Reading This Made Me Sad

[Luke_emma_23]

I was just looking through articles on google and came across this site -
aqualandpetsplus.com
it has really made me think if i am doing these poor creatures good, the way they are transported here is atrocious
i look at mine and see them swimming round what seems to me a small tank, at 20 litres what they have is a mansion compared to on that site
are all the bettas we buy from Thailand/Indonesia or are some from Western breeders? if we all keep buying imports they will just bring more in!!
do you think my 3 are imports???
i never buy wild caught Marine fish, only those from british breeders TMC
if you google it then go to Betta Housing you will see what i mean
rant over!!

 

[BryceHockey]

Good grief, take a look at the comments towards the bottom of that page and you'll be even more disgusted.

One reader chews them out, and the writer responds stating that it is only for shipping (even though they clearly encourage housing them in the cups). To make matters worse several more readers begin to mock the smart comment and say that bettas are obviously not happy in a 10 gallon tank because it feels like a warehouse to them. What the heck?

Words cannot begin to describe how big of a moron one must be to think that anything would prefer a foam cup over a properly filtered tank. That's just sick.

 

[helterskelter]

Almost all shops will sell imported fish coz of the cost.

Darren at dp fish ways in Bournemouth sell's a few home breed fish there and on his website.

But when shops can buy imported betta's for as little as £1 then they will not pay much more for home breed fish, which may cost the breeder more.
Looking on ebay or joining a group, specialist site or asking here you will fine breeders who will post fish.

 

[Just_Another_One]

that is how my lfs sells there bettas. ...the tiny white cups in those pictures. Im not sure how they are sold in the UK but over here all the shops ive been to sell them like that. Very sad

 

[Honeythorn]

I have never seen a betta sold round here in any form of cup. They are either kept in tanks with other fish such s cories or tetras ( not always the best choice but usually better than a filthy cup ) Or kept on their own in racks of filtered and heated cube tanks ( as they are in my lfs ) .

Whichever commentor said a betta wouldn't be happy in a ten gallon due to it being too big is completely off their rocker. Yes, dropping a betta into a ten gallon after it spending it's life in a tiny tank or cup will make it stressed at first.

Slow introduction via the use of a simple guppy breeding net/trap , and also heavy planting ( which should be there anyway ) not to mention a few caves and slow flow from the filter should ensure minimum stress.

#33###.. it's not astrophysics.

 

[Curiosity101]

Agree completely honeythorn. I reckon the fish would be shocked at first...but introduced slowly they would be fine.

Just need to point out though. Half of the 'I keep my fish in cubes and they are happy' comments are dated '06...
I think opinions have changed dramatically since then.
Which is definitely a good thing.

 

[OohFeeshy]

The way most fish are transported isn't a bundle of joy, the more fish that can be crammed in a bag the better (in terms of business). Using a cup isn't exactly wonderful, but they're on their own, movement is limited so less waste produced, no way of getting stuck (i.e, always access to air) and suchlike.

 

[helterskelter]

numbers to a box is key, more u can fit in the cheaper the transport. this is why they ship 500 to a box.... not many uk breeders can supply that sort of numbers

 

[Amberleaf]

....

WRONG.

Some IDIOT started saying, "Oh, my bettas were absolutely MISERABLE in even 1.6 gallon tanks!!!!"

And somebody ELSE said that they used to have their Betta in a betta cube, and now it is in a quart container.... Is it just me, or is a quart container even *SMALLER* than that?!

I, personally, think that Bettas should live in a tank of *AT LEAST* 2.5-gallons, and they should be heated, and they will be just FINE. Heck, all of MY Bettas live like that -- Even though Mr. Wimpy Fish DOES, at the moment, live in the 2.5-gallon tank; I will move him soon!!!! -- and they are all just perfectly happy!

I need to move Mr. Wimpy Fish before the winter comes.... Last Winter was REALLY cold, and his tank light is just *barely* helping the tank get up to 80 F each day.... Yet, since I moved Metamorphix into the tank beside him, he is FAR too obsessed with building a bubble nest and flaring at her and me and watching her, so he won't really mind for the next few months, ANYWAYAS.... XDDDDD I just have to get him into a bigger tank or move my tiny heater into his before November comes, that's all~

 

[Assaye]

That website is just a load of ****.

Sure, some facts were OK but the general attitude of the author and the moronic "I've been doing it this way all my life thank you" style comments really ****** me off.

Some people can be so dense and can't see past what they want to see.

 

[llamalord305]

That made me so sick. Poor fish. The last comment, wow. Ugh.

 

[Aequora]

God, what a fool that person is. I have four female and one Betta male in a 10 gallon with two Guppy females and the amount of non-aggressive socialization I see is astounding. There is NO way you can see a Bettas full potential in a urine sample cup.

Edit: Have you guys noticed how now the site owner is getting really defensive about how he keeps his Bettas and has not only 'changed' the approach to his housing habits (by adding plants and moving them from cups to really tiny bowls), but has also started to personally 'attack' the commenters? If their comments are so wrong, why bother stooping to their level? Everybody knows that stores and shippers keep them in small containers because it costs them less for more, versus shipping and keeping them in appropriately sized and divided tank units.