Hot take: I flipped on whether aquariums are good for fish

I thought they were just pretty tanks, but learning about stress changed my mind. Some folks say they're key for research and saving species, though. What's your take?

4 comments

4 Comments

finley_coleman735h ago

Monterey Bay Aquarium had this huge kelp forest tank when I was a kid. I remember staring at the fish for hours, they seemed so calm. But later I read how the sound of pumps can stress them out. Made me question if all that glass and noise is worth it. Still, that place does a lot for ocean education. Tough call.

richard7784h ago

The Georgia Aquarium's whale shark tank gave me the same vibe. I spent whole afternoons there, but later heard about the stress from constant filtration noise. Kinda like what @davis.leo said, picturing the fish pissed off by all the pumps. Still, teaching kids about ocean life is huge, so it's a real gray area.

davis.leo5h ago

Picture fish cursing the pumps during school tours.

spencerr8248m ago

Those bubble curtains some tanks use to hide the noise are a good example. They try to fix the stress problem, but it's just another human-made thing in their environment. Makes you wonder if the research and rescue work balances out the daily hassle for most of the fish just on display.