New Delhi: Did you know that the goldfish that you bought to please your child would have lived for 30 years had it not been made to live a lonesome life in a bowl?
Goldfish can live up to 30 years and grow to about 25 cm in big aquariums or outdoor ponds, but in tiny bowls, they often die within weeks or months. Goldfish are social animals who need the company of other fish, ample space and clean water.
“People buy a goldfish for their kids on impulse, but if they knew what a torture it is, they would not do it. Turning round and round in a small bowl drives fish crazy and kills them quickly,” AgroBiothers CEO Matthieu Lambeaux told Reuters.
A leading French aquarium vendor has decided not to sell any aquariums with a capacity of less than 15 litres and only rectangular ones, as putting fish in small bowls without filtration and oxygenation is animal abuse,
France is Europe’s number one market for red aquarium fish, with about 2.3 million fish.
Germany and several other European countries have long banned fish bowls, but France has no legislation on the issue. Many cities across the world have banned fishbowls altogether. This includes Rome and Monza in Italy, most cities in Sweden and Mexico. In Switzerland, selling a single goldfish is illegal as they are social creatures that need companionship.
What experts say
Keeping fish in tiny bowls spells certain death for them, say animal welfare experts. It is inhuman for several reasons. Low surface to air ratio, no filters to clean the water and cramped space for the fish are some.
In most Indian cities, fish are sold in small polythene bags on the road in water that is coloured using food dye or other chemicals. Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, it is illegal to sell animals on the roadside.
Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal mainly practice ornamental fish farming in India. More than 300 exotic species are covered in the ornamental fish trade. About 200 species are bred in India.
