A Brooklyn neighborhood is in turmoil over a makeshift fish pond that was meant to bring the community together but instead sparked complaints from some residents of “animal cruelty.”
Bedford-Stuyvesant residents decided to turn a leaky fire hydrant at the corner of Tompkins Avenue and Hancock Street into an aquarium of sorts.
The video shows dozens of colorful fish swimming in shallow water alongside debris in the sidewalk tree hole.
Jequan Irving, 47, and his neighbors bought 100 common goldfish at a nearby pet store for $16 and dumped them into the fire hydrant pond, dubbing it “the Bed-Stuy goldfish pond.”
“We all came together to do something different for the community. We decided to put a little something special on it,” Irving said. The New York Times.
Bedford-Stuyvesant residents decided to turn a leaky fire hydrant at the corner of Tompkins Avenue and Hancock Street into a goldfish pond
The video shows dozens of colorful fish swimming in shallow water alongside debris in the sidewalk tree hole.
“It’s the lowest maintenance fish you can use. We’re going to put some algae in here and underground lights in here.”
However, the fish’s presence has sparked a debate over animal cruelty and gentrification in the historically black neighborhood.
Two neighborhood residents, Emily Campbell and Max David, carried out what they called a “heist” to rescue some of the fish on Wednesday.
Using nets and plastic bags, they pulled out about 30 fish from water two inches deep.
“I’m very conscious of the image that a white yuppie might create if he comes in here and tells this guy who’s lived in the neighborhood his whole life that he doesn’t know what he’s doing,” Campbell told the Associated Press.
Jequan Irving (pictured), 47, and his neighbors bought 100 common goldfish from a nearby pet store for $16 and threw them into the water.
Two neighborhood residents, Emily Campbell and Max David (pictured), rescued some of the fish using nets and plastic bags.
“I sympathise with that. What I don’t want is to see 40 fish suffocating in a puddle because of their own excrement.”
“We try to explain to them that we are on the same side, we love the idea of having fish for the neighborhood, but unfortunately it is detrimental to the fish themselves,” David said.
Irving and his neighbors insist they are not abusing the fish and take turns making sure they are well cared for.
“We bought these fish and fixed up this little place with our hard-earned money,” Irving said. “And they came and stole them.”
Residents said they feed the fish three times a day and take turns watching them.
“I feel like we’re helping the goldfish,” said resident Hajj-Malik Lovick, 47. “These people came here and just want to make a difference.”
Veterinarian Julius Tepper, who runs the Long Island Fish Hospital, said: NBC New York There are dangers in keeping fish in the makeshift pond.
The neighbors insist they are not abusing the fish and take turns making sure they are well cared for.
Veterinarian Julius Tepper, who runs the Long Island Fish Hospital, said there are dangers in keeping the fish in the makeshift pond.
“There are pollution issues that can be a problem, and there are also issues with predatory birds,” Tepper said.
There is a chance that they could survive, although it is certainly not an ideal habitat.
Department of Environmental Protection crews arrived Thursday to shut off the leaking fire hydrant, but Irving quickly returned to turn the valve back on.
“Once the temperature and everything starts to change, we’ll take them out and give them to the children in the community,” he said.