# Wal-Mart anti-theft system kills fishies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 2007, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896 "2007-10-08T01:57:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/1 "2007-10-08T01:57:24Z")
I was at Wal-Mart earlier today and picked out a few goldfish for a 35 gallon aquarium I’ve got. After paying, the checkout girl told me to be sure and hold the fish above the anti-theft panels as I left the store. You know, those things they have on either side of the door which sound an alarm if you pass through with something you shouldn’t? According to her, it will kill the fish, or at least harm them. “Fry their brains” or something. I thought the girl might have been joshing me, but the little old lady “say goodbye-er” reminded me again to hold the bag above the anti-theft system while leaving. Were they playing with me? Will those anti-theft devices really kill or harm fish? If so, how? And why doesn’t it fry my brain? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/2 "2007-10-08T03:10:00Z")
They were mistaken. There is no brain-fry action between those gates. Even for fish. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/3 "2007-10-08T04:24:36Z")
Pfft, I just make sure to bring a little tiny foil hat for the fish when I buy them. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/4 "2007-10-08T04:56:20Z")
Funny I know of a pet store with RFID anti theft systems that gives no such instruction. Must be because saltwater fish are immune :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/5 "2007-10-08T05:33:57Z")
Wow. Imagine the fun you could have with these people! I would love to see the look on their faces if you were to threaten swinging the bag of fish near the alarms. “Don’t make me do it!” ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/6 "2007-10-08T12:52:54Z")
[QUOTE=drachillix] Funny I know of a pet store with RFID anti theft systems that gives no such instruction. Must be because saltwater fish are immune :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] I’m now envisioning fish with RFID tags attached to their fins… ---
**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:** [October 8, 2007, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/7 "2007-10-08T13:08:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Wow. Imagine the fun you could have with these people! What makes you sure that the sales clerk wasn’t thinking the same thing? ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/8 "2007-10-08T14:00:04Z")
What makes you think the checkout girl was smarter than the fish? ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/9 "2007-10-08T14:32:49Z")
It occurs to me that if the anti-theft gate were really capable of frying a fish brain, it would also be capable of harming some humans, e.g. giving an old person a stroke. If that were the case, nobody would use the things for fear of lawsuits when granny has a stroke after coming home from Walmart. Since the gates are in wide use, I infer that they are probably safe for fish. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/10 "2007-10-08T15:02:50Z")
You didn’t happen to notice a candid camera anywhere? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/11 "2007-10-08T15:13:35Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] What makes you sure that the sales clerk wasn’t thinking the same thing? [/QUOTE] And maybe the customers aren’t the target. A better source of amusement would be telling this to the little-old-lady greeter, because then it’s funny over and over and over again; customers are all one-shot gags, without much payoff, but if the target is the elderly greeter, the repetition of foolishness could increase the (ostensible) hilarity. Many cynically snarky teenagers would happily cope with boredom by secretly mocking the helpfulness of a technologically ignorant grayhair. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/12 "2007-10-08T15:31:14Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] And maybe the customers aren’t the target. A better source of amusement would be telling this to the little-old-lady greeter, because then it’s funny over and over and over again; customers are all one-shot gags, without much payoff, but if the target is the elderly greeter, the repetition of foolishness could increase the (ostensible) hilarity. Many cynically snarky teenagers would happily cope with boredom by secretly mocking the helpfulness of a technologically ignorant grayhair. [/QUOTE] Just keep in mind our stated charter of _fighting_ ignorance… ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/13 "2007-10-08T15:41:05Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] And maybe the customers aren’t the target. A better source of amusement would be telling this to the little-old-lady greeter, because then it’s funny over and over and over again; customers are all one-shot gags, without much payoff, but if the target is the elderly greeter, the repetition of foolishness could increase the (ostensible) hilarity. Many cynically snarky teenagers would happily cope with boredom by secretly mocking the helpfulness of a technologically ignorant grayhair. [/QUOTE] I thought of this. It’s hilarious they got me to hold the bag up and over the security system, but I suspect there’s a bored kid working there who thinks it’s even more hilarious he’s got half the employees believing this, and repeating it to customers. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/14 "2007-10-08T15:58:40Z")
My guess is some serious sounding dude returned some dead fish there claiming knoweldge of the techology and citing that as the reason, and now the employees think its fact. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/15 "2007-10-08T16:37:26Z")
Well if RFID systems harm fish brains, I certainly plan on filing a lawsuit against the FCC for endangering my own brain with all these damn radio waves floating around the air! I knew they were a menace! Invisible floating song waves == the devil!! ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/16 "2007-10-08T18:15:31Z")
Putting them next to your Wireless network antenna will do them more harm. Besides water affects radio waves. The fish is safer than you. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/17 "2007-10-08T18:30:37Z")
[QUOTE=levdrakon] I thought of this. It’s hilarious they got me to hold the bag up and over the security system, but I suspect there’s a bored kid working there who thinks it’s even more hilarious he’s got half the employees believing this, and repeating it to customers. [/QUOTE] Holding it over the gates doesn’t do much good. The keys for various departments at our store have those ridiculous gator tags (think the old rectangle ink tags) on them, and if we walk out of the store to go to break or something with them in our pocket then _DING_ we’ve stolen something. :smack: There is a way to get them to not go off, but I don’t know if board rules would allow me to mention it. And you wouldn’t want to do it with fishies anyway. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/18 "2007-10-09T01:48:36Z")
[QUOTE=chaoticbear] Holding it over the gates doesn’t do much good. The keys for various departments at our store have those ridiculous gator tags (think the old rectangle ink tags) on them, and if we walk out of the store to go to break or something with them in our pocket then _DING_ we’ve stolen something. :smack: There is a way to get them to not go off, but I don’t know if board rules would allow me to mention it. And you wouldn’t want to do it with fishies anyway. [/QUOTE] What, wrap em in aluminum/tin foil? That’s pretty much all you need to do to create a Faraday cage around them and block the radio waves. Oops. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Morelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Morelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morelin)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/19 "2007-10-09T02:33:05Z")
[QUOTE=chaoticbear] Holding it over the gates doesn’t do much good. The keys for various departments at our store have those ridiculous gator tags (think the old rectangle ink tags) on them, and if we walk out of the store to go to break or something with them in our pocket then _DING_ we’ve stolen something. :smack: There is a way to get them to not go off, but I don’t know if board rules would allow me to mention it. And you wouldn’t want to do it with fishies anyway. [/QUOTE] Actually, holding them over the gates would prevent the alarm from going off, but think how silly a thief would look trying to nonchalantly hold their stolen goods over their head. ---
**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896/20 "2007-10-09T02:57:02Z")
[QUOTE=levdrakon] I suspect there’s a bored kid working there who thinks it’s even more hilarious he’s got half the employees believing this, and repeating it to customers. [/QUOTE] “Hey look, Bubba! We got us another one!!” 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wal-mart-anti-theft-system-kills-fishies/421896.md?page=2)