Given the normal jostling a purse goes through how could the fish not wind up dead in short order? I understand how people can have a low opinion of tropical fish, they're small and cheap but how did bettas attain a reputation as disposable?
And I'm in complete agreement with iamntbatman in regards to PETA.
Those products are shocking and inhumane! People are led to believe that is how to keep Bettas and so many thousands of them die needlessly..So many are being produced ..it's like they marketing them as "Disposable Fish"..I can't stand it when I hear people say.." They just live in a little bowl...they're so easy to take care of"..so clueless..I hate to see such crulety to animals..
Just for the recor I also agree with iamntbatman regarding PETA.
I don't know why there are no agencys for Fish like the SPCA ....You would think as popular as the hobby is there would be something...I know this , when I got renter's insurance I had to argue with the agent to prove that my Fish are pets and that if I lost them there would be a value equal to and maybe above what their "list of actaul Pets" were valued at...
Well technically *SPCA organizations are working to prevent the cruel treatment of any animal. I don't see why they shouldn't advocate proper treatment of fish, as well. I actually just sent a lengthy email to the ASPCA outlining my concerns and asking that they work harder to prevent the cruel treatment of aquarium fish, whether it be by lobbying to pass legislation or to educate the public on proper fish care.
The "mistreatment" of bettas has been going on for years. It's not going to change. You folks would have conniptions if you ever attended a betta "bowl show" where the fish are judged, and are shown in little 4" bowls for the most part. And these shows are attended by those who, supposedly, love bettas. Your feelings on the matter are not going to change a thing.
My advice is to not buy the products if you don't like them. I can guarantee that if a product doesn't sell, the manufacturers will stop making them. Doesn't take a genius to figure that out.
Well sure maybe one person's opinion won't change a thing, but hundreds of people's opinions can.
A few years ago my friend got pissed off at people leaving their dogs on tie-outs in unfenced yards while they weren't home after her cat was attacked by a dog who yanked his stake up out of the ground. She started a one woman crusade that caused our county to pass a law that you can't leave your dog on a tie-out in an unfenced yard unsupervised...and she was just one person who got support from a couple hundred other people and made a difference.
My advice is to not buy the products if you don't like them. I can guarantee that if a product doesn't sell, the manufacturers will stop making them. Doesn't take a genius to figure that out.
Unfortunately the betta industry has the problem that it makes it too easy for the uneducated individuals to buy these fish and these gimmicks...for one of us there's got to be like 10 of them. I know the pet industry in general has a problem with that but you don't see chihuahuas being used as centerpieces for a wedding reception...
And, unfortunately, your voice and thousands of others wil not be heard over the din of the money making schemes that are devised in the betta industry. When group like the Betta Congress show their fish in 3"-4" bowls, do you think you will matter........NOT!!
Don't fool yourself into thinking that it will change. The best that we can hope for is to educate fishkeepers, present and future, and improve the situation. It will be a slow, slow process, and we may not see the improvements for years.
I would bet that the vast majority of bettas in this country are sold by chain pet stores to inexperienced hobbyists, not to people looking to breed and show their fish. When I was reading around about the iPond, I looked at a bunch of comments on all sorts of websites. Of course there were knowledgeable fishkeepers out in force, but there were also a large number of people arguing that "bettas come from tiny puddles" and that therefore these tiny containers are completely appropriate.
Yes, I do believe in market forces. As soon as it becomes common knowledge that a betta needs swimming space and a heater, the demand for these tiny betta tanks will decrease. Take dogs, for example. Everyone knows that a dog can't be kept in a crate their entire lives, and examples where this happens are universally viewed as horrible and cruel. It's a matter of public knowledge.
The ASPCA site had little information on fish and the information they included was poor. They recommended goldfish as starter fish and had no information about the aquarium cycle. I believe that this is a prime example of a general lack of knowledge about fish care.
I don't like to think that there's absolutely nothing I can do to change the situation, but I'm not so naive as to think that a couple of concerned aquarists on a forum are going to change the situation entirely, either. Every little bit helps, though. I imagine I'm not the only one sending emails to the ASPCA. I'm definitely not the only one launching complaints towards Petsmart and other big chain pet stores. Even just telling my friends about my tanks and fish spreads information about proper fish care. They may not keep fish themselves, but I bet they know someone who does and now that we've talked about it, there's a chance they'll talk to them about proper fish care as well. Every little bit helps.
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