# PETA says - don't serve fish for lunch at the Aquarium! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 29, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409 "2005-06-29T19:24:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/21 "2005-06-29T21:31:27Z")
I’ve been to a place in Maine where you are supposed to select your own lobster as it crawls about in its tank. I don’t go there anymore. I refuse to point the finger of doom at a hapless crustacean. “Three wishes? Shoot, I’ll give you four wishes!!!” ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/22 "2005-06-29T21:38:05Z")
Is there any organization that is worse for the cause of animal welfare than PETA? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/23 "2005-06-29T21:40:06Z")
Does it matter to the salmon you had for lunch where you eat it? ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/24 "2005-06-29T21:46:18Z")
Weird!! I just ordered fish from a restaurant called “L’ Aquarium”. Actually I’m eating it… Keep the PETA within your borders, folks… ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/25 "2005-06-29T21:52:47Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Or how about if anything could be pointed at and eaten, for an appropriate price? Kinda like the world’s biggest lobster tank. Oh no! He pointed at the fugu! _What do we do!_ ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/26 "2005-06-29T21:58:01Z")
Goldfish: “Hey, look. Howards being Eaten!” ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/27 "2005-06-29T21:59:34Z")
**Madd Maxx** : You live in baltimore? I always figured “Beyond Thunderdome” meant australia. ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/28 "2005-06-29T22:01:06Z")
I certainly have no objection to the idea, although I’m trying to resist the obligatory joke about “Today’s Special: Slow Learner”. Okay, so I absolutely failed to resist it. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/29 "2005-06-29T22:01:41Z")
Fish are “intelligent, sensitive and interesting animals”, says PETA. Okay, I’ll grant them Interesting, but I don’t see how anyone could hang around a fish and call them “Intelligent or Sensitive” Also, now I think want a poodle burger. _looks for listings of the next dog show_ Yeah, you heard me PETA. I never wanted one before, but you made it sound appatizing! ---
**Author:** ![ScoobyTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@ScoobyTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScoobyTX)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/30 "2005-06-29T23:45:50Z")
Don’t most of the fish in the aquarium eat fish in the aquarium? I don’t think it freaks them out much, why should it freak me out? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/31 "2005-06-30T00:39:16Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Chinee Oh, dear Og. \*mentally apologizes to _Chinese \* boyfriend_ ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/32 "2005-06-30T00:50:16Z")
> [@Larry Borgia](#): > > Is there any organization that is worse for the cause of animal welfare than PETA? McDonald’s. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/33 "2005-06-30T01:06:42Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > McDonald’s. > Daniel OK, I should have said any organization that does more harm while ostensibly working on the animal’s behalf. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/34 "2005-06-30T01:53:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Madd Maxx: Boy, these burgers sure are delicious! > Cows: Moo. > Madd Maxx: And fresh too! Hey, Cow, ever wonder where your friend Bessie wandered off to? > Cow: Moo? > Madd Maxx: That’s right I’m eating Bessie-burgers! > Cow: That’s downright disturbing, right there. ::chews cud and wanders off:: Madd Maxx:In fact, this one’s so tasty, I think I’ll have…seconds. Cow:MOOOOOO!!! ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/35 "2005-06-30T02:33:48Z")
There isn’t much fish I would eat anyway, so not eating it at the aquarium is not a big deal for me. However, the proposal that others should not is pretty stupid. I mean, as others have said, even the _fish_ are eating fish at the aquarium. Why should I feel I am any better than they are? On the other hand, it is hard for me (as one who likes little seafood to begin with) to understand how one might be in the food for fish after watching floating fish heads and entrails, and the little cloud of former fish muck that dissipates after one fish chomps down on another. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/36 "2005-06-30T02:34:23Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > McDonald’s. > Daniel I dunno about that. Peta is regularly successful in making me crave a burger. McDonalds… not so much. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/37 "2005-06-30T02:34:50Z")
Make that “in the mood for fish.” In the food for fish? What the hell would that mean? Sort of the reverse situation? ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/38 "2005-06-30T02:51:13Z")
Just to add a fact or two to the discussion (but I’ll try not to get carried away): Says on this card that I’m a charter member of the Long Beach Aquarium. I’ve had the fish. The fish on display are exotic, as you might expect. The dragon fish are quite strange and wonderful. The fish being served is served at a regular concessionaire-type public cafeteria. It is served in the form of ordinary fish and chips, breaded, deep fat fried, et cetera. The ambiance is that of hyperactive school kids and frazzled teachers’ aides - which is to say, anything but exotic. So, strictly for the record, there is absolutely no confusing the fish on the paper plate as having more than a casual genetic relationship with the rest of the fish in the place. For What It’s Worth. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/39 "2005-06-30T03:41:36Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > There isn’t much fish I would eat anyway, so not eating it at the aquarium is not a big deal for me. However, the proposal that others should not is pretty stupid. I mean, as others have said, even the _fish_ are eating fish at the aquarium. Why should I feel I am any better than they are? > > On the other hand, it is hard for me (as one who likes little seafood to begin with) to understand how one might be in the food for fish after watching floating fish heads and entrails, and the little cloud of former fish muck that dissipates after one fish chomps down on another. Damn, you beat me to it. What do the People for the Eating of Tasty Anglefish think the sharks are fed? Tofu? If anything, an aquarium is the most logical place to instill a craving for a McFishparts sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/40 "2005-06-30T07:46:24Z")
**Rufus Xavier** - oh Op, which Aquarium is that? Note, I am a member of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and they have some very education “what fish to eat” exhibuts" and they serve only eco-safe fish. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409.md?page=3)