Nuisance or neighborhood beautification project? The debate appears to be moot at this point.
The controversy stems from the so-called "Bed-Stuy Goldfish Pond," a sidewalk puddle near a leaky hydrant in Brooklyn where someone kept dumping fish in an effort to turn the hole into a sort of street aquarium.
Some lauded the uniquely Brooklyn aspect of the street puddle, replete with goldfish and aquarium accessories, along with fake coral.
Others said putting the fish in the puddle was cruel -- or stupid.
Perhaps it was someone from the latter camp that trashed the Bed-Stuy fish puddle. A Redditor posted an image of the destroyed "tank," saying they had tried to put about 20 fish back into the puddle, but doubted the water was sufficient.
"Wait was this where the fish were?? Someone honestly sadly did those fish a favor. Who in the hell thought it'd be a good idea to stuff fish in a glorified puddle without any way to actually care for them especially in a public place that's not been maintained or cared for?" one user responded. "Poor things were suffering and while I don't think their end should have been met this way, it's still better than slowly suffering each day."
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"It was gross, and then social media amplified it to make it even worse," another Redditor said. "30 years ago someone would just slap whoever did this up the side of the head and now the stupidity is celebrated."
News
Je-Quan Irving and his friends are responsible for turning what would normally be a forgettable patch of wet dirt into the fish home and sidewalk attraction, as first reported by Hell Gate.
The makeshift animal home at the corner of Tompkins Avenue and Hancock Street found virality online.
Irving said the idea came to him last month; $16 at the local pet store scored him about 100 goldfish. He and his friends thought it would be a lovely add to the community, which doesn't have an aquarium. The organizers even launched a GoFundMe to help pay to build a more sustainable habitat for the fish. As of Tuesday, it had raised more than $2,900 of a $5,000 goal. Organizers say all the proceeds will go to "help better the pond."
Goldfish are surprisingly resilient, but keeping them in the shallow pond has plenty of risks, said veterinarian Julius Tepper, who runs the Long Island Fish Hospital.
"You’ve got issues with pollution that could be a problem. You've got issues with predatory birds," Dr. Tepper said.
Plus there’s the issue of the water supply. A News 4 camera was rolling as Department of Environmental Protection crews arrived on a recent night to shut off the trickling fire hydrant.
A spokesperson for DEP said the agency had continued safety concerns about tampering with hydrants.
"We love goldfish also, but we know there is a better home for them than on a sidewalk," the DEP said.
About an hour after the DEP crews left, the ground was quickly soaking up the water – leaving the goldfish with little space to swim. Irving returned to unseal the valve and keep the goldfish alive. Irving says the so-called Bed-Stuy Aquarium plans to give the fish to kids in the community when the weather changes.
