# Betta Abuse



## otter (Aug 10, 2012)

Hello,
I am writing a report on betta abuse in pet stores, and am searching for some good points.
Do any of you guys have any personal experiences or know a lot about betta abuse?


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## horsyqueen (Nov 13, 2012)

In the UK theres not too much. I have seen betta kept in tanks with fin nipping fish. They are also kept in fast flowing water which the fish is basicly stuck to the oposite side of the tank.
They are kept with dead and ill fish.


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## Goldie2nd (Apr 16, 2012)

Um they are not kept in a warm temperature water tanks with heaters, they are left dead in there uncleanned cups and they are often ill ready to die.


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## hannah16 (Mar 3, 2011)

1. Staff doesn't have proper knowledge on how to take care of the fish.
2. They are often malnourished (Not fed) while in the pets store waiting to be purchased.
3. Because the shelves are up front, they often get hit with tons of cold air. 
4. No heaters provided. (Normally)
5. The "Care Sheets" they provide normally do not hold accurate information.
6. Many petstores including Petco especially, sell far too young bettas.
7. Most stores won't sell the "sick" or "dying" bettas at a discounted price to someone that WANTS to help the fish. Rarely will they discount them or give them free.
8. A lot of stores FLUSH living fish while they are sick.
9. Because shelves aren't watched, a lot of time, two male bettas are put into one cup to fight.
10. Because shelves aren't watched, many teens or kids will try to feed the fish and will put too much and dirty the water.
11. Water changes rarely happen..
12. Some stores say it's okay to use regular tap water with OUT conditioning it. 


That's my list.. sorry it's long


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## horsyqueen (Nov 13, 2012)

Actually i have seen the not very knowledgeable fish sales people. I had a argument with a lady saying all males should be fine with female betta's and live happily together. I guess she hasnt heard of how betta fish breed. Only 2 out of the 9 male betta I have ever had are fine with living with a female.


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## hannah16 (Mar 3, 2011)

I'd love to have a male that wouldn't mind a female companion in the same tank but it's unlikely to happen.


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## otter (Aug 10, 2012)

Wow a i've never heard of a male living with a female, even my females get in fights!
Thanks you guys for the tips *-* It helps a lot!


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## otter (Aug 10, 2012)

Wow a i've never heard of a male living with a female, even my females get in fights!
Thanks you guys for the tips *-* It helps a lot!


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## otter (Aug 10, 2012)

also hannah16 your betta is super gorgeous wowwwee


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## hannah16 (Mar 3, 2011)

Wish he was mine! He's an AB betta I loved that was sold.


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## babystarz (Aug 3, 2012)

I would say most abuse I've seen occurs through extreme neglect. If I visit Petco a few weeks after they receive a shipment, I see dead fish sitting in cups still on display, which tells you how much care they receive. The water is dirty and clearly not changed often if ever, and there are lots of fish slowly dying of ammonia poisoning. Then when they get a new shipment, the old sick fish are mysteriously gone and replaced by beautiful new healthy fish, until a few weeks go by and the new fish start getting sick and dying and the cycle repeats.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

In petsmart one time I saw a betta with serious fungal issues, I told a staff member to take care of him and she threw him in the trash. He was compleat ly live.


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## hannah16 (Mar 3, 2011)

MattsBettas said:


> In petsmart one time I saw a betta with serious fungal issues, I told a staff member to take care of him and she threw him in the trash. He was compleat ly live.


What did you do?


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## BeckyFish97 (Apr 9, 2012)

In the uk I havent seen much
My local Paws for Thought branch is perfect at caring for their betta's, sadly however the same cannot be said for the local pets at home branch, the bettas are kept in .25gal tanks with a single tank cleaner in each, I asked them how often they clean those 8(ish) tanks and they replied once every 2 weeks, I told them I was not surprised every one of their fish was dying, the conditions were poor at best, and that if they could not care for them properly then they should stop ordering them or someone would end up reporting them for animal cruelty! All the fish in those tanks are always ill or close to dead, suffering from fin rot, fungus, parasites-you name it the fish is suffering from it!My only happiness comes from the fact that they only have about 8 betta fish in at a time, so the abuse is not on a horrific scale like some places I've heard of!


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Just remember that bettas are in the cups for a reason - their safety. They are also not fed (much, if at all) while in the cups for a reason as well - to help maintain water quality (makes it longer before it fouls up). Unfortunately the trade off is not always the proper temp. But the stores don't tend to dip down too low in temp, as there are many live animals in most of them that need the warmer temp.

Being able to have someone spend a lot of time caring for the betta fish can be pricey, especially for smaller stores. Price of staffing, training and the amount of time it takes to do the cups play a part in whether or not a particular store will have people replace the betta water.

