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How do I talk my mom into letting me get another Betta?

3K views 17 replies 11 participants last post by  lilyrazen 
#1 · (Edited)
Okay, so I had an issue with my old tank (Eclipse Hex 5) but MarineLand is sending me a new filter/light/shield/hood.

I bought a 10 gallon that I want to divide (Mister Fishy is currently in there by himself and is ill, but once he is better I want to divide it and put another fish in there).

I'll end up with room for 2 more Bettas (The 5 gallon hex and the divided 10 with Mister Fishy getting one side of the 10).

My dad is perfectly okay with me getting more Bettas, because he thinks they're really cool and that I know enough to handle more than one, but my mom isn't.

She'll give me the "You spent $100 on your stupid fish in three months" (It was actually about $140- shhhh, don't tell her that :p) in an effort to prevent me from getting more Bettas.

How do I talk her into it? It would be my money, and actually, this is what the money went to:

$65 for tanks (The hex was a set and came with a hood, filter, etc.)
$25 for gravel
$15 for a filter
$15 for a 50 watt heater
$20 for food
$2 for Epsom salt
$7 for Maracyn Two
$10 for plants

Besides the Epsom, Maracyn, and food, none of that was specific to this fish because it's reusable.

I have enough gravel for both tanks, all I need is a heater and some plants for the hex.

How do I talk her into two more fish? I really want them (And I swear, not getting more than three total until I'm out of the house :p). It's so addicting (You all know that), but I can handle 2 water changes a week (50% for both tanks), and it's not like feeding is hard. I'd fast them all on the same day, and I can get a Kritter Keeper for a quarantine tank if one of them gets sick.

HELPPPP!!!!!!!!!! My local PetCo has some beautiful guys that are very well taken care of, and I'd like to get some when Mister Fishy gets better.
 
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#2 ·
I would probably say that you'd want one for christmas but your buying it for yourself and you swear to take care of them, which is kinda obv that you would :p and then start begging and pleading on your hands and knees..
But that's just what I would do :) haha, I'm still such a kid.
 
#3 ·
Well, I'm getting money for riding lessons/Taylor Swift concert tickets for Christmas (I'm buying the tickets myself, but the money is being split between those things).

But honestly, it wouldn't cost me that much to have 3, once I got the heater/plants.
 
#4 ·
"I'll stop at 3 I swear"......pssshhh whatever! LOL.
 
#5 ·
I'm literally serious. Only reason I want more is I have the space ;)

I was planning on a second one for a while, but I now have room for 3.
 
#6 ·
haha. always the excuse eh? haha. But you could just say because you have the space you'd like another couple. :p because they're so pretty to look at. If you mom's like my mom who is tough, stubborn etc. then you'd might want to come up with a list for WHY you'd like more Betta's.
 
#7 ·
Well, I'm not going to go buy another tank.

The only reason I got the 10 gallon was because MarineLand took FOREVER to respond to me and it'll be another 2 weeks before I get the filter and stuff.

The only reason I want more is cause I have the space for them ;)
 
#10 ·
Well I just found out how to torture her :p

Combine Barry Manilow, Neil Diamond, and Indian music, and I'll be good :p

Haha- but she's a sucker for any animal, so I bet if I got them while she was gone and then she came home I could just say "They were sick so I saved them" and she'd buy it. I just want to figure out a way to do it so she doesn't kill me for spending money because somehow ME spending MY money ruins HER budget. I just don't get how that works.
 
#12 ·
Lol I have this problem too. I walked to the fish store the other day with my own money and this happens...

Mom: "You better not buy any fish!"
Me: "But it's my money, so why not?"
Dad: "No honey, theres just no room for it. no.
Me: "Actually I have the room for it!"
Dad: "Well you don't have the tank for it, so no."
Me: "But I can afford a tank AND a fish!"
Dad: "Don't talk back!"
Mom: "Listen to your father!"

LOL. But, my parents would let me get a fish if I already owned a tank... they'd just wait a month before letting me go to the fish store. Try telling your mom that studies show that watching fish lengthens your life span by relieving stress, and the more fish you can watch the longer you can live.
 
#14 ·
I would just show your parents that you are taking good care of the one you have and that you are a responsible person,. I think a lot of parents feel like their kids will get tired of a pet after awhile and they will end up having to take care of it. At least that's how MY mom felt and still feels, even though I'm 49 years old! lol Also, make sure your schoolwork isn't being neglected and that you take care of whatever chores you may have around the house.
 
#15 ·
I know this is setting a REALLY bad example and I wouldn't do it with ANYTHING other than an animal of some sort because it's incredibly rude to the people that raised you buuuuuuuut......

If you have your own job, you get a paycheck, and you've worked hard for it:

I'd just buy whatever kind of fish you want as long as you can care for it and say : "OMG MOM!!!! LOOK AT MY WONDERFUL NEW FISH!!! ISN'T HE PRECIOUS?!?!?!?! :D"

I do that with stray cats all the time. XD "OH LOOK MOM! ANOTHER KITTEN! I WONDER WHERE THESE KEEP COMING FROM? YOU DON'T KNOW? WELL THAT'S A WONDERFUL SURPRISE NOW ISN'T IT?!?!?! :D"

Yeah. Back when I was hardcore caring for strays my parents knew there was no stopping me! :p lol.

If you can take care of it and you have a good way to sneak it into the house I say go for it. ;]

A lot of parents have a tendency to get used to these kinds of things. :p Like they get used to kids disobeying them and coming in too late. XD
 
#16 ·
She'll give me the "You spent $100 on your stupid fish in three months" (It was actually about $140- shhhh, don't tell her that :p)
I spent $250+ in one day :oops: But my family knows my little fishies keep me happy and busy, so they are fine with it, and even help when I need food or want to try something. I think simply saying they make you happy will help your case ;) good luck.
 
#17 ·
And the thing is, I don't know why she wouldn't let me.

My GPA is 3.667 and climbing.
I get my homework done.
I make my own food.

The only thing I have an issue with is keeping my room clean, and I'm working on that, but I still diligently keep up with water changes. I've been changing Mister Fishy's water 100% every day and adding 1.5 tsp/gallon of Epsom salt for the last 4 days with every water change because he has popeye. If he didn't have popeye the amount of money wouldn't be quite so much.

So I think I've long since proven I can take care of my pets and keep up with my priorities at the same time.

Now I just have to figure out how to talk her into it.

Maybe I'll get my BFF to help. She's coming to see me tomorrow, and she lives on the other side of the country so we only see each other once a year, and I bet she could convince my mom to let me get more fish.
 
#18 ·
What I did was went into petco with my dad (who loves fish and is planning to let me get unlimited bettas when we move) and saw Sunny. I just sighed and was like "Dad, I love him so much. Please! So rare..." and he said, "We'll find another," So i told him I probably wouldn't and he was like FINE, DON'T TELL GRAMA. :D
 
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