To not know this?

[Ijustdontknowtheanswer]

Posting for traffic.

I’ve recently been asked whether I’d like to visit a local aquarium with my children and I have no idea whether to or not. Are large aquariums and aquatic centres (think Sea Life, The Deep) cruel? Generally speaking, I’m very much against the exhibition of animals, but I’m just not sure when it comes to fish. I want to make what I believe to be the right decision for my children, and raise them to have care and respect for all creatures, and that extends to not partaking in their exploitation at zoos / safari parks and similar. I’m absolutely not interested at all in whether my children will enjoy it, they’d also enjoy it if I let them eat chocolate from dusk til dawn and that’s not happening!

I’m not talking about mammals like dolphins or orcas by the way (I’ve seen Blackfish), I specifically mean UK based large aquariums that house fish, octopi, turtles etc.

Google isn’t my friend, I’ve looked and looked. So, could someone who knows about these things please enlighten me; are fish and other aquatic animals likely to be unhappy / suffer in these aquariums?

I’ve left the voting on so, for reference,

YABU - lighten up and enjoy the fish!
YANBU - aquariums are every bit as bad as zoos and you’d be a monster to take your children there

Thank you.

It's very much a personal decision.

I can't imagine the creatures are over the moon, have you seen my octopus teacher?

I have bo scientific evidence. All I know is that I went to London sea life centre some years back (maybe 5?) And felt deeply deeply uncomfortable with the conditions of some of the creatures, especially the penguins. It made me so sad and I wouldn't go back.

So if anecdotal reports are helpful to you, there's mine

Surely depends on the reasons why they are in captivity? Because their environment is destroyed, or they are becoming rare and there's a need to encourage/introduce reproduction?

Kept in a spacious, realistic environment?

Raising awareness of environmental/ecological issues?

If they're just plopped in a tank to goggle at then that doesn't seem so worthy.

What does the website say?

Sorry for my atrocious wording, it's too early to think of the right words 🤦🏻‍♀️

I would take them and let them make their own minds up, sure I can't totally be free from influencing my child but I try and let my child make their own decision on things and not control everything

I think essentially they are cruel, in the same way that zoos are. The animals are bored and basically in prison. Having said that, I took my kids in the past. Not sure I would now though.

The Birmingham aquarium staff have casually talked about a lobster exhibiting stress and attacking and eating another one due to territory/ stress etc. Animals in the 'handling' areas have been injured and have died (not exactly a huge surprise). These are specific examples but except in cases such as the turtle at one of the coastal ones that cannot survive in the sea due to an injury most of these animals are not getting a benefit are they?!