i know this is kind of different, but even when i look at some of the tanks on the drsfostersmith website i get mad. i mean, that's a pretty reputable place but they post advertisments for 3 gallon tanks with a picture of the tank holding around 10 platties. or there's the 12 gallon with 5 angel fish in it. or the 1-2 gallon "art-deco" tank teeming with neons... i know they didnt take the pictures themselves, but it still seems irresponsible to advertise something that way when they know it shouldnt be used like that...
when i clicked on the link dangerdoll posted the first thing i thought of was "that's cruel, people just want to be able to look at the fish on the wall, just like a piece of art... and fish aren't art". then i thought about that for a second and it seems too simple to say it that way. You can create a beautiful landscape in a 10 gallon tank using plants and maybe a few neons ( a la Ammano) - so in that regard fish - or a system of living things in general - can indeed serve an artistic purpose. furthermore, we all keep fish for the visual beauty they and their enviroment bring to our homes.
i think the level of revulsion comes in when you realize that the purpose of one of those picture frame things is not to demonstrate the beauty of a fish in a natural environment, but rather to draw attention to your favorite 5 X 7 of aunt ruthie and her kids.
so in conclusion, if you want a single fish to be a piece of art, go out and catch one, have it stuffed and mounted. leave the poor bettas alone...