# 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:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Theologue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@Theologue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theologue)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/41 "2005-06-30T08:00:17Z")
Almost any fish will eat any other fish that will inside its mouth. One of the first rules of aquarium keeping. ---
**Author:** ![Theologue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@Theologue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theologue)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/42 "2005-06-30T08:01:49Z")
> [@Theologue](#): > > Almost any fish will eat any other fish that will inside its mouth. One of the first rules of aquarium keeping. Argh! Almost any fish will eat any other fish that will **fit** inside its mouth. I would have no problems eating fish at an aquarium. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/43 "2005-06-30T08:26:12Z")
I have this deeply hilarious image in my head right now of someone sitting down to eat, surrounded by giant fish tanks, and the tanks are lined from floor to ceiling with fish pressed up against the glass, just glaring at him. Giving him the stinkeye. Trust me, in my head, it’s really funny. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/44 "2005-06-30T08:37:08Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Damn, you beat me to it. What do the People for the Eating of Tasty Anglefish think the sharks are fed? Tofu? > . No doubt PETA will now try to prove that you can raise a shark to eat an entirely vegan diet. It’ll be worth it when the shark eats one of the PETA people. ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/45 "2005-06-30T08:53:45Z")
I love PETA: usually it takes one’s ideological _opponents_ to take your perfectly reasonable starting premise (“People should treat animals ethically? Well, sure. Now let’s discuss what that means and what we’re prepared to sacrifice for it”) and drive it off the nearest cliff. But they’re always willing to do it themselves. Their commitment to bizarrely constructed symbolic protests is a treat for lovers of absurdity. Fish are intelligent sensitive creatures that shouldn’t be eaten? Shall we charge full-tilt at Red Lobster and Long John Silver’s? Too easy. Let’s target the snack bar at the _Aquarium_. It reminds me of their call a couple of years ago for the Green Bay Packers to change their name (‘cause it’s short for Meat Packers, y’ know). I found it odd that they made no similar demand of the Dallas franchise. I mean, what did they think those Cowboys were _doing_ with all the cattle? Taking them for a walk? I also like the analogy of poodle burgers at a dog show. First, given PETA’s stance on pets, I’m surprised they’re not in favor of that. Second, poodle burgers at a dog show? That couldn’t possibly happen in real life – it would be like serving beef at a rodeo. In short, this effort is like many of PETA’s recent forays. It is ridiculously focused, it gains a little bit of media attention, it’s borderline incoherent, and if it were somehow to be completely successful, and their demands were actually met, it would advance their cause not at all. Fish-taunting vixens like **Eve** , though – well, that’s just mean. ---
**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, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/46 "2005-06-30T10:24:27Z")
> [@The King of Soup](#): > > I love PETA: usually it takes one’s ideological _opponents_ to take your perfectly reasonable starting premise (“People should treat animals ethically? Well, sure. Now let’s discuss what that means and what we’re prepared to sacrifice for it”) and drive it off the nearest cliff. But they’re always willing to do it themselves. Their commitment to bizarrely constructed symbolic protests is a treat for lovers of absurdity. It really is. They’re occasionally successful (most notably on their campaigns to get specific fast-food restaurants to improve slaughterhouse techniques at the houses they buy from), but they spend a lot of time amusing themselves with their own outlandishness. We may as well be amused, too. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/47 "2005-06-30T11:35:01Z")
In Bostion they serve fish in the cafeteria at the Aquarium. And they serve chicken and burgers at the snack bar next to the petting zoo at the Franklin Park Zoo. Heck, I’ve seen ornamental vegetables outside restaurants that serve vegetarian dishes. I don’t see the insensitivity, myself. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/48 "2005-06-30T11:49:48Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Heck, I’ve seen ornamental vegetables outside restaurants that serve vegetarian dishes. > I don’t see the insensitivity, myself. Won’t somebody please think of the eggplant? ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/49 "2005-06-30T12:23:53Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > **Madd Maxx** : You live in Baltimore? I always figured “Beyond Thunderdome” meant Australia. Actually I live in York, PA now, but I lived in Harford Co. previously. Thunderdome was (is?) a bar in Baltimore and I live “beyond” it. Technically I still live beyond it, so I never bothered to change it. Plus it goes with the name so well. > [@Little Nemo](#): > > Madd Maxx: In fact, this one’s so tasty, I think I’ll have…seconds. > Cow:MOOOOOO!!! That’s funny coming from a guy named after a fish. In a thread about eating fish at an aquarium. I also smacked one cow on the ass and called it Hamburger Helper. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/50 "2005-06-30T14:09:39Z")
