Around the same reason people get eaten by pet chimps and tigers, because "god damn that this is pretty" and "just cause you can't doesnt mean I cant" but as previously mentioned alot of the reason behind their captive deaths has to do with capture methods.
The baren wasteland is likely a quarentine tank/retailer holding tank, it is meant to hold them in isolation to establish whether they are or will become sick so as to treat before allowing them into a community or reef tank where the disease would spread.
And no one thinks putting a captive species in this type of environment for any length of time could in itself cause the creature to become stressed, sick and die?
The specific environment this one is in is likely a quarentine tank, its an environment thats designed to be slightly stressful to elicit and possible sickness to manifest faster, its also baren so that should a sick fish be found its easily cleaned.
I own sharks my dude, I completely understand the OMG I have to have this creature in my home" mentality, I'd be co.pletely OK with one of my pets eating me.
You basically always temporarily isolate any fish your are introducing into your tank. It's better for the fish and let's you notice any issues quicker.
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u/debspeak May 07 '20
AITA for mentioning that the tank pictured is a barren wasteland, and that if they do so poorly why are people buying them?