China Row Over Synchronised Goldfish Magic Trick

They believe the performance could involve the use of magnets and therefore harm the fish.

Campaigners want the act dropped from variety shows to be broadcast on Thursday to mark the end of the Chinese New Year holiday.

China row over synchronized goldfish magic trick

Personally I think magnets are used as suggested, because I honestly don't think this guy has the power to make the fish all swim in unison.



Is this cruel?!

What if it's not magnets?

But he's in fact telekinetic?

Hmmm....

Yeah I've seen this debated before, although you can get Goldfish to do some basic tricks with training (the 10 second memory think is bunk) I highly doubt this is possible and I agree with the magnet explanation.

A Chinese animal rights group? Now that's got to be a thankless task, about 10 years ago I remember a lot of transparent fish with very brightly coloured neon veins running through them started appearing in UK fish shops imported from China, it turned out they were being injected with dye and as far as I know they made them illegal to import.

Ahh those wacky Chinese and their casual approach to animal cruelty

Originally posted by galactictuan
What if it's not magnets?

But he's in fact telekinetic?

Hmmm....

Are either cruel?

Originally posted by davespanners
Yeah I've seen this debated before, although you can get Goldfish to do some basic tricks with training (the 10 second memory think is bunk) I highly doubt this is possible and I agree with the magnet explanation.

A Chinese animal rights group? Now that's got to be a thankless task, about 10 years ago I remember a lot of transparent fish with very brightly coloured neon veins running through them started appearing in UK fish shops imported from China, it turned out they were being injected with dye and as far as I know they made them illegal to import.

Ahh those wacky Chinese and their casual approach to animal cruelty

edit on 17-2-2011 by davespanners because: (no reason given)

I think we still have those fluorescent tetras here in the U.S. which is no doubt unnecessary.

If it is magnets, then they're underneath the tank moving in a predetermined pattern. I don't think they could be hidden around his wrists or anything since there's a couple moments where the fish stay in formation while his hands move away.

Then again, they could just be trained to follow his hands.

Edit: Nevermind about just following his hands, 5 seconds more though and I realized that they wouldn't stay in formation like that if that was the case.

Originally posted by warbird03
If it is magnets, then they're underneath the tank moving in a predetermined pattern. I don't think they could be hidden around his wrists or anything since there's a couple moments where the fish stay in formation while his hands move away.

Then again, they could just be trained to follow his hands.

edit on 17-2-2011 by warbird03 because: (no reason given)

My assumption (and that's all it is) is that magnets were attached to the bellies of the fish, while a magnet underneath (as you suggested) moved in a predetermined or practiced movement.

So are they saying there's something magnetic implanted in/on the fish, and something magnetic underneath the containers.

Or that there are magnets under the container and the fish are naturally attracted to them?

Originally posted by alaskan
So are they saying there's something magnetic implanted in/on the fish, and something magnetic underneath the containers.

Or that there are magnets under the container and the fish are naturally attracted to them?

The group suspects cruel use of magnets, and thus they would like this stopped and investigated.
It's kinda cool. But I don't see this as cruel unless I am shown that staples were used to attach a magnet.

Originally posted by cluckerspud
The group suspects cruel use of magnets

which means...?

Magnets? Seriously? That's your explanation?
Unless you do the experiment
(Get a magnet that a fish cannot see (so it wont think its food)and move it causing the fish to move with the magnet)
Then and post it here in video format I will say that is a stretch.

Anyone who owns fish and keeps them as pets not display know that they will recognize their feeder and follow their finger around the cage. Fish are intelligent and they are trainable. Only someone who doesn't pay attention to their fish would think otherwise. Enjoy
www.youtube.com...

The fish aren'tmoving their fins for the moevements they are doing. Definatley magents.

And yes cruel.

Originally posted by JonoEnglish
The fish aren'tmoving their fins for the moevements they are doing. Definatley magents.

And yes cruel.

Please source the video you are referring to because in the video I watched their tails are moving the magnet argument is bunk! The video I posted above shows fish behave this way naturally and will follow the hand they believe will feed them. If anything these fish might just be hungry. There is no evidence and has never been any produced to suggest this is magnets. The argument is hogwash.

reply to post by Shirak


The words "magician" and and "illusion show" are mentioned in the clip.





Yes the fish are moving their fins, but not in the right way to pull of those moves. Also the way the guy waving his hands over them, who needs a serious slap imo, isn't directing the fish anywhere. If they weren't controlled, they'd freak out by the movement from above, natual instinct would kick in.

I've no doubt a tiny amount of clove oil has been added to their water too. This in the right quantity will put a fish to sleep but in a very low dose, will make the fish drowsy, hence they are not struggling to get away.

wow, it's painfully obvious they are being guided magnetically. just watch closely and you can see them speed up and slow down without so much as a flip of the tail.

to Shirak, dude....let it go. It's just a magic trick. Nobody has "real" magic you doofus.

Fish can be taught tricks

I am not convinced there aren't magnets involved with the fish in the OP though.

Definantly magnets. Probably feed the fish something metallic with their food. Still cant work out whether its creul or entertaining

reply to post by meathed



Cruelty imo is where you make an animal perform rather than treat training them like in the video posted by Daryllyn.

Shame those campaigners don't shout about China's fur trade, they still skin dogs and cats alive.

Still there are no law against animal cruelty in China.

As for the goldfish it's got to be magnets.

How Cruel....

Yet let us remember.... magic and animal cruelty go hand in hand....

Back in the day whenever they made a bird disappear they were often smashing it to death.


Yet every now and then, .... in a twist of fate, ... an animal will seek revenge, .... and send balance to the cosmos once again. just ask siegfried and roy.