# Who's the head fish guy at the toronto zoo?



## Ciddian

Hey all,

Just got back from a nice trip at the toronto zoo with my daughter for the first time and another fish buddy. Lots of changes have happened there for the good, but some old issues are still there.

I am sure some of you remember the cichlids if you have been. I went to see them this time and I have to say they are in horrible condition. Worse then the last time I went a year or so ago.

I noticed a bunch of tanks have been shut down, the other tanks I did see seemed to be in okay condition. Small, but okay. I did not get to check out the americas pavilion. The last time I went it was nice.

If I wish to give my feedback who do you guys think would be the best to contact?

I also have pics if you guys wanna see. I was pretty damn shocked that the exhibit is actually open for display.


















































Look at the vertical fish in this photo. They are not swimming up but just hanging there with their heads up.









Another shot of the vertical fish... It was creepy


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## J-P

aww we all love pics. maybe this will turn into a petition?


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## Ciddian

I am uploading them now.. I dunno if its just me but like I said, it was the same to me as seeing a mauled starving gorilla just left to wander about in the pen for years.

I really can't bring my fish buddies to that place anymore. I don't hold meet and greets there either since the last time and you'd figure that would be a great place. 

I'll get the photos up asap.

The other thing I was wanting to know if anyone knew the story behind the status of those fish. Is it an over population issue they can't control? Or a disease that has ruined the tank? Whatever it is, they should shut it down until they can fix it. I really like the zoo but seeing that breaks my heart and seeing even worse than it was years ago just cuts deep down.. ya know? :/

I was really wishin to come and see them plump and healthy.. Not this..

I want to be able to gloat about our toronto zoo making up for the fact that we still do not have an aquarium here.. I want to know that they care about the fish, even if they might not be the number one animals to be adopted or adored by the viewers. I know all of us on here and all aquarium keepers care a hell of a lot about them..


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## bigfishy

If they hire new fishroom manager! I'd be the first one to apply!


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## bigfishy

I always want to donate some rare fish to the zoo and share it with everyone!


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## Ciddian

that would be awesome Bigfishy.  

I posted some pics, lemmie know what you guys think and I would like to compose a letter to maybe send a long to their management. There seems to be lots changing there at the zoo, I like the new changes a lot. I just hope these changes extend to the cichlids as they really really need it...


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## mrobson

those pics made me pretty sad, heres the contact list i would let as many of these guys know as possible, maybe even a letter to toronto sun and star would help. I hate how fish are treated as second class, this kind of treatment wouldnt fly if they were "cuddlely"

http://www.torontozoo.com/contactus.asp


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## Zebrapl3co

Ciddian said:


> ...The other thing I was wanting to know if anyone knew the story behind the status of those fish. Is it an over population issue they can't control? Or a disease that has ruined the tank? Whatever it is, they should shut it down until they can fix it. I really like the zoo but seeing that breaks my heart and seeing even worse than it was years ago just cuts deep down.. ya know? :/..


Could be a case of fish tuberculosis. The unfortunate thing is that they take cichlids donations from the masses. It's very easy to miss spotting this thing, and once they are in the tank, it's impossible to fish them out. I think they do make trips down in to the tank to fish out the near dead ones and the sunken stomach ones. That explains why you didn't see it last time. My kids love that display. So I am there every time I visit the zoo. Some times are it's a bit better than most.
Another point might be a nutritional/dietary problem. I've heard that them make their own fish food.



bigfishy said:


> If they hire new fishroom manager! I'd be the first one to apply!


The way I heard it, from a second hand source so I can't be sure, you need to develop a hung ego first to fill that role. That way I heard it is the fishroom manager thinks hobbiest are nothing to be taken seriously about.



bigfishy said:


> I always want to donate some rare fish to the zoo and share it with everyone!


Yep, I've been waiting for them to fix that cichlids tank. Once they've proven that they really know how to care for fishes, I'll be making my zebra pleco donations. But it's been 4 years since I've been waiting though ...



Ciddian said:


> that would be awesome Bigfishy.
> 
> I posted some pics, lemmie know what you guys think and I would like to compose a letter to maybe send a long to their management. There seems to be lots changing there at the zoo, I like the new changes a lot. I just hope these changes extend to the cichlids as they really really need it...


I agree, but the changes aren't for the fishes though, it's because of the pandas. They are slowly fixings things up for that.
Oh I hope you checked out the elephants (if they are still there). They are sending them away forever because it's too cold to keep the elephants here. That's one step in the right directions for once.

