Fish at the Omniplex NEED HELP!

[kittyj]

I was in OKC today and took my daughter to the Omniplex. They have a small saltwater display, and what I saw really broke my heart. The fish are sick and severely nipped on. Their yellow tang was missing 90% of its upper fin. Even my 10 year old daughter commented on their condition.

I spoke with the person in charge of the fish, but I couldn't really get her to understand how bad it was. She says the fish have lived together for quite a while and they are fine. She has two Regal Tangs, a Yellow Tang, couple of Triggers, a Clown, Wrasse, Blenny, etc. Not sure which one is eating the others, but suspect it's the two Regals. The three Tangs are in the worst shape. She didn't seem to be very knowledgeable - someone probably just threw the fish keeping task on her.

Anyway, I thought maybe one of the LFS owners or someone with a little more authority might stop by and talk to her. It's really sad and a poor reflection on the hobby.

Thanks,
Kimberly

 

[dugg]

The poor condition of the fish at the Omniplex is a long time problem that has been talked about on here before. They don't seem to care, or want any help with the situation. I believe it was Paul T. (capnbunzo) that posted about it last time he was there. I had anual passes there about 9 years ago, and it was sad then. Not much anyone can really do i guess. I don't think fish fall under animal cruelty laws. In thier case they should though.

 

[lawboy888]

how sad....giving the fact that they have great resources to get infor. damn shame

 

[Serra]

Rome banned gold fish bowls. A man was punnished in NY for killing his son's pet fish. Progress. Some day hopefully we will pass legislation that will protect fish from this kind of abuse.

How about contacting 5 in Your Corner?

 

[MyMonkey]

I would be willing to bet that some well drafted letters to the management there pointing out several problems might help. Naturally, we can CC the board of directors for the Kirkpatrick Foundation as well as the Oklahoma Museum Association, The Smithsonian Institution, and several of their largest corporate donors. They are a non-profit, a bit of bad publicity may likely change things. Just a thought.

 

[theishkid]

Try talking to a few of the reporters at the local news... I guarantee on a day when they are hard up for a story they would go down there.

 

[papagimp]

heck people, start writing to animal rights activists. I bet they'd bug em enough for everybody =o)

 

[Sk8r]

It's right next to the zoo, isn't it? I wonder what the people over there have to say.

 

[mskohl]

the zoo's really aren't much better. I don't think the fish are killing each other, but it's not impressive.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7926229#post7926229 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by papagimp
heck people, start writing to animal rights activists. I bet they'd bug em enough for everybody =o)

But then they'll bug us and attempt to shut us down

Dugg said it right. It's been discussed for a long time and no one has been able to help them at all. I'm wondering if some sort of petition would work. I don't think there is anything that we can legally do about it though. If we get a large amount of people to sign the petition, that might possibly have them change their ways. The worst thing they can do is crumble it up and toss it out.

 

[papagimp]

Correct me if I'm wrong Travis, but there is nothing illegal about telling Oklahoma City about the horrid conditions there, (not if it's true) they couldn't sue for libel or whatever. I like the idea about channel 5 in your corner or whatever it's called.

 

[papagimp]

.....or we could all dress up like fish, stand in front of the omniplex, and beat each other up.....tell everyone this is what's happening inside. =o)

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7936969#post7936969 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by papagimp
Correct me if I'm wrong Travis, but there is nothing illegal about telling Oklahoma City about the horrid conditions there, (not if it's true) they couldn't sue for libel or whatever. I like the idea about channel 5 in your corner or whatever it's called.

I didn't mean that it was illegal. By far, I don't think that. I meant to say that a petition cannot force them by law to give up their fish. They could just throw away the petition. But at least they will know that more than a few people think/know that the fish are living in horrible conditions.

 

[dugg]

I would love to see someone get 5 in your corner to do something about this lol. The problem there would be that 5 in your corner isn't really in your corner lol. I have tried to call them before, and all you will get is an answering machine and blown off.

I am not a fan of public zoos myself. I usually leave on the edge of going postal due to the poor care that the anilmals recieve so we can look at them. There are some zoos that are doing incredible work toward saving species from extinction, but far more that just count thier gate money and do as little as possible to care for the animals. I was actually thrown out of the zoo in Carlsbad New Mexico for raising a huge fuss about the conditions there. They had animals there, that had NO food or water at all, in 110* heat. They had a grizzly bear that looked like he was 2 seconds from a stroke basting in the sun with no cover, and a puddle of water about the size of a 5 gallon bucket to cool off in. It was the most horrible place i have ever seen.

I would say about all you can do if it bothers you, is write them a letter, and don't go there with your money anymore. That would be a shame though, because the omniplex is about the coolest place there is to spend a day with your kids.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

That's disappointing. I wanted to take the family there, but I don't now because of that. Though something can be done, I'm more afraid of the constant crap that I would get from my wife. As shy and quiet as she may seem, she's pretty courageous and outspoken if she sees something that is just unethical.

 

[MyMonkey]

I have changed positions. I now believe that dressing up in fish costumes and beating each other up in front of the omniplex will make an excellent statement.

 

[Serra]

Should get some media coverage! Can I be a mermaid?

 

[poke75]

Can I be Hair Algae???

a little green spray here, a little green spray there...

And I become a piece of live rock, covered in hair algae (if my shirt is off)

 

[dugg]

Paul and Lynn get to be the mermaids.

 

[Serra]

Paul gets to be the mermaid? I didn't know....