I made myself read all 99 pages of this thread, after browsing through most of the rest of the forums.
After all the snail and praw...er....soz...'shrimp' talk, I now have an almost-insatiable craving for garlic butter!
Whilst it is true that there's no such thing as a stupid question, there are plenty of inquisitive idiots and I'm proud to have found the like-minded.
Most of the opinions expressed in here have at least several agreeing with them, so not exactly unpopular opinions.
That said, here's one that I suspect will be unpopular, especially amongst many parents...
(Checks proximity of exits...looks for loose objects to cast about...takes deep breath...)
Children should not be indulged with plastic toys and fish. I don't care if little Azalea wants a fishy and wants it to live with pretty plastic flowers. If little Azalea needs such things to be interested and to hold her attention, then little Azalea is not yet ready for the responsibilities of animal husbandry. Too many parents over-indulge their sprogs with 'disposable' animals for them to play with, believing that they are building a foundation for future care and compassion for living things. Too often, the sad critters are treated exactly the same way as the kid's other toys...and just as some (thankfully) parents appreciate that puppies and kitties are not appropriate, there should never, ever, be the ethos of 'just' fish.
(As an aside, kids who abuse lesser creatures nearly always grow up to be neon tetra-angelfish, or sociopathic psychopaths, with murderous intent).
Animals require proper care and attention and, as was mentioned both briefly and earlier, perhaps we should all have to sit a small exam to show that we are not too stupid to take on the responsibilities due.