Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping => General Fishkeeping Chat => Topic started by: Puffin on July 18, 2014, 06:05:20 PM
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Went to visit my daughter's new preschool today and they had a (I'd say) 70cm fish tank with a large goldfish and nothing else, except a bit of algae.
I also have a friend (with newborn baby) who owns a baby biorb complete with goldfish.
Got me thinking, what do people do in these situations? Just keep quiet and stew inside, or speak out?
I've been a coward and not said anything to my friend who's fish's situation is infinitely worse, but it seems such a shame not to keep some appropriate fish in the preschool's decent sized tank.
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Hi Puffin,
These situations are hard aren't they!! ???
I would make polite suggestions as to how they could enrich the tank and by doing so provide more interest for the children. I used to hold my tongue but no-one else is likely to speak up for the fish, so I think as long as you are tactful and not accusatory then there is no harm in giving some well intended advice.
I would start by asking about their fish, how long they've had it, does it have a name etc and mention that you keep fish (so they know you know what you are talking about!!) and had they thought of getting any more, or that perhaps he might like some places to hide and explore ("You know what would look really nice, a little cave or some pretty ornaments, he would probably enjoy investigating them too!!" - that sort of thing!!)
Regarding your friend, I think you should perhaps apply the same tactic. I think most people don't provide what we would consider adequate housing or enrichment through ignorance and the lingering old wives tales that fish just need a tank and water. A kind suggestion is not normally taken offensively.
FC :)
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It is a problem, I never know what to do either. I don't know anyone else who has a tank so I've not come across that problem yet, but I have been known to say things in shops. Usually very quietly when the shop worker is out of earshot.
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I think I'd have to say something but you can phrase it as a suggestion, you could offer to donate something to the pre-school tank. Things like this normally happens out of ignorance, not deliberate and people are generally happy to have some advice.
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I recently looked after a neighbours dog while they were away, I'd not been in their dining room before and I was absolutely gobsmacked when I came across their fish tank, at a guess I'd say it was a 300-40 0litre tank which I'm very envious of BUT it was the fish that made my jaw drop. It was full of mahoosive cold water fish, there had to be at least 20 of them in there and the larger fish had to be 10 inches long at least, there was nothing in there but blue gravel. I'm sure that tank had to be overcrowded there were fish fins covering almost every inch of the tank and when they came home and I returned their keys I asked what they were going to do when the fish got bigger. The answer was 'nah they'll be fine' :o The fish were little tiddlers when they bought them apparently and they weren't expecting them to get so big.
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Nearly each time we see a fish-tank on TV me'n'MrsB cry out as one... "You can't keep that fish in there!!!!"
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As I nurse I kind of did the same everytime I watched Casualty on BBC1, I stopped watching in the end it was far too annoying
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Lol, as a dietitian I couldn't watch Holby city.