Re Betta Rescues-i'm Torn Over This...

[wendyngd]

Hi-

After hearing "Bear's" mommy tell of how she just rescued him 2 weeks ago, I felt quite concerned about this. Is it worth trying to rescue them--if it means setting ourselves up for a much sooner, more possible loss if they don't rally ?

Some might think I'm being selfish--but I've said that I've never felt anything more devastating than losing a pet--whether a wonderful betta, a dog or a cat. I guess you are all stronger and tougher than I. (Not that I didn't want to take them all home--and they were wonderfully healthy at the lfs--they were so cute.)

Love to hear some perspectives on this...

Thanks- -Wendy

 

[stang1]

I think it is definitely worth rescuing them as not all of them go to fishie heaven.
I rescued my boy, Aragorn, from a tank full of Zebra Danios and he was in such a sorry state. He barely had any fins left when I brought him and i was convinced I'd lose him. I treated him with Melafix and Pimafix and eventually his fins healed and grew back. He was also very shy but now he has his daily flare at me when I turn on the lights!
I've had him for about 8 months now and he's doing just fine.
Wendy, whatever you decide, your new boy will have a great home!

 

[Pennymom]

Rescue is definitely something that should be done. If I had room I'd set up tanks for all the Bettas living in those little cups. All I can do right now is try to educate people with my little knowledge when I see them looking at the Bettas. My soon-to-be daughter-in-law got one and put it in one of those wall-mounted excuses for a tank and I have her cycling a larger tank right now. Just doin' my part, one fish at a time. You guys who have rescued wounded fish and nursed them back to health deserve a huge reward.

 

[The_Dude]

It's definitely worth it as stang said.It's not that you're weaker than us, when my dog died I cried for 2 days.It's the fish that you get attached to, and you don't want to lose that, but you know you can't have it forever, in fact, getting a pet has impending concequences. Most of us outlive our pets, and it's sad, but we move on. Yet, we never forget them. As I've often heard, it's better to have loved and lost to have not loved at all. Now let that one stew in yer gourd for a while.

 

[t.ropical_m.istx3]

i dont know what it was that killed bear, it could have been going from nasty water to good water. i did get Aladdin from wal*mart months ago and he's living happily. he came home with no tail and it's now over half way grown in

i think it's a great thing to do and i always feel great when i bring a new boy home, especially one who may have not lasted much longer in the stores.

 

[lljdma06]

I'll play devil's advocate here. I personally don't like rescuing. To me, it simply encourages stores to purchase fish and keep them in sub-standard conditions. If there is a demand, stores will continue to supply. I used to work in Petstore retail, and that's how they operate. If we have X amount of bettas and we sell X amount, we'll buy X amount to restock, it's that simple. And I took care of my bettas well when I worked. Their water was changed daily, on my own time. Took less then half an hour to do and it was very simple. The bettas were much healthier when I was working in said petstore, which shall remain nameless. I think by refusing to buy them and then encouraging people through information distribution to follow suit, you will get better results. I know you feel sorry for them, and it's hard to see them suffer, but that's just how I see things. I do not buy them when they are kept in such conditions and I have no qualms telling a store associate that the conditions are gross and I won't bring a diseased fish into my house. The bettas I have purchased have either been from friends here, or they were kept in clean water that was changed daily, and they were healthy.

I admire your compassion and I've read some wonderful stories of complete turn-arounds, but I think that ultimately you are not contributing to the elimination of this problem. Sorry.

llj

 

[lisie]

Buying bettas from pet stores isn't the only way of rescuing... have you considered adopting a breeder "cull"? You can get a perfectly healthy fish who just isn't perfect.

 

[Phaedra]

I'll play devil's advocate here. I personally don't like rescuing. To me, it simply encourages stores to purchase fish and keep them in sub-standard conditions. If there is a demand, stores will continue to supply. I used to work in Petstore retail, and that's how they operate. If we have X amount of bettas and we sell X amount, we'll buy X amount to restock, it's that simple. And I took care of my bettas well when I worked. Their water was changed daily, on my own time. Took less then half an hour to do and it was very simple. The bettas were much healthier when I was working in said petstore, which shall remain nameless. I think by refusing to buy them and then encouraging people through information distribution to follow suit, you will get better results. I know you feel sorry for them, and it's hard to see them suffer, but that's just how I see things. I do not buy them when they are kept in such conditions and I have no qualms telling a store associate that the conditions are gross and I won't bring a diseased fish into my house. The bettas I have purchased have either been from friends here, or they were kept in clean water that was changed daily, and they were healthy.

I admire your compassion and I've read some wonderful stories of complete turn-arounds, but I think that ultimately you are not contributing to the elimination of this problem. Sorry.

llj

I completely agree, and I must say, very well said!
I refuse to buy any new bettas I may get in the future from sub-par conditions for that exact reason. While I may be saving one particular fish from a life of misery, I would also be condemning a new fish to the same fate by buying from a store that doesn't provide proper care.
That said, I think that it is a wonderful thing to rescue a betta from someone (say, a family member or friend) who has lost interest and/or doesn't take care of their fish. Or as lisie suggested, getting a betta from a breeder that may have been culled instead.

 

[t.ropical_m.istx3]

BUT from what i've heard, if the fish on the shelves die, the pet stores get their money back from the breeder anyways. So it's basically a lose-lose situation. I buy this one to save him, I give the store my money and they buy more. He dies on the shelf, they contact the breeder and get another. Either way, it happens so i feel it's better to bring them home if either way the store's getting new fish in and then let the management know you'll report them if you find bettas in poor conditions. that seems to work wonders