# Not a rant, but the truth, might hurt..



## amber31190 (Feb 6, 2011)

not to affind anyone or store. I keep seeing people posting threads about awful condtions and rescuing fish, but somthing i though... all of these people "rescueing" fish are really just adding the fuel to the fire.. the rescured fish is a sale meaning money then they replace the fish. i see people whining on several fish and reptile forums, then the people go and shop at petco and petsmart, but not buying fish just equipment. if we really wont to rescure fish we wouldn't purchase then, and most wil probably die but it will be less the have to replace. not dissing i shop at my local petco and the bettas and tank are super clean, heck i would probably drink the betta water, but my petsmart i wouldn't let the water touch me, it is appauling. not to diss.. just a thought....;-)


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## iheartmybettas (Jan 31, 2011)

I think the only way to make a difference by not purchasing is if everyone banded together to not purchase from certain stores all together. I feel at least I can give the betta a good place to live for the remainder of his life whether short or long. I think the only way to get results is to be vocal and make a big fuss. Even then they are huge public corporations that make billions a year and it would take a lot of people to get them to really change their care or to stop carrying bettas (all fish) all together since they are such a tiny percentage of their profits (and that is all big corps ultimately care about - the bottom line and making money for their shareholders). I save so much by shopping at Walmart on all of my other stuff that their treatment of bettas most likely wouldn't keep me from shopping their all together giving the corporation even more reason to not care. So I will buy to save if I can (and have room)!

That's how I see it...


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## iheartmybettas (Jan 31, 2011)

And not offended at all! I just don't know believe that method would be affective when plenty of other people buy fish promting the stores to continue to stock up not just us betta/fish fanatics.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

i'm not offended, but my thing is.... me not buying the fish doesn't matter. SOMEONE will, and Remy would have died there on the shelf if i didn't get him. no one wants a tail-less betta, which is why HMPKs and PKs aren't as popular in pet stores as Veiltails, Crowntails, and Halfmoons. i'm shocked my walmart even got bettas in again, since the other manager stopped ordering them after seeing they couldn't care for them. walmart's a super store. us not buying the fish won't matter to them. someone will, so they'll always keep them in stock(if they have a fish department).


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## amber31190 (Feb 6, 2011)

my bf, worked at walmart for a year, in the fish department, thats what started his passion for fish, the manger told him that there is only 4 in our state that carry fish now. i have a wallyworld about 5 miles away that have great fish, but then the bigger one keeps betta graveyards. i am not saying rescueing is bad, i had it several times, and used it as an ascuse once, lol it was just a thought. thank you for replies


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## NightxFury (Feb 12, 2011)

I agree with a few of the others to post here. When I bought my two latest betta fish, I knew it would be basically pointless to just leave them there suffering. Wal*Mart doesn't make most of its money from its pet care section, and certainly not from the betta fish that they stock there. While it does just encourage them to restock, it also means that I'm providing home for at least two more who don't have to deal with those conditions. It would take a huge number of people to get them to stop carrying betta fish, and that number wouldn't be nearly large enough for them to listen to the demand. Most of their money is made basically anywhere else in the store.

So, yeah, I save which ones I can. A better appeal would be to tell them to employ someone to take care of the fish. Or, in the case of Wal*Mart particularly, supposedly they take pride in being a "family" store. So ask them what kind of family would let -any- pet suffer the way they let their fish suffer?


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## bettamaniac (Jan 6, 2011)

A lot of the people who claim that they made a rescue really just did this. The technical term for this is a sympathy purchase.


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## Nutt007 (Sep 22, 2009)

bettamaniac said:


> A lot of the people who claim that they made a rescue really just did this. The technical term for this is a sympathy purchase.


And so it's better to leave them to die?Leern 2 reed man. It's still rescuing.


> res·cue verb \ˈres-(ˌ)kyü\
> res·cuedres·cu·ing
> Definition of RESCUE
> 
> ...


Read first definition, we are FREEING the bettas FROM CONFINEMENT and DANGER. Your definition of "rescue" is to save without paying. :roll::roll:


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## elijahfeathers (Oct 15, 2010)

Bettas are just like puppymill animals in a lot of stores. Badly treated and sold for a quick buck.

