New Betta!

[Maxsmom]

With everything I've read so far... the last thing bettagirl should be doing is consider mating her fish... not to sound harsh - but that would be a disaster!

Okay... we've beat the "bigger tank issue" to death. But I would like to add a couple of things...

First off... approaching your parents with very mature and thought-out reasoning would impress them. As a mom - I sure would be impressed if my son gave me some compelling reasons to house his fish in larger containers... it would show that he cares for things other than himself and he's showing responsibility. To any parent - those are things to admire in your children.

Yes, a betta can live in a tiny 1/4 gallon cup/bowl for maybe 2 years... but they will THRIVE in something larger and may even lead a very long and happy life. Isn't that what most of us want to do with our pets???

See what you can do bettagirl... I think you would impress your parents if you approached them with your ideas... don't whine or say - "they said" - tell them the real reasons why you should get bigger containers for them... the "pro's" vs. the "cons" to keeping them housed in smaller containers.

I think you'd be surprised by their reaction if you approached them in a very mature and responsible way... good luck!!

P.S. Someone said that a 1 gallon only requires changing once a week... that's still too long between water changes on a 1 gallon. If you purchased water testing kits - you would see an ammonia build-up by the 3rd day in a 1 gallon. The aim is to keep the ammonia at ZERO at all times.

 

[girl4God81]

By the way, if you are adding "luke warm water" to your betta tank,l please make sure it isn't too hot. Just feeling it with your finger (or hand or whatever) is NOT enough because it can barely feel warm at all and easily be 90 degrees F. It would be a good idea to buy a temp gage to stick in the bowl.

Also, please keep in mind that a light above the bowl can heat the water up too much (esp in a bowl that small).

 

[Maxsmom]

Actually, good point girl4God! I meant to add that raising the water temps temporarily isn't really a good thing either. Constant temp swings aren't good for bettas... you need to try to keep the water consistant at a min 74F. My bettas did well in 72F water before I moved them to their bigger tanks (3&5gallons) - but they're much more active in the larger tanks with warm water! Consistency is better than huge swings.

Another complelling reason why bettas should be in larger tanks - heaters!!!

 

[Dibari]

 

[SoCalMom]

Actually, good point girl4God! I meant to add that raising the water temps temporarily isn't really a good thing either. Constant temp swings aren't good for bettas... you need to try to keep the water consistant at a min 74F. My bettas did well in 72F water before I moved them to their bigger tanks (3&5gallons) - but they're much more active in the larger tanks with warm water! Consistency is better than huge swings.

Another complelling reason why bettas should be in larger tanks - heaters!!!

Girl4god and Maxsmom are both totally right

If I weren't so tired I would have thought of that lol

 

[girl4God81]

Totally agree Maxsmom!

 

[t.ropical_m.istx3]

No one was attacking her...just giving her advice

i saw plenty of attacks. there's a difference between friendly advice and "FIND THEM NEW HOMES IF YOU CAN'T TAKE CARE OF THEM!!!!!!"

 

[SoCalMom]

No one was attacking her...just giving her advice

i saw plenty of attacks. there's a difference between friendly advice and "FIND THEM NEW HOMES IF YOU CAN'T TAKE CARE OF THEM!!!!!!"

That's not an attack. That's simple knowledge

It's hard to give "friendly" advice when someone is obviously so stubborn

 

[girl4God81]

The frusteration came when she said something like "no, this 1/4 gallon bowl is fine, it's MY fish afterall and I will do whatever I want"...yet continues to ask advice.

I just love when people swoop in and assume things lol

 

[Maxsmom]

I think we have to consider the fish's needs over our own needs. Sure... it's neat and cool to look after a fish... and pretend we know what's best for them. But really, like Dibari said, they rely on US to take care of them... they have no choice in the situation. I think we all need to get past the "they're just fish" mentality... "if they die, I'll get another one"... that's not fair to the fish or any living creature, IMHO.

 

[SoCalMom]

I think we have to consider the fish's needs over our own needs. Sure... it's neat and cool to look after a fish... and pretend we know what's best for them. But really, like Dibari said, they rely on US to take care of them... they have no choice in the situation. I think we all need to get past the "they're just fish" mentality... "if they die, I'll get another one"... that's not fair to the fish or any living creature, IMHO.

