Zoë Strickland | Managing Editor
When I was growing up, my mom told me and my brother that we weren’t allowed to have pets that we couldn’t easily flush down the toilet. Though this has since changed, the overall sentiment is still true — fish are easy.
It’s culturally accepted that we shouldn’t get attached to pet fish. They’re thought of as one of the most disposable living beings that you can have. So disposable that we give them away to anyone who is willing to grab a plastic cup.
Every year, a club on campus gives out feeder fish during new student week. For those who don’t know, feeder fish are inexpensive fish that are often bought in bulk and used to feed other large aquatic animals such as sharks and larger fish.
As “Finding Nemo” taught us all: fish are friends, not food. Or, in this case, not gimmicks.
Feeder fish aren’t meant to be kept as pets, they’re meant to be prey. That’s why it’s a miracle that any fair or carnival fish lasts longer than a few weeks. Like other mass-bred animals, such as chickens, feeder fish are raised in restrictive environments that then have a negative impact on their overall health. When bred, they’re kept in crowded tanks and underfed- all in an effort to keep them from growing.
Because feeder fish are supposed to be used as food, they’re cheap.
A company that specializes in selling feeder fish, www.livefeederfish.com, has a package of 1000 goldfish for $200. Giving away goldfish is a low-budget operation, which is why it’s so naturally appealing.
I don’t particularly have a problem with the existence of feeder fish; it’s natural for larger fish to eat smaller ones, so they serve a purpose.
My problem comes when integrating students into the mix. Going to the fair as a child and getting a goldfish is one thing; you’re young and your parents will most likely be taking care of it. Getting a goldfish as a reward for filling out a survey during an over-crowded event is completely different. Students who are just coming to college need to learn how to take care of themselves before they should learn to care for another living thing.
It’s a fish, but it’s still work. Are they going to remember to feed it before they go to their night class? Do they have a car to drive to get food and tank-cleaning supplies? Do they even have a sufficient sink to clean the tank in? Fish, especially ones like feeder fish that have been raised in less-than-great environments, require specific tank temperatures, a tank large enough that it won’t further stunt their growth, food and aquarium maintenance.
Giving away a living creature shouldn’t be an afterthought. It shouldn’t be a reward for a student who devotes thirty seconds to filling out a piece of paper. If a student truly wants a pet fish, they should devote time to thinking about whether or not they have the resources to take care of one.
What happens over Thanksgiving or winter break when a student goes home? Who’s going to take care of a fish in an empty dorm?
That is, if it makes it past day four.
Contact the author at zstrickland14@wou.edu
