Fitghing Fish

[Ben]

Explain in detail please how these bettas are treated like "little kings". I'm curious, is there some special treatment they recieve before being taken out of their jar and forced to fight for the owners amusement, then placed back in their holding jar until the next time they're forced to fight and if so, what does the betta get out of it that makes the little guys not mind that kind of life so much? After all, you and a couple of others believe there's nothing wrong with it. So, what is it that makes it o.k?
Cruelty to animals is cruelty to animals, no matter how you attempt to twist it.

They're not forced, its instinct and natural for them to fight. No one was forcing anything.

DD

 

[Synirr]

OohFeeshy -- I'm not defending Cracker, I'm defending betta fighting in the traditional style

I love how someone can attempt to justify one form of cruelty over another because they simply happen to be in favour of it.
Explain in detail please how these bettas are treated like "little kings". I'm curious, is there some special treatment they recieve before being taken out of their jar and forced to fight for the owners amusement, then placed back in their holding jar until the next time they're forced to fight and if so, what does the betta get out of it that makes the little guys not mind that kind of life so much? After all, you and a couple of others believe there's nothing wrong with it. So, what is it that makes it o.k?
Cruelty to animals is cruelty to animals, no matter how you attempt to twist it.

Thanks for taking the hint and doing some research on it, I appreciate that. It makes it much easier for me.

The bettas are kept in pristine water all the time. I mean, look at Cracker's fighters... they really look neglected, don't they? A few days before fights they are often placed in larger containers with water heavily stained with IAL to prepare them. There are usually not sparring matches with other bettas because of the risk of the fighter being injured, and while "training" techniques differ, some of the more common ones are to flare the betta with a mirror (horror!) or put it in a large tank with a current and many females so it will exercise itself and become strong. After fights, winners are given treatment if they have received injuries and are usually also given a mate. Losers are usually released into the wild (again, horror!). In betta fights, once one fish stops fighting the fight is immediately over. All that is needed is a clear winner, so as little injury as possible occurs. The fish decide when the fight is over.

I'm not trying to justify the practice altogether. If you think it's cruel and horrible, you're perfectly entitled to your opinion, all I'm saying is that it's silly to compare it with cock or dogfighting. The bettas rarely die and don't have to be psychologically conditioned to fight like other animals do, meaning they can be treated like little kings because they are already naturally vicious and don't have to be abused to be made so. Seriously injured fighting dogs are regularly abandoned in dumpsters alive and left to die of their wounds, losing fighting cocks have their necks broken, and losing fighter bettas?... Well, they get to go back to the wild

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

If we are talking about animal cruelty can we also compare it with Feeders ? since we feed them to our Pets and we are talking about killing them and not just fighting them

 

[OohFeeshy]

If we are talking about animal cruelty can we also compare it with Feeders ? since we feed them to our Pets and we are talking about killing them and not just fighting them

Why? Very, very few people feed feeder fish, only those with either Chaca's, PMF's or other fish like that that will very rarely change from live fish. And even then, it's only normally fry.

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

If we are talking about animal cruelty can we also compare it with Feeders ? since we feed them to our Pets and we are talking about killing them and not just fighting them

Why? Very, very few people feed feeder fish, only those with either Chaca's, PMF's or other fish like that that will very rarely change from live fish. And even then, it's only normally fry.

Ohhhhh.... So it's still killing the fish.

 

[Nix]

A lot of people use feeders.. just not people on these fish forums.

 

[Synirr]

Using feeders is very, very common here in the US.

 

[Ben]

Using feeders is very, very common here in the US.

world wide actually, my fish cant resist a nice juicy guppy fry.

Back to topic.

How are the little fighters Cracker? Any babies?

DD

 

[OohFeeshy]

If we are talking about animal cruelty can we also compare it with Feeders ? since we feed them to our Pets and we are talking about killing them and not just fighting them

OK, slightly off example there, I'll stat a new one... It seems to me that those who are against fighting them are also against feeders, so again, no comparison. Even some of those who don't mind fighting them are against feeders, most are unhealthy in terms of health of the fish and the effect on the predator. I'd also imagine a lot of the US people who feed feeder fish are those who think it's somehow tough to feed them insted of other food. Either way, since you support all sorts of practices other's don't, there is no need for you to suggest examples as a little look at previous posts of yours gives more than enough examples.

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

Using feeders is very, very common here in the US.

No babies yet.

They are making really thick bubble nest now. I guess they are really conditioned and really wanted to mate. I haven't released the females yet they are still divided.

 

[finz]

Dogs sometimes die in fights, and if they don't, it's not as though the loser is rewarded by being released... oh no, they're fought again and again, often neglected and abused between fights, and are denied proper veterinary care. Dogs, even those from fighting breeds, are not natural born fighters like bettas. You don't have to condition a betta to get it to viciously attack another betta. You don't have to beat it, abuse it, and starve it to give it a bad attitude. Bettas are not pack animals that crave love and attention from pack members and don't suffer from the lack of it.

This would of course be referring to irresponsible and/or amateur dog fighters. Just as there are people like Cracker in the fighting fish world, there are also breeders/fighters in the dog world who show the same care and attention to their "fighters." I do not fall into any of these categories, but I've done a fair amount of research into dog fighting, it's history and the history of the greatest fighting dog of all - The Pitbull.

Also for the record - A dog will either fight or it won't. No amount of coaxing, beating, abuse or conditioning will change that. If you attempt these things, you'll likely end up with a dog who is aggressive towards humans, not other dogs. Selective breeding in Pitbulls has increased what was already there to begin with - a strong desire to fight. Winning dogs are highly prized for their "gameness" and are retired from fighting and then bred, not fought repeatedly.

Don't believe everything that PETA, the SPCA and the news media tell you.

 

[Animation]

Nice betta's however not to keen on fighting them Well maybe if there was lots of money involved!

 

[bettaBetta]

... It seems to me that those who are against fighting them are also against feeders,

Actually that is not true. I'm agaist the fighting or killing of anything for entertainment purposes for alot of reasons, not only for the welfare of the animals but because I think it could also breed violance in children as such because I don't believe that watchign things fight should be entertaining to anyone ( once again if you disagree don't bother telling me). But feeders seem natural to me. I would never catch a mouse in a kill trap because i didn't like it but I've put frozen pinkies (baby mice) on a platter for other animals many a time. As long as the feeder is somthing the other animal would naturally eat and it is for the good of the animal and not a person, I have no objections to feeder animals as long as they don't suffer too much.

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

Nice betta's however not to keen on fighting them Well maybe if there was lots of money involved!

We will have a meeting today it's about team fighting. we will choose the best fighter among the team and will probably raise the bet for $1000 or more and 40% of the price will be donated in a small day care center near my place

 

[OohFeeshy]

... It seems to me that those who are against fighting them are also against feeders,

Actually that is not true.

*sure she put a 'most' in that phrase somewhere... darn gremlins....*