life better. How can we help animals when we can't even help ourselves. But hey everybody needs simething to rTtle their sabre at.

As Platytudes said, a few snails or shrimp would be fine. However, the product description specifically suggests keeping "a betta or a couple of white-cloud minnows," which would not be suitable.

I disagree with your suggestion that we should ignore animal suffering as long as there are humans suffering, but that is a discussion for another day and another thread.

 

[Reefscape]

It's not inhuman. It only becomes in humane when you put the wrong animal in it. Their are plenty of aquatic creatures that would do perfectly fine in that setup. People need to relax on focus on making the worser things about human life better. How can we help animals when we can't even help ourselves. But hey everybody needs simething to rTtle their sabre at.

My thoughts too, just what i was going to say....

 

[cellodaisy]

To the op it seems that you're more concerned with the sales pitch than the product itself, since you agree that it would be suitable for some livestock, just not certain ones that are claimed by the seller/mfg to be suitable. Bearing this in mind calling for the complete removal of the product from the catalog seems a bit extreme. I would agree that the sales pitch is out of line.

You're absolutely right. They would have to change the photo (which shows fish) and actually state that the product is too small for fish (or people will assume it's okay), but if they did those things it would be just fine.