Whatever happened to those Magikarp salesman that used to always be at local festivals and Pokemon Centers? I remember seeing them all the time when I was a kid but now it feels like ages since anyone has tried to sell me a lucky fish.
for the most part, it's the result of educating the public on why magikarp aren't as easy to care for as they seem. they aren't aggressive and are generally pretty hardy, which is why they were marketed as the "easiest" pokemon out there to raise. but they need a considerable amount of room and prefer living with at least a couple other magikarp buddies, and most people arent willing to commit to the sheer amount of space and upkeep a proper pond takes. combine that with the fact that, especially when placed in an undersized tank, they have a habit of leaping out of the water...well, a lot of those magikarp got surrendered or released into the wild is all i'll say.
thankfully, pokemon centers have by and large banned the selling of pokemon on their premises. combined with a phenomenal education campaign about the needs and capabilities of magikarp on the part of the magikarp jump association, this has made trying to sell magikarp unprofitable enough that most of these street vendors have given up. if someone is truly interested in raising magikarp, it's much better to either catch one from the wild or purchase one from a reputable breeder or store!
tangentwithtanner
kianamaiart