It's easy to make the argument that buying one is saving it when it's not $400 for one fish or anything like that. But honestly in any other type of pet purchase from those kinds of conditions you'd get called out big time for supporting the trade.

I'm not saying that walmart bettas and the like don't deserve proper treatments and homes. But honestly people are lying to themselves when they think that buying one fish it saving it. It matters to that one betta, yes. But not making the purchase in the future could save hundreds of thousands of fish.

On the other hand, I buy from petco. I accept the conditions they're treated in (and just because your petco is nice doesn't mean that it's okay to support it. If there's one nice petco and 200 horrible ones, your money still helps those other 200)-- because it's a convenience. I don't have to pay 35 dollars for a fish to be driven to me. I don't have to worry about it getting lost in shipping-- and I can inspect it live and in person at location. The price for this convenience is the suffering of the fish in exchange for saving me some cash.

Is it a good moral trade off? Not at all-- but it's one that most everyone who owns a betta has willingly accepted. *shrugs*

Just saying, buying a puppymill puppy from the breeder is rescuing it-- but it's also encouraging 20 more puppies. Adopting one or buying from a reputable breeder is generally more expensive, but you help put the puppymill out of business. I'm pretty sure the same concept works with fish.


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## bettamaniac (Jan 6, 2011)

Nutt007 said:


> And so it's better to leave them to die?Leern 2 reed man. It's still rescuing.
> 
> Read first definition, we are FREEING the bettas FROM CONFINEMENT and DANGER. Your definition of "rescue" is to save without paying. :roll::roll:


I was never saying that a rescue is getting them without paying. It is still a rescue but even though it is a rescue it is just called a sympathy purchase.


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## chelsmarie23 (Jan 3, 2011)

My opinion is very small and not as critically thought out as most of you, but as I do agree that buying those fish is feeding the fire. But what else is one single person going to do? Give the poor thing a good home that's what. If I was a sick dying fish and someone saved me (assuming I had a normal thought process), I would be thankful. And those fish at least feel better once they are back to good health. Every animal deserves a good home and someone to love it. I don't think it is a pity purchase. I think it is a self-less thing to do for a sick animal. It really isn't that much different than buying a pet from the animal shelter. There is a good chance it would probably be put to sleep if no one bought it.

As of now, the way to deal with it in my opinion is send nasty e-mails and telling some managers some choice words and such. Maybe even leave letters like I've heard a couple people on this site have already done. It at least does something.


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## chelsmarie23 (Jan 3, 2011)

Also let me add, I am very pleased with myself that I bought Ignacio. He would have been dead if I hadn't got him, but now he is happy, healthy, and my friend. He keeps me company and brightens my day. ^_^


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

I have my reasons for only buying from breeders but if I had to buy from any chain store it would be PetCo...they have the best care for their fish out of all of them.


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

MrVampire181 said:


> I have my reasons for only buying from breeders but if I had to buy from any chain store it would be PetCo...they have the best care for their fish out of all of them.


Agreed. 

I personally won't smash anyone for buying a sick animal. I've never been a fan of sacrificing a few for the good of the many. No animals should have to be allowed to suffer and die. There are other ways, better ones, such as raising awareness and kicking up a stink in any pet shop that neglects.


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## Aluyasha (Sep 2, 2010)

This is a tough subject. For starters, my Petsmart takes great care of their fish. However, I have heard some of you say that their Petsmarts are horrid. So how can I support a good petstore if it is also a bad one (in a sense)?

This is one of those ageless questions. Some think that people should not buy and that will eventually fix the problem. While others think that we should buy the Bettas and it will not make it better or worse. While others still think, that enstead we must try to educate the public and the petstores.
I personally, think that it is better to try to educate the petstores as it will help everyone in the long run. Not only would the animals be treated properly, but new owners would learn how to take care for their pets by actually being informed by the petstores.

If one Petco took horrid care of their pets and the others did not, then that store needs to be educated. Not buying from all Petcos would not help. I think anyway.
This topic has many different tactics. I really do not know what the right answer is. They all have vaild points.


