Sad week. Rant.

[wheelyfeet]

This past week I have seen a lot of dead Bettas in cups in petstores. Every single pet store I visited this last week had at least one dead fish. One, well thought of aquarium store, had three. Many of the living bettas were very ratty looking.

I am so tired of hearing fish store employees say that it is okay to keep bettas in very little water because they are "puddle" fish. If small cups were ideal, then there would be very few dead bettas in these stores. Shoot, people can adapt to living under bridges, but it certainly isn't ideal or healthy for the long term.

I think I'll start a fish store employee betta education campaign. Really, if they put together nice little betta kits consisting of adequate housing, filtering, heat, etc, they probably could increase their profits in the betta department.

[bcroft]

I almost never see dead bettas, maybe bettas in bad water, but never dead. Maybe because it's cold out, and people don't know how to ship fish?

I do agree with you about the cups, I mean if they were only going to sit there for an hour or so that would be fine, but they're not. Divided tanks would cost a little more, but they would make more money with healthier looking fish. I mean little 99 cent neons get their own tank.

[accountingchick]

wheelyfeet said:

This past week I have seen a lot of dead Bettas in cups in petstores. Every single pet store I visited this last week had at least one dead fish. One, well thought of aquarium store, had three. Many of the living bettas were very ratty looking.

I am so tired of hearing fish store employees say that it is okay to keep bettas in very little water because they are "puddle" fish. If small cups were ideal, then there would be very few dead bettas in these stores. Shoot, people can adapt to living under bridges, but it certainly isn't ideal or healthy for the long term.

I think I'll start a fish store employee betta education campaign. Really, if they put together nice little betta kits consisting of adequate housing, filtering, heat, etc, they probably could increase their profits in the betta department.

I agree with you but, these pet stores probably would not listen to you. I am sure that the majority of us here have tried to educate their local pet stores on proper fish care, but 95% these businesses will not listen. Your best bet is to hit them in the pocketbook by not buying their ill-treated fish, and tell your friends and loved ones to do the same. If we all stop buying bettas that are in cups, then there is no market for them and these stores will discontinue to sell them. That is probably the only way to get them to stop.

[sawcat]

I pointed out a couple when I was looking at some plants at one LFS. They use the little cups like Petsmart, but they cut air holes in the top, and one had managed to jump out of that slot and was on the shelf.

[winddancer]

Well I'm just getting back form walmart.I always check out the bettas there.I've gotten pretty friendly with the fish guy.Trying to educate him..They had 3 left from last week in filthy water..I changed their water and containers..The fish guy was laughing.I told him I can't stand seeing them in filthy water...Explained to them what was clean and what wasn't..
I also saw a dead one......(breaks my heart).

[Rachel]

bcroft said:

I mean little 99 cent neons get their own tank.

Funny how that works, isn't it? Bettas need to overcome the stereotype that they hardly need any care. That's what annoys me the most.

I certainly understand how frustrating and upsetting it is seeing them in such poor conditions. While the topic is fine to discuss, let's please refrain from naming particular stores in this thread if we could. Thank you. Pet stores, animal rights, etc.

[Rachel]

wheelyfeet said:

I think I'll start a fish store employee betta education campaign. Really, if they put together nice little betta kits consisting of adequate housing, filtering, heat, etc, they probably could increase their profits in the betta department.

Sounds like a good plan. Show the stores a way they'll profit from improving care and they might start to listen.

[jeromee]

Its funny, because my grandmother, has to be the most un-educated fish person in the world.... ever. And I mean EVER. While saying that, she also is a pain. BUT She has managed to keep her male betta in a vase with a plant for over two years, actually, I think he is three years old. I have yet to see him, because I don't venture over to her house. Yet, she says her betta is just as brightly colored as mine (which I do believe, she seems to be very picky). Completely unheated vase, proper feedings, and water changes once a week.. its amazing how an old grandmother can do this and a petstore can't. Its just these people are lazy, and don't care about the fish that they have, thats the major problem with pet stores. Bettas don't exactly bring in a large some of money individually, but in bulk, I'd say they probably bring in a nice piece of change. Saying this, one betta isn't important to them on the long run, because the worse they treat these fish, the faster they are going to die, which means the more money they are going to get in the long run, which is completely wrong, but I don't see anyone truely stepping in to prevent this. I'm not saying anyone on this forum could really truely do anything to change this, I'm talking about a pet health association, or something of the sort should really be the ones that should be stepping in, claiming they care for all species... where are they here? =P
About the neons, It wouldn't be to cost effective to put bettas in tanks, specifically because they can't be all kept in the same tank as neons do... but I'd like to see pet stores putting bettas in say, Betta Condos, the things that stick inside tanks, and can house up to 4 bettas, again, this isn't much betta for the betta, but atleast they would probably be getting better water overall.