I'm sad.

[BettaMomma]

Well, since Liza isn't eating I had to stop at PetWorld to pick up several diff things to try. I felt like I was making a midnight run to the convenience store for a pregnant woman.

Anyway - of course I ran thru the betta section and I saw one thing that disgusted me, and another that made me wanna cry.
The thing that disgusted me was a gorgeous periwinkle blue boy bobbing around in a cup that was ATROCIOUS. You couldn't even see thru to the other side of the cup. OBVIOUSLY his cup had been missed at water changin time. AND he was covered with stringy cottony crap.

The next thing I saw completely broke my heart. I saw a boy laying on his side. I looked at him and decided I would just keep on going, because afterall I can't rescue them ALL. I stopped suddenly when I remembered seeing a fish just like him there early last week. I specifically remembered him because of his gorgeous rainbow color. And it was true rainbow - he started out at his nose with deep red, ended with deep periwinkle at the ends of his fins. He was the same boy I had seen there a week ago this past Monday. (Today's friday)... And since I know that they get betta shipments on TUesdays, he had been there since the previous Tuesday, at least. SO... I figured out that he's been laying there waiting for someone to take him home and make him well for 17 days. 17 DAYS. And twice now he's seen me pick him up, put him back down and turn my back. I wonder how many times in a day people don't go thru the betta section and look them all over and decide to take another one home because "he's not very active - he wouldn't be any fun". He reminds me a LOT of my little Jasper when I first got him, except this guy has wonderful coloration. He struggles horrendously to get to the top of the water and after he's gotten some air, he just lets himself fall down to the bottom of the cup and wherever he lands, he lays over on his side.

I did not bring him home. I simply can't take in anymore. I feel HORRIBLE though - knowing that the poor little thing has been getting rejected every single day for at LEAST 17 days now, and on top of that he's obviously feeling like crap physically.

I would like to ask that nobody suggested that I go and get him, because I just can't and that would make me feel any worse.... I am at the limit now with space, food, time for water changes and attention, and I don't want to overdo it. I just wanted to tell someone that would listen and actually not think I was crazy for being so heartbroken about leaving some sick little fish behind.

Oh, and the little guy who was in the disgusting little container... I took him up front with me and set him down on the checkout counter and said "THIS is disgusting. NO fish should be kept in conditions like this."

 

[Kiarra]

Much sympathy, I assure you. I'm sure that I'm not the only one who can sympathize and understand exactly how that feels.

 

[BettaMomma]

It especially sucks because the last time I was in that store I told someone about him and they told me they "really don't medicate them at all".

 

[Murdoc]

Honestly, some petstore employees (no offense to some of you who are) are just complete uneducated morons.

I think petstores shouldnt carry animals unless they've been approved.

Like FISH ONLY STORES should be the only ones carrying fish... not pet stores... its just rediculous..

Ive seen more rants and piss offs about bettas and lack of cleaning, i should just go buy them all and get a HUGE tank to put them all in

 

[Fat-cat]

What really upsets me about stores like that is it really doesn't take that much time to take care of these guys. Just today I did water changes on all 44 of our bettas at work. It took me 1 hr and that was changing water out, letting them each swim in the tub for a minute, adding betta fix to each container and feeding them!

 

[Kiarra]

Exactly! But it's not "cost-effective" or some such crap. But that's not even true. It's LAZY to let them die, simply because you aren't willing to take the time to feed them or give them a little clean water, or throw a little bit of medicine in there with them. Sometimes people are simply disgusting. They think that just because it is a fish, that it is not a life.

 

[Synirr]

Exactly! But it's not "cost-effective" or some such crap. But that's not even true.

Actually, it is. It's cheaper just to buy new fish than medicate all the sick ones... that doesn't make it right, though.

