when it dies...

[ybenormal]

I am not "resiting" you on anything. You made a statement that you had seen contamination from home aquaria first hand and I was interested in hearing some examples of what you had seen. Maybe you need to calm down just a bit and quit being so defensive?

Since you've decided to challenge my thoughts on this, I guess I'll respond. First of all, you mentioned that disposal of fish in sewars spreads pathogens. According to dictionary.com, a pathogen is
"any disease-producing agent, esp. a virus, bacterium, or other microorganism". The example you provided in your later post involved anchor worms (two words) which are parasites--not pathogens. Also, what research can you provide that trace this outbreak back to home aquaria, much less someone flushing a small fish (this basic point of this whole discussion)?

IRT sewers not being set up to sterilize water, you are absolutely correct. They are set up to carry the runoff or wastewater to a treatment plant or distant drainage area. One point for you. I would argue that disposing of dead animal carcasses in landfills has just as much if not more potential for spreading pathogens though since they are frequented by birds and wild animals that have learned to consider landfills as a major source of food. They then spread bacteria and disease to other animals and even to humans in some cases.

For the record, I flush small fish and bury larger ones and I will continue to do so in the future. All are dead before they are flushed or buried and I concur that we should not flush live fish--ever. Now maybe we can get back to the topic of this thread?

 

[Opcn]

I stated that I had seen contamination from home aquariums, not pathogens.

I simply assumed you were resisting because you called me on something, continuing along the line the HR fell into of specifically denying the widely accepted claim that I made. I never made the claim that I could trace the cause back to a flushed fish, I can however prove that raw sewage has leaked from a trailor park into the stream feeding that lagoon.

By sewars I means our sewage treatment systems, picking at semantics doesn't make my argument any less valid.

You should bury your small fish too, a small fish can carry pathogens just as well as a large fish. As for land fills animals that pick at landfils tend to have very acidic stomachs and very powerful immune systems, both of which will kill most pathogens and parasites.

 

[ybenormal]

You somehow managed to carry the conversation from flushed fish to pathogens to bacteria and then end up attributing your observations to raw sewage from a trailer park. That you can prove that the sewage did leak into the lagoon does not equate to proof that it was the cause of the anchor worm problem. Possible or even likely, maybe, but hardly proof positive and not even remotely related to the topic of flushing fish.

This has been an interesting conversation but I see nothing in any of your comments that truly supports your original point, is backed by documented evidence of cause and effect or that will convince me to change what I do with small dead fish. I will bury this discussion though as it has nothing to do with the topic of this thread.

 

[Opcn]

Its proof that its possilbe, I never said that I had proof that it happened. I'm adressing a possibility, and advocating the best way to dispose of an animal. Its absolutely related 100% to flushing fish, thats why I brought it up, as a reason not to flush fish.

The origional question was answered, and a side topic was brought up, I adressed the dangerous side topic. Just because you are willing to do something you know could cause harm because you are to lazy to change your habits unless you see someone document how it has caused harm doesn't mean that everyone who lurks here is as irresponsible as you.

 

[Captain Bucket]

Just a quick comment:

I work in the wastewater (sewage) industry. The Federal Govt. issues permits (called NPDES) to every Wastewater treatment plant in the country, detailing specific and unique parameters each facility must meet to operate. In almost every instance (and in every instance of freshwater or inland receiving waters) facilities are required to disinfect their effluent (usually by means of chlorine, ultraviolet, or ozone).

There are times like heavy rains, and power failures, where these measures are thwarted, but by in large, it should be perfectly fine to flush your dead fish, providing of course it is small enough to pass.

Lots of facilities do however have trouble with freshwater snails taking up residence in certain parts of their process, and I'm sure there are other organisms that may do so as well, so please use extreme prejudice in what and when you flush.

 

[ybenormal]

Thanks CB.