I keep reading about people who purchase fish that have been kept in poor conditions, often at big chain stores. Doesn't this give business to companies with bad policies and animal care? Wouldn't it be better to give money to a store that keeps their fish in healthy conditions instead? Does anyone else feel this way? I'm just interested in people's opinions.
Well technically yes it gives them business, but considering Betta's at places like Wal Mart and Petsmart are so small in amount it's hardly really giving them a profit business at all. But I do see your point, it is true, but then again there's just no way I could leave some of those fish the way they are >< Three of my four fish are "rescues".
It's true that it's a drop in the hat for Wal-mart or Petsmart (and I suppose it's not fair to lump them together, I'm sure there are wal-marts out that with a good fish section), but on the reverse side there are probably a lot of small aquatics shops where the sale of a betta could make a big difference. I'm not saying this to criticize or attack anyone. I totally understand the desire to rescue something, I have 3 adopted cats. I'm just thinking of the arguments they make for pet stores that sell the puppy mill kittens and puppies. If you buy them, then the store keeps buying them, and the cycle continues.
Oh certainly, there's a Wal Mart near my house that's about three years old, the Betta's there are always healthy in appearance and always have clean water, so not all Wal Marts and such are bad, but then there's one about twenty minutes more down and...*shudder* I seriously think they receive there Betta's, shove them on a shelf and NEVER look at them again. To be honest though, Ive been to actual fish stores, high end one's, and there care of Betta's isn't any different then a Petsmart or Petco : / There still in tiny cups, with dirty/questionable water and at times some sick looking Betta's. There other fish for sale might be in exceptional tanks and healthy, but there Betta's are still on some shelf in the back and pretty much ignored. But then again, I live in Phoenix, we don't have a bounty full collection of fish stores so I'm not sure about other states. I think if you want a truly healthy fish, you would have to get it from a breeder.
Personally, I don't consider it a rescue if the store profited from your purchase of a sick fish. If I can't talk the manager into giving me the fish for free or at least at cost value, then I don't take it. This isn't because I'm cheap--it's because yes, making sympathy purchases only rewards the store for poor husbandry practices. You may make a difference to a single fish, but one will be there to replace him next week, and he will suffer, and you cannot save them all. It is much better to do everything you can to convince the management to change their policies rather than to make regular sympathy purchases.
True, but it's the same with dogs. You can save one dog, and there will always be another to replace it, but doesn't mean you shouldn't adopt the dog just because there are a bunch of other dogs that will suffer and end up the same. To save one or two or as many as you can, makes a difference.
But the thing is that it WON'T make a difference if they will just end up being replaced. I agree with Adastra on this one. People here seem obsessed with rescuing bettas and playing the hero. It's all in the supply/demand charts. Or even if it wasn't, you shouldn't prize the store that doesn't know how to take care of their fish.
There is a fish store near me and I got to be honest.... the cups are acutally smaller then Petco's even though the rest of their fish are lovely. *shrugs* Then again I've never 'rescued' any of my boys. I thought they looked lovely when I got them.
True, but it's the same with dogs. You can save one dog, and there will always be another to replace it, but doesn't mean you shouldn't adopt the dog just because there are a bunch of other dogs that will suffer and end up the same. To save one or two or as many as you can, makes a difference.
This is totally different--saving a dog from a non-profit shelter or a rescue organization is totally different from say, buying a puppy mill dog from a pet store, or an irresponsible backyard breeder. You should not purchase dogs in that situation either, it only perpetuates suffering. Unfortunately with fish, you can't expect animal services to step in to help, and that is sad--but the only thing we can do in this situation is to take action with the manager, and if they will do nothing, then speak to a regional manager and so on.
But like, 99% of stores don't properly care for their Betta's. So people just shouldn't buy them at all and let them rot so we don't "prize" the stores?
Check out the eBook Betta Fish Care Made Easy
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