Betta Cruelness Before Our Very Eyes.

[Volleyball_Rox]

Betta Cruelness is everywhere.
Most recently, I've been ranting about a certain type: Aquarium Abuse.
I was at walmart today, buying Safe Start for my new, 5 gallon, filtered, lighted/heated aquarium. I noticed a whole section for bettas. I went over, not surprized to see the 1.5 usual gallon betta gimmick. Yeah, that's bad. But what's even worse is a 1 1/2 or 2 LITER plastic cup thing for bettas.
Yeah. LITER. Not Gallon. LITER.
But that's not the worst part. It is actually made for 2 BETTAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO!!!!!!!
It comes with a divider, it can be shaded or clear. Clear for: Increased Flaring. That's very stressful for long periods of time.
How can anyone be dumb enough to believe a real, live creature can live in such conditions?
Well, apparently, many people.
Probably parents who have 2 young kids who beg them for a 4.99 betta keeper, it holds two, one for each kid, and bettas are cheap. They are entertaining.
These people are OBLIVIOUS to the fact that betta's need heat and light and room!!!
But that's not allllllll.
A "betta condo" that can hold up to 4 bettas. It is the smallest thing I've ever seen.
So, betta abuse.
What will you do to help and prevent it?
Or will you ignore it?
I dare ya ta do something about it.

 

[silverrabbit]

There are topics like this allllllll over the betta section.... sadly there isn't anything that can be done apart from not buy it.

Unfortunately, there wll always be people who will buy into this insanity, because they believe that bettas "live in tiny dirty puddles in the wild", just like their LFS tell them.

 

[nessar]

It may seem a bit harsh but the best thing to do is probably ignore it. If it doesnt sell then they will stop stocking it. Apart from petitioning for a new law about minimum tank sizes, you cant really do anything about it. You can complain, but they wont listen to one person. You'd need lots.

 

[woodstock]

Yup. I think in some countries, bowls are completely banned. Not sure about minimum sizes, but everycountry REALLY SHOULD Increase minimum housing for aquarium fish. It's terrible, but they just won't listen and understand that a life is a life.

 

[Assaye]

We know. There is some really nasty stuff out there.

We write letters where we can, advise people not to buy them where we can and make phone-calls where we can. However, people still make this rubbish and thousands of bettas (like many, many other animals) end up being abused.

Welcome to the world.

 

[Volleyball_Rox]

Yup. I think in some countries, bowls are completely banned. Not sure about minimum sizes, but everycountry REALLY SHOULD Increase minimum housing for aquarium fish. It's terrible, but they just won't listen and understand that a life is a life.

Yeah, I've heard in Rome that bowls are banned.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Yup. I think in some countries, bowls are completely banned. Not sure about minimum sizes, but everycountry REALLY SHOULD Increase minimum housing for aquarium fish. It's terrible, but they just won't listen and understand that a life is a life.

Yeah, I've heard in Rome that bowls are banned.

That is just odd. . .I googled to see if that is accurate and apparently it is!

http/www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/33158/story.htm

How do they enforce such a law and what is the punishment?

 

[woodstock]

I would imagine to simply (haha, "simply") stop selling bowls (and in my dreams, stop selling anything less than 2gallons altogether) to the general public. Bowls are mainly only used for fish anyways. If not, then those people can easily find something else.

And I would imagine a fine of a couple hundred maybe?. I wouldn't imagine jail being an issue though, because no government has shown an interest in that at all. But I haven't taken a government course yet, so ignore me on that lol.

 

[Tolak]

I dare ya ta do something about it.

I will, this site is here to pass on aquatic knowledge.

Many breeders of show quality bettas keep the males jarred in 1-2 quart containers. Feel free to contact the IBC and voice your concerns to breeders with decades of experience with award winning bettas. You are bound to learn quite a bit in a short amount of time.

Ban bowls and you have eliminated bowl shows, a competition many aquarium societies use to judge fish. These are the people who breed for species improvement, not for money. Remove this and you have removed a component of species improvement.

I will agree that the product mentioned is an improperly marketed cheesy piece of equipment. Something that size is a poor starting point for anyone new to fish. I'll bet it ends up in the garbage more often than being resold.

For that price you could get four large jars, standard betta breeding equipment, and with the proper setup house them with no problem at all. I'm sure the information provided with that product is nowhere near sufficient for someone unfamiliar with bettas in that amount of water. With the proper information it is done, successfully, by some of the best breeders you will find.

The biggest problem concerning this product is a lack of information.

