College Bettas

[TaylorW]

I've come to a startling realization: We need to do something to try to reach college students.

Being a college student myself, I've seen many terrible things happening to fish in my dorm. From too small containers and brown icy water, to some people literally forgetting that they have a fish in their dorm and the animal becomes neglected. Some people at my school actually pick up bettas at Walmart when they are bored, and then wonder why it dies a month later.

It also seems like some colleges are giving out bettas to students; I know at my school that the sororities gave bettas to their new pledges as a surprise gift, which is CLEARLY a bad idea. My one friend doesn't even want or care for her fish, just doesn't want to give it away or let me help her care for it because she doesn't want to "hurt her sorority sister's feelings."

Anyways, colleges are a big problem. I think we should try to find ways to spread the word about betta care around our college campuses. I know we have some college students and creative people in this forum, and I know we can come up with some great ways to get the word out.

So umm... anyone want to join me in trying to inform college students about fish?

I might make some flyers and tape them up everywhere after Christmas break... (Gotta get through finals!) Any other college students want to join me?

[fleetfish]

Yeah .... It is a huge issue that's come to light. I'm also at Uni but I don't live in a dorm, so it would be harder for me to do something. I'm sure I could pass some flyers and pamphlets out to people who live in the dorms. Even if we could spread care by word of mouth and direct people to this site it would be better than nothing.

[TaylorW]

Exactly. Every little bit counts and could save a fish's life!

[Oldfishlady]

Start a Campus Betta club or aquarium club-have a meeting place with monthly meetings and supply educational material and such, have a temporary pet sitting service to care for each other pets......elect official to get the member involved-assign duties etc.......post signage in common locations-door prizes...you can even get local Ma & Pa type pet shop to donate with the understanding that they get free adverts posted on campus and new letter etc.......

[TaylorW]

I would love to start a betta club! But I don't think anyone would join it :( :(

I am going to make a lot of posters and flyers of winter break to see if I can get anyone else interested in bettas!!

[LikeDiscoSuperfly]

I think making flyers is a great idea! I am starting school in January (finally!) but it's cimmunity college so I dont think there would be a problem since there arent dorms. hehe.
but this makes me quite happy I dont live in a dorm, I couldnt watch animals be mistreated, even if the owner didnt know. well, and I couldnt bring my dogs. LOL.

[TaylorW]

Originally Posted by LikeDiscoSuperfly

I think making flyers is a great idea! I am starting school in January (finally!) but it's cimmunity college so I dont think there would be a problem since there arent dorms. hehe.
but this makes me quite happy I dont live in a dorm, I couldnt watch animals be mistreated, even if the owner didnt know. well, and I couldnt bring my dogs. LOL.

I can't stand it. There's this super passive aggressive girl in my dorm that likes to try to start something with me whenever I clean out my tank in the bathroom.

Me: *cleaning out my tank, minding my own business*

Girl: That looks like something I have to do all the time... (and I know she doesn't clean her betta cube often)

Me: Yeah, I'm in here a lot, I clean my tank out every 2-3 days. He also has a heater and and live plants and stuff cause he's super spoiled. I love my fish to death, he's super spoiled!

Girl: My fish doesn't get any of that. He just gets his plastic cube and his hot pink plastic plant and that's it. Too bad, that's all he's going to get.

After Thanksgiving Break

Me: *setting up fish tank after taking it home for break*

Girl: *comes in with betta cube full of brown dirty water with the fish still inside* This is what the tank looks like after leaving it here for nine days... (which means she must have skipped school since break was only 5 days, leaving her fish there)

Me: Oh my gosh, is he ok!?!? I took my fish home over break because I was worried about missing water changes.

Girl: How far away do you live?

Me: About an hour away.

Girl: I live 6. (She says this like it justifies leaving the fish at school with no care) *scoops betta out and dumps out brown betta cube water* Oh my gosh, this is the coldest water I have ever felt in my life! *fills betta cube with tap water, plops fish in without acclimating it or adding dechlorinator, then heads back to her room*

I honestly never say anything to this girl whenever I see her, I swear she must be trying to start something with me or something.

[TaylorW]

I see too many people like this girl, and this is why I want to start trying to inform people about betta care. I just can't stand it anymore, and I'm too nice to tell anyone off...

[Creat]

I know many people who have betta here in the dorms its sad to me how badly their treated. The betta with the best care (other then mine) is one that lives in a whiskey bottle... the guys actually bothers to take the betta home and de-chlorinate the water when he changes it which is unfortunately once every month.
I think the fliers are a great idea I think I will do that or offer a new home for betta they no longer want...