the betta debate

[sean117Ply]

Every time I visit the pet store or lfs I see the betta's in jars, floating or lying at the bottom :( . The thing is their natural habitat is tiny stagnent puddles in asia . I think it is still rong though, they should have a propper heated aquarium.

What are peoples thought on this???

[Falina]

They should have proper heated aquariums with filters of a minimum size if 5g!!!!!

These fish are starting to be treated as badly as many poor unfortunate goldfish in their bowls.

They live in puddles in the wild,but these are shallow puddles rightenough,but they stretch for alarge distabnce, sometimes miles. There is also natural filteration in terms of plants and bottom dwelling creatures. So, no, it's not alright to keep themin jars - they will not live very long if they are.

[bettamad]

They do live like that in the wild but they are at least free to jump from puddle to puddle, they are excellent jumpers!

A small jar or cup is CRUEL because they are confined to a very small space. I think its disgusting personally.. just because they can "survive" (just about) in a small area, doesn't mean they should.

We could "survive" in a small cage but we wouldn't really be living wouldn't we. No wonder the fish float or sink, they are living in their own filth!

How can we stop this from happening?

[squiggles1]

bettas have it pretty bad for a fish. they are sometime overbred, left in cups of slimy water beside other bettas, which stresses them out because they see each other and flare up constantly, and them people see this and think it's ok to keep them like this. Plus their reputation as fighting fish doesn't help them. Lately I've seen pet stores with bettas floating in tiny baggys in the water. i was told that it's just as easy to keep them in that as it is to keep them in a cup. a sealed baggy floating on the water?! how often do you suppose that bag water is cleaned or they're fed, plus how would you know if you got them all? when we were in one day we saw a beautiful smoky blue male in one of these bags in a tank with tetras (and about 20+ other baggies) so my husband opened the bag and let him out. next time we came in he was still in there doing fine. I do have 2 males in betta tanks, but they are decent sizes and they always have clean water, gravel and are always fed.

[bettamad]

Those bettas in bags disgust me.. all they see is money and not living things in really really awful conditions.

[MattD]

I don't think all people who work at fish stores like it much either, many of them being hobbyists themselves. When I went to purchase my gorgeous orange/red Betta, the clerk asked, almost reluctantly, "Do you have one of these cups (pointing to the Betta Bowls)". I said "No, I'm not dooming him to a life like that. He has a home in my nice 20 gal".

She said "Oh, that's so good to hear".

But they don't have any other choice really, they're told to keep them there, or they get canned. All about the $$$. Although I will admit some stores do take good care of their bettas in cups. A store near me called Super Pet has many employees who seem to be quite responsible and compassionate towards fish. They've never given me false information, and their Betta cups are always sparkling clean, with the Bettas looking very healthy and attractive. The whole practice is unfortunate but at least some stores try to make the best of it.

edit - oh and just for the record, there is no debate as far as im concerned. it's simply unacceptable, so it's not up for debate.

[Rue]

Animals in pet stores can't be kept in ideal sized enclosures...or the store wouldn't have room for them...they're kept in holding containers...

...no one expects the purchaser to keep them the way they're kept in the store...

...but for some reason, no one seems to understand that the bettas in a cup aren't necessarily supposed to stay in a cup...

"But the pet store keeps them in tiny containers!"

Yes...how else can they keep them? Some pet stores will put the odd male betta in a tank of compatible fish...but there are way fewer tanks of compatible fish than bettas for sale...

I have no trouble with the small containers as long as the water is changed every 2 days and the bettas are feed and looked after...

I DO take issue with the betta bowls...esp. the miniscule ones...

[daisycutter]

by puddles they mean monsoon puddles as in large patches of flooded ground during the wet season vases are for flowers or throwing at next doors cat after its shat on your vegatable patch for the 40th time not for keeping fish

[sean117Ply]

yeah i would have to agree with MattD there is no debate it is totaly wrong. I hate it when their tanks are devided by glass, they try to fight through the glass and tire themselves out. it apporling.

[Lupin]

There is another pet store which I am not impressed with. They used to have good selections of fish before but things had changed there since then. Bettas are placed in energy drink bottles and the water is hardly even clean and clear. Worse, they still cost twice as much as the discus. Who would expect to empty his/her wallet to buy bettas kept in poor conditions?