My brother caught a large mouth bass at the lake when it was a baby about 7 months ago. The fish was so small it was almost transparent. He put it in he 75 gallon fish tank at home and it has grown considerably. He says that when it gets a little bigger, he's gonna grill it. The fish has grown accustomed to him and his family and it even comes to the corner of the tank when it sees him. I get pissed every time he starts to talk about grilling his pet fish. Does this sound wrong to anyone else? Or am I too sensitive, I do eat fish myself.
2006-07-25 11:54:39 · 29 answers · asked by Poetess_4U 4 in Pets ➔ Fish
I can not imagine that any fish has a "higher quality of life" living in a fish tank. River? Fishtank? River? Fishtank? Oh gee...I just can't decide.
As a vegetarian I do not understand why meat eaters differentiate between "o.k. meat" and "off-limits meat". Dog? no, that would be bad. Rabbit? now that one depends- some people are for it, others- not so much. How bout...Chicken? Nothing wrong there it's just a stupid bird. What about my neighbors macaw? It's just a stupid bird and I bet you could make a killer hat out of those tail feathers.
I have to say, I admire the Pet Eater a little bit. He has put effort into raising something and will take it's life without hesitation. He can face it. The people who whine about a pet fish being killed as the down their double-cheeseburger with bacon- Now that doesn't make sense to me.
2006-07-25 12:23:23 · answer #1 · answered by Lynn 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know that I would feel too guilty to eat a fish that I raised myself. But I guess to him, raising a bass to eat (yum), is like raising a tomato plant to eat the tomatoes. I'll admit that I don't have the same soft-spot for bass (because I fish too) that I do for the pretty little delicate things in my aquariums, even though I should. :(
EDIT:
Think of it this way: that bass has probably been living in much better conditions (cleaner water) than he would've in the wild. So he's had a higher quality of life thus far. Also, if he was as small as he sounds, there is a pretty good chance he would've gotten eaten a long time ago.
In response to Lynn: I would call living a circulating, regularly cleaned 75 gallon fish tank, with a person who provides regular meals and protection from (natural) predators a higher quality of life. All the rivers I've seen in my life were disgustingly polluted with human wastes -- trash, sewage, and who knows what else. I would assume that a fish raised with the intention of being consumed by the person raising it would be concerned about the cleanliness of the water and the fish's health. This sort of care could never be achieved in the filthy expanse of a river.
2006-07-25 12:01:09 · answer #2 · answered by bettalover 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't sound like he was necessarily keeping it as a pet. He might have had the idea to eat it once it was big enough all along. If so, that wouldn't qualify as a pet.
Regardless, however... I, personally, would have a probably if I was in his shoes, but if it doesn't bother him, then there's nothing WRONG with it.
2006-07-25 12:00:17 · answer #3 · answered by dpfw16 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If he caught it intending to eat it i wouldn't call it a "pet" fish anyway. Just make sure he isn't using any products in the tank that say on the box "do not use on fish that are intended for human consumption"
2006-07-25 22:10:03 · answer #4 · answered by jeanette 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you are being too sensitive, really.
If he caught with the intention of raising it to eat, that's probably as attached as he's gotten to it himself. He probably doesn't think of it as a pet.
However, I will say, it will be interesting to see if his family lets him eat it. LOL I mean if he has daughters, and possibly his wife, my have gotten attached to it and may make a big stink about it when he fires up the grill.
2006-07-25 12:00:45 · answer #5 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it was going to be food I would eat it immediatly not wait til it's older. U made the fish a pet now and its not right to eat it.
2006-07-26 06:53:31 · answer #6 · answered by Ash Nickel 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since your brother has been keeping this fish in an aquarium feeding it commercial fish food and using chemicals marketed for the pet trade. THIS FISH MAY BE NO LONGER EDIBLE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. Have him check the labels, many of them carry WARNINGS about using the products on food fish. The fish may appear healthy, but to eat it would be to eat all the potentially harmful chemicals the fish has absorbed!
2006-07-25 13:41:29 · answer #7 · answered by crow 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well maybe the fish did something to get your brother mad - does the fish know any tricks ?
Maybe he was playing go fish and he cheated
If the Chinese can eat their dogs why can't you brother eat his fish - picky picky picky
2006-07-25 12:00:39 · answer #8 · answered by prettymama 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Any body can eat fish, but it depends if it is eatable i mean he can eat it but i don't think it is goung to taste good.
2006-07-25 15:04:14 · answer #9 · answered by celloplayer4eva 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on how hungry you are.... : )
Really, we're talking about a large mouth bass, not a goldfish.
2006-07-25 11:58:14 · answer #10 · answered by Laurie D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