Poor little guy.

[LennonJohnX]

I went to Petco to get a breeding tank for my pregnant molly. While I was there, I looked at the bettas. They were goregeous. I saw so many beautiful bettas it amazed me! One little girl, probaby about 6 years old, yanked a purple and dark pink male crowntail off the shelf and said, "I want this one!" They got the tiniest tank for him I had ever seen.

As I was at the checkout, waiting for a casheer, the girl comes up behind me with her family. She has all her fish supplies stacked like this, bottom to top: Tank, betta, food, decorations. That betta was panicking. I felt incredibly bad for him. When I walked to my car, they put all the supplies they got, betta and hamster supplies, in the super hot car, and walked into the store again!

I do like to see children taking interest in betta fish, because they are goregeous fish, but when I see a betta treated like that, it breaks my heart.

[puppyrjjkm]

The same thing happened to me. A man and his young daughter came in and was looking at betta tanks because there's had broken. So I suggested a 2.5 or 5 gal tank. The guy looks at me with the "why would you spend that much on a tank for a little fish" look and buys the tiny tank that "could easily house two male bettas"! Ah I felt so sad for the little guy :(

[Nutt007]

Oh why are people so naive. >:( You should of helped the girl and her mom. :) Why didn't you?!


EDIT:
I didn't call you naive, I called the person in puppyrjjkm's story.

[Campbell]

Once when I was in walmart there was a mother with two 11-12 year olds. They were picking up all the bettas and saying how cute they were. The girls said they wanted one and walked off. So the mom picked up a female and said to herself "I wonder if they're agressive like the males." I chimed in "Oh yeah, they can be just as bad." She seemed really pleased she had some help and asked me a few more questions about my fish and possible tankmates. It was a positive experience, and now I'm not afraid to speak up because chances are people just need a little education. Of course, there are people who would be very rude, but hey, what do I care? I'm never going to see them again.

[betta fish crazy]

I saw a family buying a 5g for goldfish.
In my LPS it's the opposite-no one looks at the bettas.

[LennonJohnX]

I hate to hear about all these stories of betta and goldfish sadness. Maybe I'll work in a pet store of some kind and I can educate people on the magical ways of the betta fish.
When I was researching them, I read multiple times they make good first time pets. First time pets that require a lot of care!