Words of encouragement ...

[lelei]

Forgot to add..he didnt have htr at first..didnt know he needed one..but when I got him in the 3..i found a htr that keeps his water a constant temp of 78°..& sad as ijt sounds there are some who dont use heaters..or anything bigger than the store basic plastic bowl..:(.very sad

[MollyJean]

I know how you feel.. My husband makes it very clear he doesn't like the fish because he can't do anything with them and they don't make him money. He's pushed and pushed me to start breeding them so I can make money and pay back all the cash he's dished out for tanks and decor and fish. It's so hard to explain that breeding fish doesn't really MAKE money, so the whole thing just frustrates him. He gets mad when I look at Aquabid and show my daughter fish cause he says "I know you want to get another one.. NO" and I don't even ask for one. He doesn't understand how I can look at pretty fish all day as a form of entertainment.. >.< He also doesn't understand how I can want more, doesn't understand how important they are and can't fathom them as anything more then decorations.

We've had many an exchange about how I assign humanized personality traits to each fish through my need to bring them closer to my own level, which in turn enables my drive to interact with them. And that if I could simply disassociate those characteristics and see their behavior as nothing more then natural survival instinct, I would understand why they're not good pets. Of course when I explain that we humanize every animal we have, the dog, the cats, he doesn't want to hear it, because dogs can follow verbal commands and fish can't.

Basically he says they're boring and the only reason i like them is because I have a stronger imagination then him. Which is true. :) But I still get picked on for my fishies and snails and you should see his face when I find insects outside and get all coo-y over them! Some people are just unable to understand the attachment a person can have to another creature, fish or otherwise.

Like you've, we've come to a compromise. I have a 15 dollar a month budget. If I want to spend more, I have to save up. And I keep my fish talk on the forums or just.. away from him. Thankfully my daughter has mollies and my brother has adopted Corrin (dirty fish thief!) so they're still safe to talk to, as long as my hubby isn't around.

Remember you have us, we understand, and we won't judge! ((((hug))))

[birdielikestomatoes]

Same problems here. Recently I did my research and upgraded by 3 bettas into bigger tanks. After I got a 5g for my 2 girls I wanted to move Steve into a new tank as he was living in an unheated vase.

The first time I mentioned this my mom's reaction was like, "No, I like him where he is. He looks nice in that room and he's fine." *Sigh* He's not a decoration and he was pretty much ignored in the room he was in. I convinced her.
My dad of course was a lot worse, his exact words were, "He's a betta fish. They like smaller spaces and I've had bettas that have lived for years without heating and filters. It's all a waste of money." My dad has been keeping bettas for years, I think he's had about 8 or 9 in the past 7 years, only owning 1 at a time. Thank god I was bit by the betta bug and took over fish keeping.
My brother...well he's a loser and I don't care what he thinks. x3 And last my little sister who will be turning 2 soon! She adores my fish, she calls Steve 'daddy fish,' Eugeney is 'mommy fish,' and Hilda is 'baby fish.' lol She even learned how to say Spongebob because of the pineapple house we used for the girls before they upgraded. And yes, I do love bragging about how my not-yet-two sis can say a ton a things. :) The other day she said 'beat up.' LOL

Yeah, I'm done rambling now.

[dramaqueen]

I have my female in a 1 gallon and everyone else is in 1.5 to 2.5 gallon critter keepers. Also, I don't think the op meant that keeping bettas in anything small was fish abuse. I think she meant that FOR HER, she feels that 5 gallons and smaller isn't enough.

[Bombalurina]

+1. I have no problem with other people keeping fish in things as small as a gallon (as long as they keep it properly, the way you guys do!) but I couldn't do it. :) I'm just too addicted to seeing my fish gliding around their 5 gals. :p