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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

in being a bit concerned for the welfare of the fish in these fish spas?

23 replies

DillyDaydreaming · 28/04/2011 13:09

Please don't misunderstand - I love the sound of it and am dying to book a session but can't find anywhere which really reassures me about the welfare of the fish. It seems to me that the amount of fish in a totally unnatural environment cannot be good for their welfare.
Can any clever sod on here reassure me so I may book a session? Or am I being very reasonable in being concerned?

OP posts:

Meglet · 28/04/2011 13:10

yanbu.

Horrible, manky places. I bet they're all shut down within a year.

LadyBeagleEyes · 28/04/2011 13:11

They look incredibly unhygenic, and I doubt they give a shit about the fish.

squeakytoy · 28/04/2011 13:12

I certainly cant reassure you. I have seen these places in action, and the treatment of the fish is appalling. The people who run these places are in it for the money and the gimmick factor, and have no idea about the welfare of fish at all.

I would also question the hygiene aspects of this treatment too, as the water is not changed from one pair of manky feet to the next. The spas have been banned in many states in the USA now too.

BanalChelping · 28/04/2011 13:15

One word (it's a made-up word) cheesyfootfishshitsoup.

buggerlugs82 · 28/04/2011 13:15

This reply has been withdrawn

This post has been withdrawn due to privacy concerns.

EdwardorEricCantDecide · 28/04/2011 13:17

I would also be concerned not just about the fish but about what u might catch by putting your feet into water that's already had goodness knows how many other feet in, all u need is a tiny cut to get an infection.

I wouldn't do it if they paid me!

Insomnia11 · 28/04/2011 13:18

Best just go in the sea and let the fish do it in their natural environment. Watch out for the tiger sharks though, or you could end up with a rather severe pedicure.

Bogeyface · 28/04/2011 13:18

There is currently an investigation going on in the UK over the hygiene of these places due to concerns over transmission of foot infections etc. That alone would put me off. BARF!!

But I cant imagine that the fish fare particularly well either. I wouldnt go to those places at all.

TheCrackFox · 28/04/2011 13:30

The whole concept makes me feel unwell.

Flisspaps · 28/04/2011 13:37

HSE are investigating the safety over these re. infection control etc. Excuse odd sentence, sleeping child on lap so one handed.

HalfPastWine · 28/04/2011 13:43

BanalChelping cheesyfootfishshitsoup

Suchffun · 28/04/2011 14:15

I've wondered about this too - it just feels wrong to me.

MarioandLuigi · 28/04/2011 14:21

It makes me feel icky just thinking about it - I bet the water doesnt get changed for weeks.

GeekCool · 28/04/2011 14:24

It sounds gross. Fish nibbling away at your skin? What part of that is natural to their habitat?

peeriebear · 28/04/2011 14:24

I had a look into these when a friend asked me last week. The woman who first brought the treatments here had to satisfy a whole gamut of H&S and animal welfare questions before she could get near a shop. The water is cycled out constantly and treated to kill bacteria. The fish are fed and their health maintained. People must have a disinfectant footbath before they use the fish and they are not allowed to if they have any cuts, lesions or problems ie verrucas.
HTH :)

peeriebear · 28/04/2011 14:26

Oh and they were banned in many parts of the US because the spas were using a different species of fish altogether- the tilapia, which grows TEETH as it matures, unlike the garra rufa fish used here.

peeriebear · 28/04/2011 14:27

GeekCool, it's what they do in the wild to river dwelling animals.
By the way I don't work for them I just happened to look into them a lot last week! :)

Numberfour · 28/04/2011 14:30

Makes me feel sick to the stomach. Disgusting thing to do. Awful for the fish and astoundingly sick that someone is prepared to let fish eat the skin off their feet. Absofuckinglutely gross.

Yanbu.

amberleaf · 28/04/2011 14:37

Having had several aquariums over the years i cant see that the fish are being kept properly.

The thought of the whole thing freaks me out anyway

LDNmummy · 28/04/2011 14:44

Thank you peeriebear as my DP has been wanting to do this when he gets a chance but I have been a bit hesitant as I don't know much about it, and wondered the same things as put forward by others on this thread.

I guess it is as always, about going to a reputable establishment to have it done. I will be checking out the info you gave to see where meets those standards before thinking about doing it.

It is not my cup of tea but DP is a bit more adventurous than me and likes taking care of his feet (go figure)

nobiggy · 28/04/2011 14:45

They must get absolutely stuffed on a weekend and go hungry during the week.

LDNmummy · 28/04/2011 14:47

Numberfour humans eat animal flesh, very similar if you ask me. I have had aquariums throughout my childhood and fish can eat much worse than that. Humans definitely eat much worse. I'm not a vegetarian BTW, just stating my opinion that I don't think eating meat is all that dissimilar.

Mamaz0n · 28/04/2011 14:52

There is a new fish spa in my town and i asked the owners about this.

they said that there are large aquariums out of sight and the fish swim in and out as they please. They aren't forced to feed or to be on view.

They have very strong filters which keep the water clean and hygenic.

I still wouldn't though.

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