Unfortunately it's part of the betta world, and it won't change. A lot of animals out there are in similar conditions, but we don't always see that because once they get to the store, they are made to look cute - they aren't cramped in the small cages together not being fed properly there, just behind the scenes. Bettas you can just see it, but again, it's the only way to keep them safe as they can't place 1 betta in every tank they have - too many incompatible species for it to be feasible. So we just have to either look away, or if you must, buy one to give one a chance at a home.. and I don't believe you will be keeping the trade going by buying from a Walmart or some such place - the stores get money regardless if the fish dies or is purchased, so if you want the fish, just get it  

It's sad, the lack of as many water changes needed can be considered neglect, but it's the only way most people get their bettas. The only way to change it is store by store - and even then it's not guaranteed due to staffing. 

Sad.. but it's the way things go. Fish die, but many more are healthy and happy in a home.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Many get too little water changes. I would never want the Bettas in the main tanks. Too many cramped colorful fish, Gouramis, Aggressive Fish, and fun nippers.


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## hannah16 (Mar 3, 2011)

How do they get paid for the fish if the fish dies?


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Even if the sell a few Bettas they make money. If I remeber right each Betta costs .50$ cents. Look at there costs at the place.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

hannah16 said:


> How do they get paid for the fish if the fish dies?


Count it as product loss - stores get a % of the cost for items that are broken (or dead in this case). They write it off.. unsure of exact process.. it's like insurance for items they buy and if something breaks, they get some money back.


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## hannah16 (Mar 3, 2011)

I had no idea about that..


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Plus dead bodies get turned to Fertilizer.


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

Yes, why I roll my eyes when people say to boycott some stores.. all it's doing is not allowing some fish to find a good home, but rather just sentencing them to death and the store gets money back. No loss for them, but loss for potential owners and for the fish.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Exactly +1.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Here is some on animal abuse (fish).

Store in West Edmonton Mall, 5 associates standing around in the middle of the aisle, they do see the customers but keep blabbing on to each other about nonsense.

Those stupid bubblegum tanks are half a gallon, and never cleaned. The algae takes over, mold in the water, and the fish rots away.

The betta display, well the cups are much too high for someone to see, even at my height (5'11").

The sorority of females in the tank, all have columnaris. The brackish water balloon mollies are wavering beneath the filter, or in the back, from stress. One female has a hole in her back, while one lays dying, another already dead.

Pet store associates do not care. The larger tanks, or the disgusting one at the front for display... Who buys a tank that looks like THAT? Which makes the fish look like THAT? Selling tactic? Unlikely.


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## Goldie2nd (Apr 16, 2012)

All we can do is save those we can.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

A the store that's local, I can get sick fish free.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

My Petco the Bettas stare and beg you for food. The Babies ge smaller food. The adults get Omega one. Ounce the Babies Pellets were too big. I showed the aquatics expert. He agreed with me and said someone made a mistake. It never happened again.


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## Melodica (Dec 2, 2012)

This evening I was at Walmart. Every time I go I visit the bettas and want to take them all. Tonight, they had 31... yes, THIRTY ONE, stacked and piled on their shelves. I felt so bad for the little guys, especially after I saw the one in the pictures below. I've seen dead ones at Petco as well.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

That is another thing, when they stack the cups and leave them sitting next to each other. This causes stress because they can see each other and blocks off air for the bettas in the cups on the bottom...

At least Petco (or the one here) has little cardboard cubbies so they aren't stacked and they can't see each other.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

I have seen dead and sick ones at Petco. But they always seem to have arrived there sick.


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## Goldie2nd (Apr 16, 2012)

Yes Petco at least has cardboard to separete them. They have them in like little cubbies


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

My Petco the shelfs holding them make is hard to see each other.


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## happypappy (Apr 5, 2012)

*Betta Abuse - a little thing we can do!*

If you are really concerned about betta care at a store, i.e. walmart, put the pressure on corporate. All stores have websites for customer complaints. I either to this and give specific occurances OR talk with the manager and point out the error being made. 

One store manager said she is trying to get the sale of Bettas discontinued there. KEEP THE HEAT ON!!


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## otter (Aug 10, 2012)

Awesome thanks you guys! I have some great ideas now c:


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## hannah16 (Mar 3, 2011)

MattsBettas said:


> In petsmart one time I saw a betta with serious fungal issues, I told a staff member to take care of him and she threw him in the trash. He was compleat ly live.


I wish Matt had answered what he did. 

Personally, if it had been me, I would have made sure he was okay, kept him sitting up in his cup (if he was thrown in one or gone and get one of those plastic holders they use to collect guppies and stuff and a net to get him out)

Then I would have got a manager and told them he was thrown in the garbage, therefore he is considered no one property and that I'm taking him for free.

Place him in a bag with water and get some meds n go. Seriously, I would have done that :|


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