PETA starts an outrageous ad campaign. In other news the bears are catholic and the pope shits in the woods. I used to think PETA were a bunch of wackos. Ok, I still think they’re a bunch of wackos but they’re wacko like a fox. PETA, and other organizations, will make all manner of outrageous statements or publicity stunts in order to get their cause in the news and in the minds of the public. Like a child acting up, PETA doesn’t care whether it gets good attention or bad attention and probably can’t tell one from the other. Marc ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/51 "2005-06-30T15:18:47Z")
> [@The King of Soup](#): > > It reminds me of their call a couple of years ago for the Green Bay Packers to change their name (‘cause it’s short for Meat Packers, y’ know). It is? I always figured, what with Green Bay’s proximity to Door County, it had something to do with fudge. Go Bears! ---
**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, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/52 "2005-06-30T15:20:19Z")
> [@MGibson](#): > > PETA starts an outrageous ad campaign. In other news the bears are catholic and the pope shits in the woods. I used to think PETA were a bunch of wackos. Ok, I still think they’re a bunch of wackos but they’re wacko like a fox. PETA, and other organizations, will make all manner of outrageous statements or publicity stunts in order to get their cause in the news and in the minds of the public. > > Like a child acting up, PETA doesn’t care whether it gets good attention or bad attention and probably can’t tell one from the other. > > Marc I think you nailed it exactly. PETA is profoundly good at getting talked about–I’ll guess that they’re discussed on these boards more than all other US nonprofits combined (including Amnesty, Red Cross, etc.) That doesn’t translate to fulfilling their mission, but it probably makes them feel all warm and tingly. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/53 "2005-06-30T17:13:56Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > **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. The same as the one in the linked article and the one **Civil Guy** is a card-carrying member of: The Long Beach Aquarium in Long Beach, CA. ---
**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, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/54 "2005-06-30T17:19:08Z")
> [@Rufus Xavier](#): > > The same as the one in the linked article . Some of us are vary about clicking on links. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/55 "2005-06-30T17:19:23Z")
> [@The King of Soup](#): > > I also like the analogy of poodle burgers at a dog show. First, given PETA’s stance on pets, I’m surprised they’re not in favor of that. Second, poodle burgers at a dog show? That couldn’t possibly happen in real life – it would be like serving beef at a rodeo. You can’t get hot dogs at a rodeo? They don’t tailgate afterwards? Huh. Whodathunk it. I havn’t been to a real western rodeo in twenty years, but I remember a tailgate party. Then again, memories may be a wee bit foggy. ---
**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, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/56 "2005-06-30T17:29:43Z")
Last time I was at a rodeo, they had a BBQ. Lots of beef served. ---
**Author:** ![Fionn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/57 "2005-06-30T18:06:22Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > It’ll be worth it when the shark eats one of the PETA people. Maybe that’s the shark version of a vegan diet. Shark 1: Bob, you look so healthy! Shark 2: I’ve started eating vegans. Really cuts down on the fat and cholesterol. ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2005, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409/58 "2005-07-02T03:59:07Z")
Yes, you _can_ get hot dogs and/or BBQ at both dog shows and rodeos. That was kind of my point, which WAS that PETA is sometimes more interested in meaningless symbolic gestures than in reforming the world in the way they seem to want it to be. Thanks to **Left Hand of Dorkness** , who recognized that the organization can do some good when it wants to, and that it spends great thick swaths of its resources getting its name in the papers to no good purpose. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peta-says-dont-serve-fish-for-lunch-at-the-aquarium/310409.md?page=2)