Something Pet Shops Should Do That Could Help Save More Bettas

[ct_hulhu]

I haven't even been impressed by any local independent fish dealers that I've been to recently. And I've been to a lot, going with my boyfriend to search for the perfect puffer fish for him. It's frustrating. It seems they keep all their other fish healthy and in pristine conditions, but then go over to the betta area and it's just as pathetic as Petsmart and Wal-Mart. On top of that, they're pushing the tiny betta bowls and cubes just like the chains are. I was just telling a friend of mine today that if I ran a fish store and sold bettas, I would not carry any betta containers under one gallon.

IMO nothing better can be done than to save one little life at a time, whether it comes from Wal-Mart or an independent dealer.

 

[GSD]

It would be a good idea if pet shops were open for free, unfortunatly they are made to make a profit, and to them fish are stock that either sell or dont. The reality is betta fish have to be kept alone, these shops dont have the resources, space or time to keep them all in individual 5 gallon tanks like many people on here preach and even if they did people would proberbly just winge that the prices have increased.

The best thing people can do is stay away from these places, but from a reputable fish shop and stop giving money to allow them to continue this practice.

 

[bronzecat]

Flippin eck, get off your horse Stangin83.

Is it ethical for people to continue to buy sick fish from large chain stores, for that chain store to continue ordering them in every week leading to the more sickly fish on sale again? Is this what YOU want? More sick fish! Thats very ethical

You, cannot rescue every fish And no, I would never support these chain stores by buying their sick fish!

So you, along with a handful of others, would prefer to support a multi-million dollar profit making organisation that has no regard for a fishes health? How hypocritical is that? You're persecuting the very fish that you shout about caring for so much.

P.S. Your siggie is illegal - too big and its making political statements.

 

[bronzecat]

And can i just point out that all i said on your thread about your bettas was, "You would be doing your betta and yourself a favour if you kept them in anything other than a little bowl"

The reason - Less water changes = more time to look at them and enjoy!

 

[Devorax]

Having had a harrowing visit to my LFS last week, which I started a thread about and got resounding feedback on, I would agree with Bronzecat entirely. The big corporations look at profit margins, wholesale units, units losses etc on all goods they sell. If Bettas end up being a loss making unit, the corporation will decide to stop selling them. If they are anything like certain large corporations here in the UK, they will stop selling them if they don't make enough profit, ie if they expect to make a broad 50% profit across the betta product but only get 30% for a year or two.
I suggest that people finding themselves compelled to help every badly treated betta they see in a shop should refrain from going to those establishments. There is no amount of individual good that can be achieved, only a mass movement of like minded people boycotting the stores and 'spreading the word' will suffice. You'll soon find that the profit margins will fall and very quickly the product (Bettas) will be withdrawn from sale, which will suit both sides of the arguement.

 

[bronzecat]

Agreed ^^

 

[ct_hulhu]

I do understand what you're saying but it's a lost cause. If you were to go to Petsmart or Wal-Mart and observe the people buying bettas from there, it's mostly little kids getting their first betta or another one to replace the one they got a week ago that died, teenagers that just like omg want one because it like looks so kewl omg lol, others only interested in vanity, few (but some) people that would actually care enough about their fish to say, post on a forum like this. In my observation, and from observation from friends who have worked at these chains, there are too many irresponsible and careless people out there who will keep feeding the need for chains, regardless of whether or not people like me never buy fish from them. That said, I'm all for keeping a fish or two out of the hands of the above mentioned.

 

[GSD]

I do understand what you're saying but it's a lost cause. If you were to go to Petsmart or Wal-Mart and observe the people buying bettas from there, it's mostly little kids getting their first betta or another one to replace the one they got a week ago that died, teenagers that just like omg want one because it like looks so kewl omg lol, others only interested in vanity, few (but some) people that would actually care enough about their fish to say, post on a forum like this. In my observation, and from observation from friends who have worked at these chains, there are too many irresponsible and careless people out there who will keep feeding the need for chains, regardless of whether or not people like me never buy fish from them. That said, I'm all for keeping a fish or two out of the hands of the above mentioned.

