This whole nemo thing is got me worried for the clown fish. Out in my part of the world the fish are priced at $30 each, and not a lot are selling. At least at the one store I have been to. My thought is if kids want to see the clowns and tangs parents should take them to the local Aquarium if there is one. I myself have wanted a clown tank before the movie, and I am taking time to research everything. Was wondering if parents good have their kids adopt a reef or something buy donating money to a organization for wildlife reef conservation, and save wild "nemo's" instead of killing a store bought one for a one hour fling! Any insight into this?
Who do you blame for the deaths that will come from Nemo?
- Thread starter purple_tang2001
- Start date
I'm going to play devil's advocate a little bit here -- don't shoot me 
I totally agree that the tetra bit was totally out of line - never for a moment forget that.
However........
In the simplest sense, there is no real mystique to marine fishkeeping. Adequate tank, adequate filtration, good water and routine maintenance and a healthy dose of common sense, and even *I* can manage a marine tank. I'm not a PhD, or a rocket scientist, I'm just an average schmoe who likes saltwater fish and critters.
The first time I saw saltwater fish was when I was 12 and I saw them at Sea World --totally blew me away. Next time was when I was about 18 and I saw them in a friend's HOUSE -- curiously, the Regal/Hippo/Blue tang was the first fish I saw, and 18 years later I finally have one of my own (two actually.... they lived together for 4 years in another hobbyist's tank before I came to have them....).
The "Nemo Effect" is really not that much different from the way I came into the hobby - I saw it someplace and decided to do it. Sure Nemo's a cartoon - but how is the interest sparked in the hobby really any different than the way any of us came to it? Honestly, are there THAT many people willing to cough up a couple hundred dollars or more on a fish tank just because widdle Johnny saw a cartoon? If there are, I'm not seeing them in my place, but I don't get a whole lot of casual traffic (yet), as the mall I am in is still half empty.
Yeah there are a few retailers that won't ask questions. I'd betcha there are just as many e-tailers who won't ask a question or two before shipping off a box of Nemos, Gills and Dorys to the voice on the phone with a valid credit card number, but most of the bricks and mortar places that I know of (and I daresay they represent a reasonable cross-section of the retailers here in the US, in general), are responsible enough to ASK if the buyer has a suitable tank for the fish. The bottom line is it is always the end-user who is ultimately responsible - one wouldn't blame a car salesman if one wrapped one's new car around a telephone pole......
Jenn
I totally agree that the tetra bit was totally out of line - never for a moment forget that.
However........
In the simplest sense, there is no real mystique to marine fishkeeping. Adequate tank, adequate filtration, good water and routine maintenance and a healthy dose of common sense, and even *I* can manage a marine tank. I'm not a PhD, or a rocket scientist, I'm just an average schmoe who likes saltwater fish and critters.
The first time I saw saltwater fish was when I was 12 and I saw them at Sea World --totally blew me away. Next time was when I was about 18 and I saw them in a friend's HOUSE -- curiously, the Regal/Hippo/Blue tang was the first fish I saw, and 18 years later I finally have one of my own (two actually.... they lived together for 4 years in another hobbyist's tank before I came to have them....).
The "Nemo Effect" is really not that much different from the way I came into the hobby - I saw it someplace and decided to do it. Sure Nemo's a cartoon - but how is the interest sparked in the hobby really any different than the way any of us came to it? Honestly, are there THAT many people willing to cough up a couple hundred dollars or more on a fish tank just because widdle Johnny saw a cartoon? If there are, I'm not seeing them in my place, but I don't get a whole lot of casual traffic (yet), as the mall I am in is still half empty.
Yeah there are a few retailers that won't ask questions. I'd betcha there are just as many e-tailers who won't ask a question or two before shipping off a box of Nemos, Gills and Dorys to the voice on the phone with a valid credit card number, but most of the bricks and mortar places that I know of (and I daresay they represent a reasonable cross-section of the retailers here in the US, in general), are responsible enough to ASK if the buyer has a suitable tank for the fish. The bottom line is it is always the end-user who is ultimately responsible - one wouldn't blame a car salesman if one wrapped one's new car around a telephone pole......
Jenn
You think thats bad, I went to a petco store in tysons corner virginia about 2 weeks ago. In 1 20 gal tank was about 25 clowns. About 10 were either laying on the bottom of the tank or swimming sideways. It really saddened me. It seemed as tho they did take care of their iguana's very well tho.
Wow. I actually got a reply from tetra!
Thank you for writing to us about Tetra's appearance on the CBS Early Show.
The brevity of the segment prevented us from covering all of the points that
we would have liked to cover. Tetra understands that setting up any
aquarium is a complicated process and we refer people to responsible sources
of information, such as a local retail pet professional or
www.tetra-fish.com for more detailed information.