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## Ciddian

I am going to write a letter today. I'll see if I can get a reason and maybe a goal for them to redo/fix the tank. 

Yes we did go and see them, only one elephant was out and following a trainer around like a puppy. I am happy to see them go to a better place. I do love them...but would rather see them happy.


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## Jackson

Scew the Toronto zoo!

Last year I went there and some how ended up with sepsis. I had to walk around with an intravenous device for two weeks. I'll never go back. Plus that display has been trash since the first day it's been there. Not much you can do about it.


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## Guest

The person in charge of the fish isn't a guy. Her name is Cindy Lee.


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## Ciddian

Well by 'guy' I just meant in general terms lol. 

I am not going to start a zoo bash, nothing will get done if we go down that road. I'll be getting a letter out and start there.


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## Guest

Ciddian said:


> Well by 'guy' I just meant in general terms lol.
> 
> I am not going to start a zoo bash, nothing will get done if we go down that road. I'll be getting a letter out and start there.


I would cc your letter to the 6 city councillor's to get more impact. Complaint letters directly to the zoo will have more clout if you send copies to city hall as well.

Raymond Cho, Mark Grimes, Paul Ainslie, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Josh Colle and Chin Lee are all City of Toronto councillors who are on the Zoo board. Direct your letter to the Chairman who is Joe Torzsok.

You can find the city counclilors addresses here

http://app.toronto.ca/wards/jsp/wards.jsp

let us know what kind of replies you get


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## Ciddian

Ohhh fantastic, thanks for the information Harold!

I sent a general 'hey whats up?' email to the general inquiries and I will see what response I get as well.

I don't wanna be a dick to any degree and want to communicate with them to maybe get something done. I ignored it last year figuring there was budget issues and I am sure that is still an issue but dang.. Displaying that just doesn't make sense to me anymore.

Its not fair to those fish and not fair to the people who pay to support the zoo...

Just a question to anyone out there but what do you guys feel is wrong with the tank? State the obvious as well, I'd like to jot down the issues in my next letter is possible.

Ohh and a copy of my general blah email. lol


> Hello,
> 
> I was just sending a quick message to get some information on the status of your african cichlid tank. I took my daughter to the zoo for her first visit and was very pleased to see lots of change going on there to better the lives of the animals on display.
> 
> However, the cichlid tank or wall was and has been in terrible shape for years it seems. This visit was the worst. Lots of your fish there have sunken bellies and some major issues going on, they do not look like well fish. The new thing I noticed on this visit was the odd way lots of the white fish seemed to be hanging vertically, with its head upwards.
> 
> Not to be mistaken with a fish waiting for food, this was a creepy picture of some lifeless and over crowded stressed fish.
> 
> Would you be able to provide me with some information on this tank and your future plans with it? I held a meet and greet with a fish forum at your zoo because I enjoy the place so much but unfortunately lots of the members had only been very upset with the health of your fish on display.
> 
> I really want to be able to bring people who enjoy fish as well as the other animals to the zoo again and help support you guys but I just can't with a display in that sort of shape. It's not fair to the fish, or to the people who pay to see healthy, happy animals in their habitats.
> 
> I hope you can help me share some info with the public and thank you very much for reading my email.


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## Ciddian

No response to my general whats up email, going to send again and to the people supplied by H_S.

I am curious if its just a delay, really should have CC'd in the first place lol


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## CoryDory

Make sure to post this on a) their social media page b) City of Toronto's pages. You can do a facebook post then link it everywhere. I hope change comes. Activists got rid of the fish at Walmart (and I saw first hand how uneducated people were about fish there, trying to feed betta tropical flakes.)



Ciddian said:


> Ohhh fantastic, thanks for the information Harold!
> 
> I sent a general 'hey whats up?' email to the general inquiries and I will see what response I get as well.
> 
> I don't wanna be a dick to any degree and want to communicate with them to maybe get something done. I ignored it last year figuring there was budget issues and I am sure that is still an issue but dang.. Displaying that just doesn't make sense to me anymore.
> 
> Its not fair to those fish and not fair to the people who pay to support the zoo...
> 
> Just a question to anyone out there but what do you guys feel is wrong with the tank? State the obvious as well, I'd like to jot down the issues in my next letter is possible.
> 
> Ohh and a copy of my general blah email. lol


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## slipfinger

@CoryDory 

This thread is 7 years old. That's some deep grave digg'n...


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## CoryDory

slipfinger said:


> @CoryDory
> This thread is 7 years old. That's some deep grave digg'n...


Buuuuuuuuttttttttt what was the result? xD


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