Better Betta Life(bbl)

[Leedsboi86]

Hello everyone.

After been disgusted how many pet stores mistreat there Bettas I decided it's time to do somthing!
I might not be able to make much of a diffrence but any diffrence is better then nothing.

I have already had a meeting with one of my local pet stores today about how the treat there Bettas but due to the person I spoke with talking to me in comfidence I will not be able to give his real name or the name of the store but I have permission to post the full meeting, If this doesn't open everyones eyes to the real problem I don't think anyone will.

Meeting Start: 11:45AM


Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to meet me.

X: Hiya, No worries so what do you want to know?

Me: I would like to focus today on the way your Betta's are been kept, I have had a look around the store and noticed that the Bettas are been kept with unsuiteable fish why is this?

X: To be honest we aren't told what goes with what and most of us have to kinda guess as we go along. I was promoted to Aquatics without knowing a thing I worked in Foods before I started on Aquatics.

Me: So there isn't even a basic level of training for the people who work in Aquatics?

X: We got a 30 mins talk with the boss before we moved into it but wasn't training.

Me: So how do you cope with disease outbreaks, new arrivals and other problems that arise?

X: We deal with problems as they happen.

Me: So theres nothing prepared incase of a emergancy? Sump Breakdown etc?

X: Whats a Sump?

Me: So getting back to Bettas why are they kept in the conditions they are if you can see there health is been put at risk for quick cash?

X: Because it's just a fish it can't feel anything.

Me: Thank you X I think it's best we end the meeting here.

X: K Mate no worries.


So after this meeting I had more of a urge to start my own mission against Betta cruelty!
I'm gonna work on a website aswell as posters, newsletters etc

I was wondering if I make some posters would people be willing to give them to there local stores?

Thanks!

 

[Pimp]

,,,, i dont get the point of the post?

 

[Leedsboi86]

Then you haven't been using Betta forums much

This forum all has a mutal feeling to stop Betta cruelty

 

[Pimp]

How bout stoppin aids in africa?

 

[Robotochan]

Curing a currently incurable disease and trying to stop cruelty to animals are worlds apart You go Leedsboi, hope someone listens

 

[Leedsboi86]

So pimp you think it's no posible?

It shows your ignorance.

Why do people drive cars? Because somone made it happen!

Why are hospitals advanceing everyday in cures? Cause somone found the research

Not long ago Cancer was the "Death Sentance" Now people are recoverin and walking away fine.
So if a evil disease like Cancer can be stopped why can't somthing like Animal Cruelty be stopped?

R.S.P.CA Started with 1 person believeing in a changed world!

If we was all like you we would still be suffering from diseases and living like the tudors did.

We advancwe because it only takes one person to have a idea and evolve it into somthing real!

Not to back down because it's difficult or low chances!

 

[Pimp]

If everyone was like me, AIDS would be cured.

and ya, save the bettas.

 

[jenis]

I'd for sure put up some posters, but I see that you are in the UK, i'm in Canada. So I couldn't get any of your posters.
Go you though!
<3!

 

[PoptartShop]

Go you!
I think even if it doesn't change the wholeeeee world & stuff about how they care about Bettas, at least you are doing something; that's all that counts.
Go you, once again! LOL!

 

[funkyhoney]

It's unfortunate that the pet shops near you have so much under trained staff, the majority of lfs near me and even general pet shops (including the one I work in) have at least 2 or 3 staff who do know what they're talking about, and if they don't they always ask someone who is more experienced for help.

I look after the fish at my work probably 3 days a week sharing with my supervisor as our last full timer who was very good at her job moved on as she got a job at a zoo; anyway, we have a new full timer starting soon who is great so that's all good. Anyway, on topic, the way betta's are treated at a majority of shops and aquariums is generally a necessity. The amount of betta's we sell each week is usually around 25-30 and the way that we keep them (in plastic cups) is quite literally the only way to adequately house them; it's far from reasonable to have them in 20L tanks each especially when they move on every few days.

It may seem cruel but most of us do what we can to make them a bit happier by cleaning them out as often as possible and letting them swim in the tank with the females occasionally. But in terms of cruelty to them, most fish kept in shops are kept cruelly not just bettas. It's hardly suitable to have upwards of 150 neons in an 80L tank or 50 clown loaches in a tank of the same size but it's necessary unfortunately. I can't imagine a pet shop or aquarium with ideal conditions for every single fish they keep, they could never stock enough fish to keep up with demand and it would be far to big to maintain at the same cost.

