Are fish pets

[reyd reid reed]

Or are they a hobby?

:shrug:

[Deja Q]

1. Some would say 'delicious', but I'd say they're pets... and a hobby.

Not much of a pet, one can only look at them - which they would probably deem as stalking...

Angelfish can be friendly and let you pat them on the head. Which proves they're fairly stupid too; touching a fish disrupts the slime coating on their bodies and that can lead to illness...

When they see you coming, they zoom to that special corner where the food comes from... so they aren't entirely stupid...

[reyd reid reed]

8. I used to have three aquariums...

one of them had tropical fish: angelfish and betas and tetras...those angelfish were mean little things. Pretty, but mean. They used to chase the little neons and tigers and take chunks out of their tails.

S'okay, though. I got 'em to stop.

I used to have a piranha, too. And a Dempsey. The piranha was the mellowest li'l guy. He used to come out and eat from my hand and let me pet him.

[TimeChaser]

2. Pets

For me at least. I once had a little feeder goldfish named Chester who I took home with me after working at a fish game at a carnival my synagogue had. He wasn't even gold, more like a muddy brown. But he was definitely a pet. When he died (he lasted a year and a half... not bad for a feeder fish) I cried and cried. Even back then I knew it was kind of silly to get worked up over a little fish, I couldn't help it.

[reyd reid reed]

12. When Percy died,

I was inconsolable. I mourned that fish. He was my buddy.

[Chan790]

3. Anything that needs care and attention is a pet.

I have a three question quiz I use to determine the difference:
Does it need to be fed?
Does it need to be maintained in any anyway to not die/get sick?
Is it alive?

If the answer to any question is yes, then it's a pet.

[Deja Q]

4. Silly question, but does that include dust mites?

Though they need attention, we have to vacuum and clean up their droppings (dust) all the time...

[Chan790]

7. Are you trying to keep your dust mites alive...

or should you be trying to keep your dust mites alive for that matter? No, they don't require attention to survive, they require it only in the name of your personal cleanliness.

[ganeshji]

5. I just got a fish a few weeks ago.

I have to agree with HypnoToad that they are both. My fish is a pet due to the fact that I care for his needs and feel some measure of affection toward him. He is a hobby as far as collecting stuff for his tank and messing with it. I have never really given it that much thought.

[Guava Jelly]

6. I had a 12" oscar I named Gollum

About 9 years ago.
He was a pet I buried him in a flowing river when he died.

[reyd reid reed]

9. I never had an oscar...

the Dempsey was enough. The Dempsey used to steal the piranha's food all the time.

[Guava Jelly]

10. I had a Pacu in with him for a while but he would bully him

so I found the Pacu a better home.

[ironflange]

11. We have a Betta, he's definitely a pet

He greets you and follows you around (within his confines) just like a puppy.

Though I've heard said that a pet is anything that won't go down the toilet.

[Left Is Write]

13. Fish are friends.

:D