I do agree with what your saying to an extent, to me it really annoys me when going into a pet shop and seeing bettas in awful conditions, and i always i want to buy them, but then i think that i would rather put the funding into a breeder, someone who actually cares for the fish than somewhere like pets at home who import fish to sell on to the stupid people you described there, and i hope that by not buying the pet shops might just reduce the number of fish imported because they cant be sold.. I must admit though i have caved before (hence my three vts i didnt plan for )

 

[loraxchick]

just my two cents...im not trying to get into an arguement here.
it seems that things in the UK are MUCH better (on the whole-or at least from reading thses forums for the better part of a year), for our betta friends. Many members say they dont see UK bettas in little cups/pots, etc. and that is GREAT!!! but here in the US there are not so many breeders so readily available to support them and THEIR efforts over the chain stores. there are a few GREAT independent lfs' around my neck of the woods and they carry very healthy stock and their tanks are all VERY well looked after. but they still, barring ONE exception, have the males IN CUPS...so then what? are they as cruel and bad as the chain stores with THEIR bettas in cups?? and from time to time not so well looked after im afraid... there isnt a whole lot of choice in supporting breeders, around me at least, so then what? As a good fishy mom, am i supposed to just walk away and never get another betta? it is almost a moot point, looking at it from a US standard...to not support any store who houses bettas as such would mean i do not get a choice to ever have another betta.
i, personally, would rather save one fish and consider HIM lucky, than just walk away to not support the industry...an industry that we as betta lovers HAVE to appreciate, otherwise we'd never have gotten into them in the first place. And yes, some places are "better" than others... it is a cruel fate for lots of fishes out there...just glad that i am informed (largely due to this forum) and can provide any fish that i acquire with care to the best of my ability.
but do i think we should just willy nilly be "saving" all the sick fish out there...no. it is just one of those things that is BOTH sides of the coin at once (around here anyway).
Cheers!

 

[ct_hulhu]

It really must be better in the UK. Like I said in an earlier post, the bettas at many independent places near me are in conditions not unlike the chains. I went to a shop yesterday with my boyfriend (he's looking around for puffer fish), and upon arrival the place looked great. Walked down aisles of freshwater and saltwater fish alike, they were all perfectly cared for and looked fantastic. A very pleasant and professional place so far. I started wondering where their betta section must be, then I noticed a few plastic bags tacked to the walls. The only good thing I can say about it was that they were small and therefore fairly young, but they looked like crap. The way the bags were attached to the walls, they had very little surface area to breathe from and the water didn't look too keen. They didn't have them labeled clearly so I wasn't sure what was male and what was female, but several of them were displaying horizontal stripes

 

[loraxchick]

i stand corrected then...just from what ive gathered around the forums., the UK is much better than US...MAYBE 1 out of 100 places will house individual bettas...and then, they are in communities or there are only a FEW so no selection.
pity

 

[Netty]

We are very lucky I think compared to some other countries. We have an independant lfs about 2mins up the road from us that has a floor to ceiling stack of 2 gal tanks which house males Bettas on their own which shows that it can be done. I also know that Modaz does the same and each male has their own tank.

One lfs doesn't carry Bettas at all and most of the rest have them in community tanks....not always with the most appropriate tanks mates though.

This is one of the reasons that we continue to breed in a small way. We can't claim that our Bettas are show quality but can guarantee that they are healthy and well looked after.

 

[loraxchick]

 

[Devorax]

It would seem though that a lot of it has to do with the current accepted social standards in the given country. In the US, perhaps there is the attitude of "I want a betta available to me in any branch of 'X Shop' " and so the stores seeing the open business opportunity fill the gap and stock bettas in very poor but trade-wise easy conditions. But they only do this because some people that aren't as empathic as some of us would like think a fish is just a fish and think they should be able to get one on the corner of any intersection. Here in the UK there is quite a different attitude, I can imagine the uproar there would be if Tesco started selling livestock!!!!
In the end, we will end up discussing/arguing over things like this until the end of time UNLESS laws are changed, UNLESS people that know better get their way and the sale of all animals is strictly enforced regarding condition of the animals. We all agree that the current situation is very far from ideal, but unless we all start making a lot of noise at the lawmakers that matter, nothing will happen to change in the forseeable future, so it's a case of grin and bear it, with everyone doing what for themselves is right and not having the right to criticise anyone else for not doing as they did.

 

[Foreverandever]

Id also like to say that there are no betta breeders around me. I would have bought from a breeder...but no one really breeds VT's and those are the only tail types I like. Plus, the LFS near me never has more than 6 bettas and they are all usually CT's. If they do have a VT they are the plain red or blue. At least at Petco and Petsmart you can find different colors. I got Kita at another smaller chain pet store and his colors are gorgeous. I will say that I wont buy them from Wal-Mart though.