The Fish Now Live in a 2,500-Liter Aquarium After Being Removed From a 40-Liter

An Argentine court has declared two goldfish from a sushi restaurant in Buenos Aires' Recoleta neighborhood sentient beings and subjects of rights, ordering their transfer to a sanctuary. The fish now live in a 2,500-liter aquarium after being removed from a 40-liter tank. The NGO Santuario Jaulas Vacías filed the complaint with the city's environmental prosecution unit, arguing inadequate conditions.

The court granted the NGO permanent custody and gave the restaurant owner an eight-month suspended sentence, requiring him to complete an environmental course and relinquish ownership. This marks the first known ruling recognizing Carassius auratus as sentient, setting a precedent in Argentina and abroad. The fish had been unable to spread their fins, forced to swim vertically, and suffered from stress and sunlight exposure.

Authorities raided the restaurant in late April; the ruling came in mid-June and gained attention in July. Argentine courts have previously recognized other animals, like pumas, monkeys, and Toti the chimpanzee, as subjects of rights.