 

[Kiarra]

Hmm...yeah, when I said that, I didn't mean the price of medication. I mostly meant the price of changing the water, which is nill. Either way, it's still disgusting.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Actually, employees could benefit by changing the water. They might be able to claim it as an extra hour or so working, therefore getting paid more. But it is sad, I'm happy that very few shops, if any, keep bettas in cups over here.

 

[nashnutny]

I stopped into the local Petco in this area yesterday. I don't know what happened... they don't talk... there wasn't a single Betta in the place.

 

[Haiku]

I kind of know how you feel BettaMomma. I stopped in at the pet store a week after I got my two guys, and one of the ones I had looked at was still there, but his fins were curling at the edges, probably with fin rot. It broke my heart but I too have to be careful and not overdo things. Taking a fish in is not necessarily a cheap thing if you're going to really set them up the way they should be and treat them when they are sick, and I'd already spent so much on Haiku (who died), Draco and Orion. Plus I also have a bird, two dogs, house, and large yard to care for on top of work (I work from home, and my pay depends on how much I do rather than on hours worked), so I know exactly what you mean about having to be careful about taking on more than you should. I just have to remember that if I take on too much, my other pets will pay. I give all my pets the best quality of life I possibly can, but there are always so many more in need. It's heartbreaking.

My biggest consolation is looking at the ones I have now, seeing how happy and well cared for they are, and knowing I am providing that life for them that they otherwise might not have (My dogs are rescues as well).

I can't really say anything to make it not hurt, but I can express my understanding and that I think you are doing right by your other fish by not taking on more than you can handle time and moneywise. You're a very good person and I know in the years to come, many many fishies will have wonderful lives because of you.

 

[tomstanks]

You know...I may be preaching to the choir but....to me fish have the same rights as a cat or dog. We get all freaked out if those "furries" are mistreated but no one says a word if fish get treated poorly. Cruelty is cruelty....I am not a PETA freak or anything...I am a responsible catch and release bass fisherman as well...but I take care of my tropical fish....I used to manage a store and I worked in others; mine was a mom-n-pop and we cared for our fish. I remember one day I came in to find my co-worker in tears.....it seems we had a breakdown of a filtration/air system in the night and lost a tank of puffers and a few others. She was sobbing.....that is the kind of people I want to buy my fish from. I now service tanks, and I treat all the fish as if they are mine....those of us who love this hobby know....fish are as cool of a pet as a dog, cat, or whatever and we have to be RESPONSIBLE for them....some chain store practices disgust me.....

 

[GSD]

hopeefuly someone else will save him!!!!!

 

[wuvmybetta]

I know how ya feel,BM. It's impossible to take each and every one home And it sends the wrong message to the corporation when they're selling dying fish. They think they can get away with it.

Just remember that if you have the time you can stand your ground and demand that they change the water before you leave the store. At least that way you know he's clean for a few days

 

[BettaMomma]

The thing that's getting me right now, though, is the fact that I recently got 2 fish that were in perfect health. (Charlie and Six)

Why?? Because they "looked cool".


I did the very thing I criticize other people for doing, and now I'm feeling really guilty. Granted, now those 2 fish have wonderful homes and a mom who loves them dearly, but I can't help but think that if I hadn't been so selfish and bought fish that'd have had NO problem finding another home, I'd have had room for this guy who LITERALLY can't find a home to save his life.

I've even considered asking Grulla (she lives in the same city as me) if she wants to take my new CT, tank and all for free so I can go get this sick boy. I just keep thinking that every day that goes by the poor little thing suffers some more and gets even sicker because nobody else has probably even taken notice that he's SICK, and nobody wants him cuz he is so lifeless.

I have also thought about offering to bring him home and nurse him back to health with meds, and then bringing him back for them to sell, but i KNOW that i'd get attached and never be able to return him.

As for the guy in the disgusting cup, when I told the girl behind the counter that it was disgusting that he was living that way, she immediately paged someone from the fish department and asked that he go back and take care of the fish right away.

Okay, I'm going to get some ice cream and try to think about something positive now! uugh.