Your point is well taken. I can assure you that we will consider your
concerns in all of our future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Tetra Consumer Relations
Thank you for writing to us about Tetra's appearance on the CBS Early Show.
The brevity of the segment prevented us from covering all of the points that
we would have liked to cover. Tetra understands that setting up any
aquarium is a complicated process and we refer people to responsible sources
of information, such as a local retail pet professional or
www.tetra-fish.com for more detailed information.
Your point is well taken. I can assure you that we will consider your
concerns in all of our future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Tetra Consumer Relations
8O 8O 8O 8O 8O
#1 they don't even mention marine aquarium maintainence on their website. #2 refering people to responsible sources of information does not mean telling people to rely on "local retail pet professionals" that Tetra has never once spoken to or know their level of competence!
What a load of crap!
Tetra should have shown how to setup an alternative to a "Nemo Tank" with some guppies or mollies and then referred people to there website. That is about as in depth as they get.
Good job though Bingo. At least you gave their PR dept. something to do. I would really like to refer them to this thread if I knew RDO wouldn't have repercussions.
Are you sure it wouldn't have some beneficial repercussions? Would RDO have any legal responsibilities for folks expressing their outrage at Tetra's incompetence..nay, practically fraudulent information..can I just say what they told folks was fraudulent? I think so, when I consider that they tossed seahorses (a stressed species--especially if they didn't offer up the information to folks to buy captive-bred animals) with the mix. Christ. :roll:
Even the threat of litigation costs money. I'm pretty confident in saying that most reefkeeping websites do not have cash to go around dealing with this. Remember the Novak case? Many people named on his case folded before the court battle even started because they couldn't afford to fight it even tho they probably could have won. Food for thought.
Shane
Shane
Seamaiden, do you think I'd just be placated by these cheap-product-pushin-pussies (alliteration!) on one email?
Naw.
To: Consumer Relations Department:
So, you may _consider_ my concerns in your future endeavors, but what will you do to correct the damage that has been done? You've already listed your FRESHWATER website to a lot of viewers, and again to me. (See below.) Again, I bring up the point- WHY ARE YOU REFERING PEOPLE LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON THE CARE OF MARINE FISH TO TETRA-FISH.COM? IT"S A FRESHWATER WEBSITE!
I make the following suggestions.
1: (and most importantly.) GET BACK ON THE CBS EARLY SHOW AND CORRECT YOUR OWN MISTAKES.
2: Revise your website to either include Saltwater information (UP TO DATE, NOT 10 YEAR OLD TECHNOLOGY) or place some links to marine care on your site. I will gladly send a list of NON-PROFIT websites that have great, current, RELEVANT information.
Also, I enclosed my name on my original email. Why was it not used as a standard greeting in your reply?
Cordially,
BB.
We'll see if I get a response to this one.
Naw.
To: Consumer Relations Department:
So, you may _consider_ my concerns in your future endeavors, but what will you do to correct the damage that has been done? You've already listed your FRESHWATER website to a lot of viewers, and again to me. (See below.) Again, I bring up the point- WHY ARE YOU REFERING PEOPLE LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON THE CARE OF MARINE FISH TO TETRA-FISH.COM? IT"S A FRESHWATER WEBSITE!
I make the following suggestions.
1: (and most importantly.) GET BACK ON THE CBS EARLY SHOW AND CORRECT YOUR OWN MISTAKES.
2: Revise your website to either include Saltwater information (UP TO DATE, NOT 10 YEAR OLD TECHNOLOGY) or place some links to marine care on your site. I will gladly send a list of NON-PROFIT websites that have great, current, RELEVANT information.
Also, I enclosed my name on my original email. Why was it not used as a standard greeting in your reply?
Cordially,
BB.
We'll see if I get a response to this one.
Hey people just reading all this very disturbing info resulting from the movie, I work in the largest pet chain in New Zealand in the aquarium section. The movie isnt due to screen here for a couple of weeks but im glad ive read this forum so I can inform my boss about all of this. I believe the general public just dont know whats involved in keeping these wonderful creatures of the sea.
bandit8051":26qe1vsi said:Hey people just reading all this very disturbing info resulting from the movie, I work in the largest pet chain in New Zealand in the aquarium section. The movie isnt due to screen here for a couple of weeks but im glad ive read this forum so I can inform my boss about all of this. I believe the general public just dont know whats involved in keeping these wonderful creatures of the sea.
bandit, welcome to reefs.org. I agree with you wholeheartedly. Yes, the backlash here is a force to be reckoned with. I feel there are many parallels with "101 Dalmations", except with that film we were talking about stupid people buying stupid domesticated animals, not animals caught in the wild.
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