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[jon.smolders]

I don't think crualty to fish or turtles (any animals) for entertainment purposes is right (food is a different story), and there are moral problems and hypocrisy both in our culture and in others in this respect.

I think what I was reacting to in my first post was whether or not it should be legal. Do we really need laws against crualty to goldfish? Maybe against the commercial sale of fish kept in inhumane conditions... but then do we really want that? Would it interfere with or hinder a LFS's ability to exist? Or would it just force them to keep their tanks clean? I don't really know... it just seems like we have too many laws and restrictions in this country as it is and when something goes wrong, we blame the government.

What we want to know is "why is this happening?"
- Is the problem the governments for allowing it?
- Is the retailer to blame for being greedy and trying to turn a profit with no regard for ethics?
- Is it the consumer and their materialistic obsession for entertainment?
- Or a combination?

The solutions
- Education: Maybe we just need to set up more aquariums and get more people into the hobby so the general public gets up to speed on the proper way to care for aquatic life.
- Moral Reform: A lot of this stems from greed, selfishness, a lack of respect for creation, ect.
- Laws: Crack down on the idiots until they get the point and stop it. But... this doesn't always work. Example: Speeding tickets.
- Let is play out: As sphelps pointed out... the problem might just take care of itself as soon as people end up with dead fish or turles after three days.