to buy my friend's fish a tank?

[AbyIsl]

My friend won a goldfish at the fair a couple of weeks ago. I REALLY don't like the whole fish as prizes thing, but that's besides the point.

On Thurs I went over and saw the fish for the first time. He (she?) is being kept in a small mixing bowl and doesn't have enough space. He's jumped out (a sign of needing more oxygen - too little water surface) and was gasping and sitting on the bottom of the bowl. He's also lost a lot of scales. They said they'd get a tank etc. Today they still hadn't bought one (we have a big Pets at Home near us). In fact they'd walked past two at a car boot sale this morning and still didn't buy one. They thought they might have one spare in a house they rented out, but still hadn't called the tenant to check and hadn't done anything about collecting it.

I've been worried about the fish. He's clearly not going to survive for much longer.

So, was I unreasonable to go to Pets at Home and buy a starter tank (with a bit of gravel and a small ornament thing? It's just a basic, 19 litre tank?

My friend was annoyed when I turned up with it and said her DH would be offended. I said it was just a gift and that there was nothing to be any annoyed about.

Was I unreasonable and rude?

my honest opinion = you were being very kind in buying the tank, no-one wants to see animals suffer - but leaving the cleaning drops on their door stop when they wouldn't answer the door makes you look a bit deranged.

BTW - as a child I had a fairground goldfish live for 12 years in tap water, no filter and a reasonably sized tank. When I went to Uni my parents had to keep on looking after it!

it is ridiculous to talk about phoning the RSPCA over the plight of a goldfish. and surely it is not illegal to keep a goldfish in a mixing bowl?

Of course it isn't.
I had forgotten about the OP leaving the cleaning drops on the doorstep when they wouldn't aswer the door.
Ohhhhhh hahahaaaaa! Pmsl!

Can you imagine their faces when they found them sitting there?

So this has descended into "OP, don't you have anything more important to worry about?" cliche crap then? There's a surprise. Some of us are able to be concerned about more than one thing. If you are too thick to understand that, sorry, but 9% of the population has more than one thing going on at any one time.

my dp has just informed me that as a child he won two fish at a fayre, fred and frederica!! they lived in a bowl that was basically a mixing bowl with a bit of gravel in the bottom, in regular tap water and lived for years!

If it had been sitting in a teacup, then yes, mention it. But pushing your tank, your views and your cleaning drops is a bit odd really. I'm not surprised they didn't open the door, they were probably cowering in fear.

Yes it is illegal to keep a goldfish in a small bowl with no gravel etc. Have a [[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/life-in-a-goldfish-bowl-earns-protection-from-laws-on-animal-rights-527157.html look]

The OP was right. Those thick-headed people are acting cruelly, callously and illegally.

Doh! here

Pushing the tank on the people would involve actually putting the fish on there. It seems as though the OP just handed it over to them. Leaving drops on the doorstep isn't exactly pushy either.

She's done everything she can, by the sounds of things. I can't think of anything more I'd so (whilst sober! )

But they didn't want it. Hadn't asked for it even. So pushing it on them is being a bit pushy and over the top.

It would certainly make me back off from someone. I'm quite old and daft enough to make my own mind up about things.

Even if it's morally and legally wrong? What crap.

Actually they had 'asked' for it when they entered a competition to win the fish. They gained a responsibility that they opted into.

The more I think about this, the stupider these people seem.

I think I'm able to make my own mind up about morals, thanks. It's not 'crap' - it's my opinion, which I'm entitled to - just like you are.

its none of your business

arf

Even if you're so cold-hearted that you see nothing wrong in neglecting and killing an animal, you can't disagree that it's illegal.

The OP wasn't grassing them up to the RSPCA, she was trying to remedy the situation.

Which kind of went tits up cos they've ended up falling out

which as far as I can tell is still alive

hahaha..

To the OP 'cool story bro'

I mean ended up falling out over A FISH which is as far as I can tell is still alive!

How can you tell that? Doesn't seem as though the OP or her DH is bothered about their friendship anyway.

Yep - that's pretty much it. Lost a friendship over a still-living goldfish.

Didn't the OP say a bit back they've ended the friendship?

Oh I dunno...or care really!

It must be a tough old fish anyway

YANBU. Of course you're not. It's insane to think otherwise.

I'd fall out with someone if I thought they were cruel and thoughtless. I think treating animals like this is cruel and thoughtless. Therefore ....

Quite right re size of tank versus fish; the kiddy tanks sold are way too small, I believe you need at least 40 litres for a goldfish. Dont agree with goldfish at fairs- they wouldnt be able to do it with rabbits or hamsters! What's the loop hole in the Animal welfare legislation?