Fish Pedicure Shops

[Supersalmon]

Hello fellow fishkeepers,
I am just interested as to what people think of these new stores springing up all over the country in the UK. The fish are basically in tanks into which people place their feet and the fish eat the dead skin. This idea kind of horrifies me. Fish dont naturally eat skin, their appeared to be a lot of fish in each tank and one case i heard of was when someone put their feet in covered in fake tan which leached into the water and the tank had to be shut down.
I havent heard much discussion on this topic but to me it just doesnt seem ethical or right in any way. Anyone else have any views on this.

 

[electropunk06]

Hi, i don't like these shops, never been in but the fish need to be starved before they will start to eat dead skin. Also i doubt they are looked after. The wild populations of the garra ruffa are very low now due to this craze, and collecting of them in the wild is banned.
I Don't think these shops should be allowed to carry on. Hopefully this will just be a short lived fad.
Lloyd

 

[Ben M]

Hopefully this will just be a short lived fad.

I wonder what the future will be for the fish afterwards?

 

[electropunk06]

Hopefully this will just be a short lived fad.

I wonder what the future will be for the fish afterwards?

I don't think the fish in the shops live too long anyway. Sadly.

 

[Supersalmon]

I assume this is all well regulated and controlled but if the above comments are correct then why is it being allowed, surely there is a case for cruelty or neglect here.

 

[Haveagojoe]

I dont like the idea myself and find it interesting that its banned in a lot of the states in america and canada.