Anger over synchronised goldfish 'trick'

Animal activists in China have called on the country's state broadcaster not to repeat a "trick" that involves goldfish swimming in sync.

Activists are worried that the six fish seen during one part of the broadcast have been implanted with magnets and then controlled by an electric current.

Hundreds of millions of people watched the magic trick on January 30, the eve of the Lunar New Year festival on the China Central Television network (CCTV).

Fifty-three animal rights groups and other organisations have sent a letter to CCTV asking them not to let magicians perform the trick again during Thursday's broadcast of the Lantern Festival, which ends the Lunar New Year events.

Director of the Capital Animal Welfare Association, Qin Xiaona, said that she was surprised the state broadcaster would "use animals like gold fish for the purpose of entertainment".

"As human beings, when we perform sometimes we feel pain, but we have the capacity of feeling and expression so we can say if we are willing to do it or not. However, animals do not have such capacity, so it is inhumane for force animals to act as entertainment tools," she said.

The magician who performed the trick, Fu Yandong, said on Twitter that the goldfish are "living happily".