To have released a goldfish into the stream behind our house

[roseability]

Had 2 goldfish (I got them years ago before DS was born) in quite a big tank and I thought they were well looked after

One died of natural causes so we released the other. My DS wasn't interested in them (only a toddler) and I didn't want him getting old enough to want more as I admit they need more looking after than I originally thought

Am I hideous? Mean? Cruel to animals?

Hit me I can take it

This reminds me of when we had a small garden pond adn I fancied a couple of goldfish. There were £1 each from the aquatic shop. The owner tried to sell me an oxygenating pump at ££££££s, so I said, 'Well if the fish are only £1 each, it makes more sense to just replace them if they die'. Ooooh, the look on his face!

mabanana - we inherited goldfish in pond with our new house. One died this summer through overheating /lack of oxygen...I couldn't take the guilt and the sight of it's poor floating corpse...so have spent £34 on a solar oxygenator. I never thought I would succumb - but I did!

Thanks for the suggestions Cory.

Exasperatedmummy I'm in Brighton and the tank is three feet by two. I saved the fish from a woman who was emigrating but didn't realise that the pump is noisy and the whole thing must use a fair bit of electicity to keep the water warm. I also feel uneasy about having yet more beings who are my responsibility to keep alive. With four kids and two cats I don't have the love I ought to for the three remaining fish.

How long do they live?

hmmm, noisy pump, high elecricity use? Thanks, but no thanks . Don't ever take on a job as a salesperson will you . I battle enough keeping the dog alive to be blunt, i would like some fish though, but might stick to something a tad smaller - thanks anyway ;)

Blu , £34 on maintaining second hand fish? What will you do if they get too cold in the winter?

"second hand fish" ffs.

Is a dog from a rescue centre a "second hand dog" and not worthy of spending any money on it?! No don't bother getting it vaccinated or buy decent food for it... no point in getting it any bedding or anything else it needs to live comfortably, it's only second hand.

WHY are pet fish considered possessions instead of living beings?

(starting to think that maybe goldfish should cost £100 and need a license, then people might value them more )

Rubberduck - I was joking. Clearly there is no difference in the nature of the fish merely because ownership of their pond has changed.

Fair enough Goosey, but I was also responding to the general attitude on this thread, including the attitude of "oh just replace it when they die, they're only a quid".

I'm actually impressed you managed to keep a gold fish alive for 4 years!

Releasing any fish into a British waterway is illegal unless you have a permit from the Environment Agency.

My advice: learn your lesson and don't purchase any more fish to keep as pets. Your goldfish are most likely going to die or be eaten.

Still, let the incident go and move on with your life.

My local freecycle groups do animals.

We currently have 5 fish and a snailin our tank and the oldest 2 fish are about 6!

PMSL at 'second hand fish'

My Mum put my ailing goldfish down the Kitchen WasteMaster!

Beachcomber, our three fish have lived outside in a big bathsized tub for about 6 years now, including some very cold spells when they froze right over. I think they just go dormant. They are very well and perky, in fact so perky that this summer they had babies.

So now we have about twenty minifish in another tub...

It this thread still going, what a scandal

fishergate

Rosa, dont loose sleep, i wouldnt.

Rosability: you have been properly slated in this post. In the scheme of things I don't think you are a bad person. I will save my anger and disgust for people who really deserve it and there are plenty of people out there who do.

You had a fish you wanted rid of. You have a cat.

Surely you could have just formally introduced them?

I will lose sleep because I am a sensitive person and shouldn't really post on such sites, but I can't help it!

Feel I need to justify all my actions and unload guilt about unsavory ones (not that there are that many)

I don't agree with cruelty to animals. We cared for those fish for 4 years but I accept it was wrong. I genuinely didn't know it was illegal and whilst yes I knew the fish would die, I thought he might have a nice ending with freedom rather than in a tank (albeit a very big one). I was naive and in denial maybe but not deliberately cruel.

My cat is adored and the only insects I will kill are wasps. I AM NOT A CRUEL ANIMAL HATER

Am geniunely worried the police/RSPCA are going to knock on my door now.

Maybe I take this far too seriously.

My cat has come to nuzzle up to me and make me feel better

Don't worry Roseability. Putting the fish in the stream does not make you a bad person in any way. People may query whether it was a responsible thing to do, but in the spirit in which you did it it was not morally culpable. There will be no sinister knock on the door - police can hardly cope with investigating things such a burglary and I can't really see a duty officer leaping up to investigate "a wrongful disposal of a goldfish".

Don't worry, Rosa. Nature is crueler than you: a nest of cormorant-chicks this spring must have produced some very bright orange poo after their mum/dad stole about twenty fish from our pond.

Anyway if the police do come you will be able to make some money by selling the story to the Daily Mail

Thanks FioFio

I do have some degree of respect for you fish lovers out there. You are right they are living beings

Just thought I am having fishcakes for tea tonight