Poor marketing of "betta tanks"

[The Imploding Voice]

Hey,

Well, it has been said here many times that a betta requires at least a gallon sized tank, preferably bigger with a filter and heater. But wherever I would go to find aquarium supplies - pet stores, Wal Mart, speciality fish stores, the only specified/ advertised tanks that are specifically for bettas are those crappy, not to mention puney, plastic ones that fit like a cup of water. Either the Betta Hex or Betta Display or whatever it's called.

Anyways, it just doesn't make much sense to me. Are pet stores just ignorant? Why do such products exsist if that is obviously not the way to raise bettas?

[amanichen]

Anyways, it just doesn't make much sense to me. Are pet stores just ignorant? Why do such products exsist if that is obviously not the way to raise bettas?

It's a combination of public ignorance, lack of contact with the aquarium hobby, business contracts, and ethical decisions that are usually made in favor of profit rather than the fish.

Some companies might make a whole range of products, but in order for a retail store to carry the top of the line stuff it may have to sign a contract to carry the full product line from a company. Many times this will unfortunately include the crappy products you mentioned above, in addition to multi hundred dollar pieces of equipment which are actually beneficial for the fish and the fishkeeper.

Other times, the store operators are ignorant of the products, and decisions are made in favor of human convenience rather than the health of the fish. A large chain pet store wouldn't ever say that bowls and hexes aren't proper habitats for bettas (let alone goldfish!) but there aren't enough checkpoints between the CEO's office and the part time worker on the floor to make sure that a customer doesn't walk out with a dual betta hex and two fighting fish. Of course, the customer's ignorance will often overrule the worker on the floor, making that final check useless anyway. The public at large is very disconnected from the aquarium hobby, and so are most stores which retail in fish.

I could write more, but I think you get the idea. This is a self-regulating industry where there are intelligent, reputable, and ethical entities, and where there are also entities who are the exact opposite.

[akestler]

It's really easy to sell products like the ones you are talking about. Bettas are popular among people wanting an "easy" pet. They go to the pet store, buy the betta, then see the little betta hex and think "hey, that says betta on it, that must be what I need!" Working in the fish department at Petland, I have witnessed this phenomenon many many times. Whenever someone asks me about bettas at work and I launch into my spiel about their needs, they usually just stare at me and say something along the lines of "ummm can't I just put it in a vase?" But I can say that I have saved many a betta from the Betta Hex of Doom, so I guess this job is good for somethin.