 

[woodstock]

-Sigh-
This is just my ideal setting. What I would hope is that they just set an absolutely minimum on the sizes they sell. Like, at least one gallon. Remove all bowls / products less than that. Tolak, I totally understand the breeding and showing, and etc, which is logical. I guess it would be a lot to ask that they banned up to a certain size. What they REALLY should ban, though, is the actual products people make that are hardly a gallon. I'm sure there will be something else breeders would be able to use for their bettas. Or something. -Sigh-

 

[Assaye]

I dare ya ta do something about it.

I will, this site is here to pass on aquatic knowledge.

Many breeders of show quality bettas keep the males jarred in 1-2 quart containers. Feel free to contact the IBC and voice your concerns to breeders with decades of experience with award winning bettas. You are bound to learn quite a bit in a short amount of time.

Ban bowls and you have eliminated bowl shows, a competition many aquarium societies use to judge fish. These are the people who breed for species improvement, not for money. Remove this and you have removed a component of species improvement.

I will agree that the product mentioned is an improperly marketed cheesy piece of equipment. Something that size is a poor starting point for anyone new to fish. I'll bet it ends up in the garbage more often than being resold.

For that price you could get four large jars, standard betta breeding equipment, and with the proper setup house them with no problem at all. I'm sure the information provided with that product is nowhere near sufficient for someone unfamiliar with bettas in that amount of water. With the proper information it is done, successfully, by some of the best breeders you will find.

The biggest problem concerning this product is a lack of information.

I actually disagree. Sort of.

I know some people insist on keeping their "working stock" in small jars/tanks so that it is easier to heat, easier to have a lot of stock, more cost effective, etc. I'm sure many breeders keep their stock in perfect water, at the perfect temperature and such. That doesn't mean it is right. I can understand out-growing fry in very basic tanks, but I don't think breeding or species development or showing are suitable excuse for not having the best and natural instincts of the animal at heart. With creatures as wild and untameable as fish, we should be trying to emulate their natural environment as best we can, not making excuses for so-called experts doing something that would be considered immoral if a normal person did it.

We don't have a right to put our desire to hold competitions, improve a species or judge others before the fundamentals of fish welfare - space, light, cover, safety, stimulation, correct water movement, appropriate numbers, etc. We already do the poor things a disservice by keeping them as pets.

 

[lljdma06]

We don't have a right to put our desire to hold competitions, improve a species or judge others before the fundamentals of fish welfare - space, light, cover, safety, stimulation, correct water movement, appropriate numbers, etc. We already do the poor things a disservice by keeping them as pets.

If you feel you are doing them that much disservice, then don't keep them as pets. Assaye, I get what you're saying, and I respect that kind of passion about animal welfare, but you have to draw the line somewhere. Otherwise, you'll get no pleasure from the hobby.

Lilu, a stunning fish by the way, would not exist if breeders didn't follow the methods Tolak discussed, or judged bettas in international competitions. Lilu is a product of that breeding and evaluation. How do you know what the standards are if you do not establish them? I personally prefer the wild-types myself. But those are hard to find. Actually, the fighting lines preserve that look better than the pet-only lines.

Just my two cents.

llj

 

[crabbylion]

Yes, I agree that its abuse. In fact that's one of the reasons why I purchased my last Betta from Walmart. He looked so unhappy in that litte jar and his colors were not that impressive. I figured it was due to his living conditions and diet. I know I can't save them all, though.

Right now we have a 29 gallon tank with a breeder box hanging off the side. Its a community of Guppies, Mollies, and Tetras but I I still think his little box is insufficient. Poor Bettas! Right now i'm thinking of moving him from the box to a 10 gallon.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Yes, I agree that its abuse. In fact that's one of the reasons why I purchased my last Betta from Walmart. He looked so unhappy in that litte jar and his colors were not that impressive. I figured it was due to his living conditions and diet. I know I can't save them all, though.

Right now we have a 29 gallon tank with a breeder box hanging off the side. Its a community of Guppies, Mollies, and Tetras but I I still think his little box is insufficient. Poor Bettas! Right now i'm thinking of moving him from the box to a 10 gallon.

An eye opener is doing an ammonia test of the water in the cup the betta was sold in. With my last betta, I took him out of his cup after acclimating him and tested the water left over and it was a dark pea green that was comparable to the highest ammonia level on the API liquid test kit! He was purchased from Petco. He's healthy and happy now.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

If you don't agree with keeping them in small spaces, stop buying them from the store. That's like buying puppies from backyard breeders out of pity and hoping they stop breeding the dogs. Why should they? You will obviously buy them.

I mean, if you strongly support this, you shouldn't buy from anyone that doesn't keep all their stock in at least a five gallon, preferably planted...