 

[gurnie]

I think you're being a bit harsh on pimp. I see where his point lies. I was born with a CHD, but I haven't changed the world yet. Or maybe I am because I am surviving my defect.

Besides the point.

My opinion (that's all that it is) is that if you want to save the bettas, you have to implement a plan that will

A ) be low cost, and maybe even save the store money
B ) educate why they should (and not just the fish are animale and they have feelings, which is something i agree) properly take care of their pets. Things like it's more cost effective be/c you will not be treating the pets for diseases, ect.

problem is bc they are solitary fish, its a bit harder to house them comfortably without a store loosing profit.

Infact, why not create a betta divider that divides a 10 gallon into 5-10 mini tanks. Something made of plexi or lexan that you just stick it into a 10 gallon and it divides the space up

but then problem is if you have on sick fish, you risk getting the other 10 sick.

hm, difficult

 

[funkyhoney]

I think you're being a bit harsh on pimp. I see where his point lies. I was born with a CHD, but I haven't changed the world yet. Or maybe I am because I am surviving my defect.

Besides the point.

My opinion (that's all that it is) is that if you want to save the bettas, you have to implement a plan that will

A ) be low cost, and maybe even save the store money
B ) educate why they should (and not just the fish are animale and they have feelings, which is something i agree) properly take care of their pets. Things like it's more cost effective be/c you will not be treating the pets for diseases, ect.

problem is bc they are solitary fish, its a bit harder to house them comfortably without a store loosing profit.

Infact, why not create a betta divider that divides a 10 gallon into 5-10 mini tanks. Something made of plexi or lexan that you just stick it into a 10 gallon and it divides the space up

but then problem is if you have on sick fish, you risk getting the other 10 sick.

hm, difficult

I agree with you completely, although recently I did see in a magazine at work a new product that is a long betta container with adjustable panels and can house up to 8 bettas (or just one if you remove all the walls) and contains a heater and filter in the end which circulates through the entire thing and even has a light. Even then it's still far more expensive then cups etc.

 

[tetraqueen]

Why not try something like Blue Peter or GMTV somewhere you could try and educate the public as they will be the ones that promote the lfs to do better.

If you highlight that these are very friendly little fish. They can be kept alone and do not grow as big as Goldfish.

Highlight how great these fish are how beautiful they are.

I recently bought one and it was on the counter top, she said we sell most that way and the turn over is quick.

I do not know what she had in the back of the shop, but when she knew I was going to buy she asked me lots of questions.

Have you got the right equipment to keep one?
What do you think you require?

Whats your water quality?
Have you food etc?

A lot of this could be that she wanted a sale of goods but it also seemed like she cared that the fish was not going to be with others.
Some she told me think you can run the tap and keep in a coffee jar.

Any problems come back.

I asked her about another fish . She said they are tropical and on the bottom shelf they do not mix with community fish. I asked about another and she said the proper name is on the side but I really have not found out about that yet. If you don't know could you come back say Thursday when ... is in and he can tell you. It is a community fish and seems to get along with those pygmy corys but I honestly don't know.

I was happier to buy from there and will return..

Some try to be sales people but at the end of the day like your lady they are fish they have no feeling. Pity we have feeling about them.

You do to care and I wish you all the best.. Posters great but hey shout as loud as you can.

The message will eventually get through.

I will agree with Pimp too as with some people you could show them, explain but it will all grow on deaf ears as some just never listen.

 

[Robotochan]

I've been thinking about this, instead of doing my XML coursework But I have a little idea. How about making a register of Betta Standards Compliant shops. Shops who fulfill a given standard are given a poster to say that they are and to find out more info go to a website where all the compliant shops are listed and a lot of info about bettas and why the shops got the standard. Shops that don't you could send them a leaflet? Everyone loves free advertising and happy advertising is best I know <modaz> will be the first on your list for being compliant

 

[fourthtimelucky]

That's a great idea. Much more likely to get results if they see it as a way of attracting more business, not just increasing their overheads.