In desperate need of help!

[sarahkayanne]

I am getting married at the end of the month, and my fiancee and I are excited about using our beautiful bettas as centerpieces. We want to add flowers to their vases for 4 hours, but not peace lillies (we don't want a lot of greenery or any roots exposed). We are having trouble finding flowers that would work (we were thinking calla lillies???), because we want to make sure that they don't harm our fish. Does anyone have a suggestion about which cut flowers (just stems, no roots) and greenery we could use for a few hours that will not be poisionious or harmful to our fish? THANK YOU!!!!
PS- The fish will not be harmed in any way. They will continue to be pets after the wedding, and not mistreated or discarded.

[ACKislander]

First off, I want to commend you for coming here BEFORE your wedding. Time and time again people write about the betta they just got at a wedding reception which they have no idea how to care for. Now that you're here, we can tell you how to properly care for these beautiful pets so that you can encourage your guests to only take them if they're serious and can commit to them. I fear you may end up with a lot of pet bettas at the end.

So to begin.
First of all, a betta is a real long term commitment. They are not "disposable pets" as you mentioned (so glad to hear you say that) and require a lot of research time and effort. Bettas, when kept in proper conditions can live an average of 5 years. They cannot be kept in small bowls despite what pet store clerks may tell you. They need a minimum of 1 gal and the tanks must be heated to a stable 78*F. Betta's breathe from the atmosphere through a special lung type organ and can never have the water's surface blocked. By filling the bowl with flower's you will cut off the fish's oxygen supply and literally drown them.

The problem with keeping them as a centerpiece is the care that will be required to keep them healthy. All fish produce ammonia which is a dangerous toxin that can poison you betta (by burning his gills and weakening his immune system) This is just one reason why they need tanks no smaller then 1 gal and preferably 2.5 gal or larger. The water will need to be changed and conditioned the day of the wedding. They will need to be acclimated to their new bowls (takes a couple of hours) and the pH will need to be checked in the old water and the new water and adjusted if it's not the same. Then the bowl temperature will need to be kept a stable 78*F. Less then 75* can be dangerous or even deadly. Also, stability is key. The water temperature should not fluctuate more then 2 degrees in 24 hours.

If your guests are taking home these fish at the end of the night they will need food, a tank, a heater, water conditioners and water test kits. They will also need to know how to properly care for this animal. Regular testing is a must and 100% water changes will be required. There are also medications that are important to keep in your home incase your betta becomes ill. Additionally, betta's have special dietary needs. They can easily be overfed or underfed. Overfeeding a betta can lead to serious digestive problem or even death. The guests will need to know all the basics and maybe have access to more information. For instance they can absolutely not be kept in pairs.

There are many things that go into betta keeping the most important thing is to realize that they are pets like any cat or dog and need a safe home with fish parents who are willing to take good care of them. If you fear that any of these fish will suffer from improper care or neglect I urge you to reconsider them as a centerpiece. You could still use an aquatic plant like a piece lilly and not have to worry about animal mistreatment.

Again, I think it's wonderful that you did some research before purchasing bettas for your wedding. Most people don't bother and consequences are vary sad.

[Lala]

Did I read the question wrong?

I just wanted to clarify...

Are you planning on using bettas you already own just for centerpieces then after the wedding put them back in their normal tanks? Thats how I read it, but the answer seemed to be for someone who is planning on buying bettas for a wedding as decorations.

OK so if I read it right (which might not be the case)....

My first thought was silk flowers that float on top, like the instructions at the main site for a betta safe vase. If you get ones smaller than the rim of the bowls, it will leave space for the bettas to breath at the top of the bowl, and if their only going to be there for a few hours seem like it would be safe to me. I don't know anything about real flowers but some of the fake ones can look very real.

[ACKislander]

OOOOOoooooh. I get it now. ::)I totally misread that part.

Most of my earlier comments still hold true. Fortunately, you won't have to go through all the trouble of making sure they get into good homes and you won't have to make sure the guests have what they need to get started. There will still be stress issues however.

If the vases are small ammonia could build over several hours. Stabilizing the temperature will be the hardest chore. Also, you will still need to check the pH of the new water, condition it and acclimate the fish the day of the wedding. There is also the risk that guests (mainly children but who knows) will torment them by tapping on the glass or trying to feed them something. Now that I think about it. The reverberations of loud music can add additional stress. Any time you put a plant in a vase there is potential for danger. It's risky, especially if they (the flowers) move around in such away that the surface is blocked. If you decided to do it anyway, you'll have to find a flower that isn't toxic to bettas.

I'm not trying to talk you out of it, but it definitely puts your pets at risk. It's taking a real chance with their health and maybe their lives.

Sorry if I confused you on my last post. I thought you were buying each betta new for the wedding and were giving them to the guests when they take home the centerpiece.