I agree. To me it's the same as saying "Oh I can just get pregnant again" if my son were to die

I know that sounds a little drastic...but to me my animals are my children

 

[girl4God81]

 

[t.ropical_m.istx3]

I think we have to consider the fish's needs over our own needs. Sure... it's neat and cool to look after a fish... and pretend we know what's best for them. But really, like Dibari said, they rely on US to take care of them... they have no choice in the situation. I think we all need to get past the "they're just fish" mentality... "if they die, I'll get another one"... that's not fair to the fish or any living creature, IMHO.

that's what i call nice advice, not like half of you people. try to think about parents, if you don't have parents like that. or when YOU were new to fish. how many mistakes did you make when you were new to fish and you thought the same thing? you thought "oh it's just a fish, if it dies i'll get another"? i bet every one of us had either a betta in a "betta bowl" or a goldfish in a teeny goldfish bowl, even if it was when we were younger and we didn't know anything about fish. think back to that. what would you do if somebody told you to put your fish in bigger bowls when you knew your parents wouldnt let you? i know when i was younger i had fish in small bowls that would not be considered ideal. i'm sure every one of us had before we realized we could keep them alive longer and make them happier. put yourself in her shoes, guys. it's not that hard to be nice . i know i get defensive when i get advice like:

She shouldn't have bought them if she can't care for them. She did have control over the situation - To get them when she knew she couldn't house them correctly, or not get them.

my biggest pet peeve is when people talk (or type) like the other person won't be listening (or reading). if you're going to say something like that, say it directly. instead of using "she" use "you" or their name.

 

[SoCalMom]

I think we have to consider the fish's needs over our own needs. Sure... it's neat and cool to look after a fish... and pretend we know what's best for them. But really, like Dibari said, they rely on US to take care of them... they have no choice in the situation. I think we all need to get past the "they're just fish" mentality... "if they die, I'll get another one"... that's not fair to the fish or any living creature, IMHO.

that's what i call nice advice, not like half of you people. try to think about parents, if you don't have parents like that. or when YOU were new to fish. how many mistakes did you make when you were new to fish and you thought the same thing? you thought "oh it's just a fish, if it dies i'll get another"? i bet every one of us had either a betta in a "betta bowl" or a goldfish in a teeny goldfish bowl, even if it was when we were younger and we didn't know anything about fish. think back to that. what would you do if somebody told you to put your fish in bigger bowls when you knew your parents wouldnt let you? i know when i was younger i had fish in small bowls that would not be considered ideal. i'm sure every one of us had before we realized we could keep them alive longer and make them happier. put yourself in her shoes, guys. it's not that hard to be nice . i know i get defensive when i get advice like:

She shouldn't have bought them if she can't care for them. She did have control over the situation - To get them when she knew she couldn't house them correctly, or not get them.

my biggest pet peeve is when people talk (or type) like the other person won't be listening (or reading). if you're going to say something like that, say it directly. instead of using "she" use "you" or their name.

Yet you call us "you people"

Ok


And actually, I never had my first Betta in a small bowl. Thor was in a 3 gal. My parents knew better

 

[mommyof2bettas]

I think we have to consider the fish's needs over our own needs. Sure... it's neat and cool to look after a fish... and pretend we know what's best for them. But really, like Dibari said, they rely on US to take care of them... they have no choice in the situation. I think we all need to get past the "they're just fish" mentality... "if they die, I'll get another one"... that's not fair to the fish or any living creature, IMHO.

that's what i call nice advice, not like half of you people. try to think about parents, if you don't have parents like that. or when YOU were new to fish. how many mistakes did you make when you were new to fish and you thought the same thing? you thought "oh it's just a fish, if it dies i'll get another"? i bet every one of us had either a betta in a "betta bowl" or a goldfish in a teeny goldfish bowl, even if it was when we were younger and we didn't know anything about fish. think back to that. what would you do if somebody told you to put your fish in bigger bowls when you knew your parents wouldnt let you? i know when i was younger i had fish in small bowls that would not be considered ideal. i'm sure every one of us had before we realized we could keep them alive longer and make them happier. put yourself in her shoes, guys. it's not that hard to be nice . i know i get defensive when i get advice like:

She shouldn't have bought them if she can't care for them. She did have control over the situation - To get them when she knew she couldn't house them correctly, or not get them.

my biggest pet peeve is when people talk (or type) like the other person won't be listening (or reading). if you're going to say something like that, say it directly. instead of using "she" use "you" or their name.

Actually, if I would've known that my pets were in bad conditions I would've rehomed them. You're comment right now is sounding pretty rude, some people get frustrated when they see fish in small containers.. wouldn't you if you saw a kitten kept in a hamster cage? I know I might have sounded rude, but she was acting stubborn when she said things like "They're MY fish, I can do what I want with them" and tbh I was just givng advice, even if the advice was advice she didn't like. If I knew my parents wouldn't let me keep fish in the right size tanks, I wouldn't buy the fish in the first place. I'm basically pretty frustrated because she knows the fish aren't in right sized containers but she went ahead and bought it anyways, and then bought ANOTHER one.