goldfish cruelty?

Question

A few days ago, I had to do an experiment at school where each students takes a goldfish and puts it in room temperature water, then in ice water, and then hot water.

The idea was to find the fish's respiration rate.

The teacher said that it wouldn't harm the goldfish, but they definitely didn't seem happy about it, and mine was swimming upside down for a while during the hot water part.

Is the considered cruelty, or is it no worse for the fish than swimming in a lake all year?

I'm no PETA person or anything. Just wondering if this can harm the fish...

thanks so much for all the answers!

I did feel really guilty doing this experiment.

Answer 1

I'm not sure what the point of this exercise is. Goldfish DO not like quick changes in temperature. The reason they change their respiration rate is that they are going in shock when you move them from one temperature to another without acclimating them to the new temperature. Goldfish in a pond, can survive temps from 32 up to 80 or more, but the change is gradual, over weeks or months and the fish adapt. In this experiment you are torturing them, they are cold blooded so the instant change to their environment is very stressful for them. You teacher is ignorant. This is a cruel excercise.

Answer 2

It's a cruel and stupid experiment. One person answered that someone in your class might become a scientist because of doing this experiment, but if anyone does go on to become a scientist, I hope the experiments they design and conduct are worthwhile ones. This experiment is nonsensical and won't lead anyone to learn more about fish respirations or metabolism. All I can see resulting in this "experiment" is desensitizing children to animal cruelty.

Stressing a fish will reduce their ability to fight off disease and can reduce their life span. In a lake, the temperature changes happen gradually, not in a few moments.

Also, it is a myth that all medical advancements are made due to animal experimentation. Very few surgeons learn or practice on animals, for instance. More and more drug researchers are learning that animal trials are often more misleading than helpful. There is little or no justification for mistreating animals for science.

I would encourage you to talk with your parents about this. I commend you for being sensitive to another creature's wellbeing. All living things deserve to have a good quality of life. These goldfish are bred by people, and people have a responsibility to treat them well and not subject them to cruel treatment.

A far better experiment would be to show that goldfish can actually be conditioned or trained to do tricks. Far better to learn something about classical conditioning and animal behavior than this temperature nonsense.

Answer 3

It is cruel. The sudden change of temperature is harmful to the fish. When you buy a goldfish from an aquarium, they tell you to float the bag containing the fish in the water of the new aquarium for 15 minutes. This is to equalize the temperature. If the temperature change was not harmful, there would be no need to do this.

Answer 4

Don't tell PETA, they'd be all over your teacher. I don't know where you live, but here in Oklahoma you have to get a waiver to use live animals in experiments. As far as I'm concerned it is beyond cruelty. It is stupidity. You teacher probably thinks that since the goldfish are so cheap that they don't deserve as nice of a life as any other animal. Goldfish are not bred for lakes, so it is not the same. If you have an issue with it I'm sure you or your parents could talk to your principal. Anything that goes against your moral beliefs should not be forced upon you!

Answer 5

A fish can only manage a 2 degree change at a time- that's why you float them in the bags they come in for 20 minutes in your aquarium to equalize the temperatures, when you first bring them home, or move them to another aquarium, etc. Sudden temperature changes like you describe are nothing short of cruel, and should be reported to your principal first, then the local humane society!Your teacher should wise up!

Answer 6

Yes it is very cruel, but unfortunatly by law, fish are not considered animals, so probably nothing can be done.

Imagine standing in your room, then instanty being transported to the arctic, then instantly being transported to the crater of an active volcano in Hawaii. For a fish it would be 10x worse than that because they are cold blooded. So change in temperature does not just affect how they feel, but it affects their heartrate, metabolism, ect.

P.S. You don't have to support PETA to care about animals.

Answer 7

I honestly think that is absolutely cruel! How about I stick you in room temp water, then cold water and then hot water... are you gonna like it all that much??

Its honestly about the same as putting someone in a freezing room to a hot room. I really dont think they should be doing this.

Answer 8

Quick changes in temp like that definitely harm the fish. I would not be surprised if they died. Swimming upside down means nearing death. Poor fish. It kinda is cruelty.

Answer 9

i wouldnt have been able to do it. if its big enough for me to see it breathing then i have issuse causeing any harm to it. i cried when my beta's died. it definatly does cause harm to the fish, why do you think they tell you to make sure the water you brought the fish home in and the water the fish are going into are the same temp? what a terrible experiment.

Answer 10

Yes,it is cruelty.The poor goldfish.You should protest against the teacher that this is cruelty to the animal.I feel bad even thinking about it!This is absolute cruelty.