Coin-operated 'fish scooping' machine sparks animal welfare debate in Shenzhen

A viral video showing a coin-operated “fish scooping” machine at Maxland shopping mall in Bao’an District has triggered heated debate online over the ethics of using live animals as arcade prizes.
Unlike conventional claw machines filled with plush toys, the device features a transparent tank stocked with colorful tropical fish. Customers purchase tokens — priced between 3 (US$0.44) to 8 yuan per attempt — and try their luck catching a fish with a small net, keeping any they manage to scoop out.

Coin-operated “fish scooping” machines at Maxland shopping mall attracts many patrons. File photo

While many patrons are children, public opinion is sharply divided. Some netizens dismissed concerns, arguing that fishing for goldfish at temple fairs is a quintessential childhood game. Others, however, criticized the practice as cruel and educationally irresponsible. “Using live animals as disposable prizes risks teaching children to treat life as mere entertainment,” one user wrote.
An employee operating the machine defended the setup, acknowledging that mortality during operation is “normal.” “We usually restock the tank with 10 to 20 tropical fish each day,” the staff member told reporters.
A young boy interviewed by Shenzhen News expressed mixed feelings. “It’s fun, and I want to take the fish home to care for it,” he said. “But I also feel sorry seeing so many fish crowded into one tank.”
This is not an isolated incident. In March, Aoyi News reported similar machines dispensing live hamsters, fish, and turtles at Haiya Mega Mall, also in Bao’an. Authorities moved quickly to ban the unregulated amusements after footage went viral, with widespread calls on social media emphasizing that “animals are not playthings.”
Currently, there are no specific national laws or regulations in China governing the commercial use of non-wildlife animals in such contexts, according to the Market Supervision Administration of Shenzhen Municipality.