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Some betta breeders are HORRIBLE...not for the faint heart

8K views 64 replies 25 participants last post by  Sena Hansler 
#1 ·
Note I said SOME.
Anyhow, I had "friended" some breeders on FB and I now see the horrors of how they over breed and don't care for these beautiful fish.

The pictures say it all....



















I am not sure what is in those jars.....















You get the jest....
I see so much dirty water, improper care, over breeding, etc, etc
I cant even tell if the above picture has dead or live bettas. Either way, if their dead, thats alot of dead bettas at once and if their live.....:evil:
 
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#2 ·
eep. This cannot possibly be in Canada or USA?
Also, the pics were bad but the drowned rat actually frightened me!! I totally did NOT expect that! lol..or not "lol" bc there's nothing funny about it.
This is the industry created by people looking to make a buck bc of the high demand. Any of us who has saved bettas from the pet store is supporting this.. I'm guilty of it.
 
#3 · (Edited)
For the most part I see just an average Asian betta farm. The rat and dead fish aren't acceptable. The fish is in a spawning bowl (Thai method breeding) so she may have been killed by the male. The rat... IDK.

Sometimes fish need to be out of water to get a better view of their fins.

The large amount of fish in the small containers could be going to grow out. If I can't fit my spawn tub in the grow out I cram 20-30 juveniles in a betta cup and float them in the grow out for a few hours. However those fish appear to have rot/malnutrition issues.

So I really only have complaints about those pictures with the rat and dead fish and possibly sick juveniles.

The fish with barely any water could be getting a water change since with young bettas you need to remove a lot of water to keep stunting hormones under control.

Betta breeders in Asia are much different than how we are here their fish are of OK quality but their crowntails are nice.

Again I have no idea who they are and probably will never buy from them.
 
#4 ·
Asia or not, the living conditions are horrible. Whens the last time anyone has changed the waters?? There all a disgusting color.

Another thing, why would you "cram" fish like that? They deserve to have living space of their own. Just like we do.
 
#5 ·
The water has almond leaf in it. My tanks are the same color with lots of water changes every week.

Also it's easier for me to acclimate them in one small container than in their old home. Why? Because I don't want stunting hormone going in my tanks where I'll have to worry about it enough.

My fish are housed in 1/2 gallon jars until I get my sump and drip system up. Even then they'll be in jars. It's IMPOSSIBLE to house bettas in 3 gallon tanks with filters and heaters when you breed.
 
#8 ·
Keep in mind most Asian set ups are out doors and wild animals can easily enter the ponds or tanks.
 
#7 ·
I also don't see a problem with these pictures. You're bound to have deaths with that many fish. It's impossible not to. Aisan breeders take very good care of their fish. They do (almost) daily water changes. The survival of most of these breeders depends on the survival of their fish. The people who do this kind of mass breeding rely on the profits from their fish, almost completely, to live off of.
Be reminded that Asian culture and society is much different from our own.
 
#9 ·
okay the water looks like that because the breeder is using indain almond leafs, the rat i have no idea. that is the thai way of breeding betta's. since thail land is somewhat a poor country like part of the Philippines, am saying part of it, and they use there containers and all. i could be totally wrong though.
and all breeders (large breeders) have bettas in 1 gallon jars because they can't take care of each fish in 10 or 5 gals. and they keep them outdoors for the fry to have mosquito larvae, infusoria, etc
 
#10 ·
Yes. I agree with IAL. That brown water is much better than crystal clear water for betta. also none of the tanks have heaters since it is warm enough for betta outside in Thailand.
I know breeders also put them in the smaller containers because it helps the fins grow out faster.
I doubt they are a top aquabid farm, probably just sell fish more locally.
 
#13 ·
Yeaaahhh. The rat's a little much. :p

Betta Lover 1507: I wouldn't say that Thailand is a 3rd world country. They actually do have quite a lot of technology there. I'd say it's more of a developing country. But aren't we all? ;)
 
#14 · (Edited)
I am in NO way a breeder, but I too only had exception with a few pics, like the rat, but that was mostly an instinctual reflex. After MrV mentioned the outside breeding that's frequently done then it's almost to be expected.

I use Rooibos tea in my two little tanks and I had a laugh when my friend came over and was grossed out by the water's tea-brown color. Personally I have grown to like the look and my boys seem happy.

Unless you go to a breeder's home or can truly understand what you're seeing in a picture, and *then* see something that ranks as true cruelty, then you're only making assumptions, and we know what that does, right?
 
#15 ·
I actually contacted the breeder and asked why the water was that color
Why there were bettas crammed into that jar
Why there were no heaters
And why the bettas in the bucket had little to none water

He actually blew up on me and said I was just some worthless child and told me to leave him alone. My reaction: o_O

So to me it just looked like horrible living conditions and the breeder was defending his neglectful ways.

Thank you for explaining everything.
 
#17 ·
That's unfortunate he reacted that way, but try to have an open mind. He may be a jerk who abuses animals. Or, maybe he's just somebody who is doing something to provide for his family and you come along, someone who he probably see's as a wealthy Westerner who's attacking him for the way he makes him living.

Misunderstanding and mis-perception can run both ways.

Just because we don't understand something doesn't make it truly wrong or evil; sometimes it's just different than what we're used to.
 
#26 ·
Yeah, rats are actually pretty good swimmers, but everything/one gets tired at some point and it was too deep for him to stand in and breathe for long.

I *kinda* feel sorry for the little ratty, but not really. I've had PET rats in the past, and they were wonderfully cute, smart, and friendly. WILD rats are smart, but that's about where the similarity ends! (Shudder)
 
#27 ·
Yeah sometimes that's the only way to get a good look.
 
#28 ·
Yea. Rats are huge pests here too.. We have to kill so many since they ravage our veggie garden.. They eventually learned to avoid traps after seeing their buds dead in em. :/ feeder rats are meh with me too. However pet rats are just so dearly sweet. Sad how they have to be separate in my mind though :(
 
#29 ·
The rat probably crept in to go "fishing" (rats can fish with their paws) and fell in. He could have been sick or something else could have spooked him into the water.

Thailand (or wherever this farm is) is naturally very warm!!! The fish don't need heaters!!!!

I also like the look of IAL. I never don't have it in my tanks!
 
#31 ·
It looks like a pretty decent operation to me...
The rat is awful, but if you have a lot of water outside one is doomed to eventually fall in and drown. All the water looks clean, the size of the individual tanks and bottles seems to be average, and taking the fish out of the water to check them is standard practice even in fish without labyrinths - you see it all the time in goldfish breeding. The tub on the end looked like a good way to separate and check easily.

I am planning a spawn when it is warmer (there is no way to heat the number of smaller tanks that would be needed, but it will be naturally the right temperatures from around May to October) and am collecting similar jars and containers when I spot them for cheap. I will also probably have them outside - high humidity nights that stay above 25C, ah the joys of summer in Asia. :-D
 
#36 ·
Any other breeders a little jealous of this set up? A cool wooden room, naturally warm with IAL and large containers for all the fish? :) The rat sucks and the juvies in that one bottle look sad, but otherwise I think it looks typical like others have said. I want a fishroom so bad! Considering getting a 2 bedroom so I can have one :)
 
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