Goldfish As Prizes In Canada

[Melody]

Is it illegal in Canada to give fish as prizes? Was it ever a big thing here? I don't remember ever seeing it, but that doesn't mean it ain't so. Apparently it's the poor Goldfish that gets given away most, feeders I suppose, so I posted in the Pond stuff.

Practical Fishkeeping readers are trying to make it illegal (http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=1732) to give fish as prizes. Some say it gets people into fishkeeping while others call it abuse. I can't imagine what the fish endures, since the vast majority wouldn't be set up for it. You win a fish, what do you do with it if you didn't plan on it? Take it home to a container?

I suppose in the Internet age people probably do come home and Google it, so maybe a lot of them do end up in the hobby?

Any experiences there? Opinions?

[KnaveTO]

Most of the summer carnivals that were around when I was a kid had those ping pong toss games where a gold fish was the prize. As for now... not sure as I haven't been to a carnival in years

[Melody]

I have to go once or twice / year - love that stuff. I haven't seen any fishies at them though.

[CACAdmin]

Haven't seen any fish as prizes anywhere but I think in this age of Gift Cards, a card to purchase the fish would be a much better idea. Then some thought would be given to actually having a proper tank for it (hopefully).

[Pamelajo]

I have not seen them either, but there is someone I work with who keeps getting fish her kids win at some kind of local event.

[Melody]

Maybe school or local fairs still give them out or something:Dunno: .

[Soggybottom]

I'm against this one. I'm willing to bet that the chances of the sideshow operator and the lucky winner taking adequate care of the fish are pretty low...

[Melody]

I keep picturing them in bags in the sun - I'm assuming they don't catch them as they're won?

[OldMan]

I'm with KnaveTO. I always saw the ping pong ball bowls with feeder goldfish in them. They might have held a whole cup of water each but if you won one it was dumped into a plastic bag. I guess even a 1 cup bowl was too much for the carnival operator to give away.

[Melody]

I don't know which is more shocking, that someone would use them as prizes or that so many people would actually want them. Ignorance is bliss I guess.

[RatMan]

as a young lad living in Southern ON I have seen the same with ping pong balls, but have not seen it in years and not up north here........
about 3 years ago my neighbours had gone to a wedding and the center peices on the tables were lucky bamboo shoots and they brought home 15 of the fish in thier little containers...so I spent the next 2 days getting rid of 15 betta fish for them...once they found out I could not house them "all in the same tank it is easy" .......but they all went to homes were they were wanted.......

[CACAdmin]

Bettas are beautiful fish and you could see how they were captivated by them enough to bring so many home. I'd hate to think what would have happened had your neighbors tried to put all the bettas in one tank. :wideeyed: Thankfully, you managed to enlighten them and re-home the bettas.