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## Thunderloon (Feb 6, 2011)

*something very important to remember*

Most breeders that supply to petco/walmart/petsupermarket/petsmart aren't breeding to supply the stores. They sell the fish to the stores to support their more complex and special breeding. They're trying to be the first to produce much better bigger more awesome betta.

Petco has started handling halfmoon, double tail, delta and king. This is great because it encourages interest in betta but its also bad because the standard practice is to have a selection of every type on the shelf instead of limiting the total number better. But even this situation doesn't stress me too much.

What distresses me is when I go in to a petco or a walmart and someone cupped a girl who is still a fry. Fry run on little fish hormones to grow, their water conditions never have a chance to go bad because the fry can't eat the food the store gives them IF they feed and they're not big enough to soil the water from what they've already eaten.

Friday I went to see about a couple girls and one of the three small ones woke up to say Hi to me then I watched as she exhausted what little energy she had left responding to my attention then fell over on her side in the bottom of the cup. She woke and tried to get air but died within thirty seconds, little fish bapping her eye against the bottom trying to make her body work. If you want to be incensed over treatment, be angry at the breeders and suppliers who cup fish that have zero chance of survival without immediate purchase. There's a difference between just getting too many and hoping people will buy them so you don't have to cull them and shoving it all out the door to reduce overhead.

I brought the manager back there and described to her what happened loudly enough for all the parents to hear, she'll remember to discuss it forcefully with the supplier. I left with two girls, Fins and a red one I've not named.


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## Aluyasha (Sep 2, 2010)

I have seen that same problem at my Petco. All their females were so tiny and young that they still did not have colour!. And almost all of them were dead and dying.

On the other hand. All my Petsmart's ones seem to be decently large adults, including the females.


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## MrVampire181 (May 12, 2009)

I've seen very young females at PetCo but if someone buys them and takes proper care of them they will grow.

IMO people are going to want bettas and no matter what we do there will be no changing the stores mind about selling them...just try and educate them and buy if you wish.


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## Astro277 (Jul 18, 2010)

Not sure if anyone posted this before or not... havent read other posts yet but....

I feel if you can get a fish from a LF for free because it being half dead or something and knowing you can bring it back is awesome but to go and actully buy one of these fish is not actully helping them at all. In fact its just makeing more room for another healthy fish to rot away watching its short life go bye in a cup. 

We should make a petition and have people sign(type) and give there word not to cave in and buy a LF betta.


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## LolaQuigs (Mar 28, 2010)

This is something I've really thought about a lot, and there is a lot to be said for both sides. However, when it comes down to it, bettas cost pet stores about 50 cents per fish. Even if many of them die and not many are bought, they are still certain to profit when they are selling each fish for 2-15 dollars. So even if people choose not to buy from pet stores, the few who do will be ensuring that the company still profits. People will continue to patronize these places, and unless a mass boycott takes place (and various organizations have sadly tried and failed), these stores will continue to thrive and sell live animals. Deciding not to buy a fish and keeping quiet about it will do nothing. Deciding not to buy a fish and writing a letter/email/complaint to the company or local district would be more helpful. Even buying a fish and voicing your opinion about conditions is more beneficial than opting not to buy and saying nothing at all; at least your voice is being heard.

That said, I strongly believe that one person choosing not to buy one inexpensive fish will do nothing to change the business's practices. However one person buying a sick fish that would otherwise rot makes a world of difference to that fish. Again, this is a personal ethical choice and there are logical arguments for both sides; I just wanted to give my reasoning for feeling the need to rescue the sick fish I have rescued.


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## xswornxoffxjello (Mar 18, 2010)

I think that we just can't convince everyone everywhere that buying bettas from petstores is a bad idea. It just won't happen. I agree that educating stores is a better idea.


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## bettamaniac (Jan 6, 2011)

Petstores do get their bettas at about fifty cents a betta. The reason for this is that 50 cents is about 150 Thai Baht. In Thailand you can get petstore quality bettas for about 3 cents when you convert currencies.


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## baylee767 (Nov 5, 2010)

Personally, I don't think not buying Bettas makes a difference. Unlike everyone else, my petco takes terrible care of their Bettas, adn half of them are looooooong dead. Even so, the bettas are swarming with people, I'd say over 20 a day bought, because I always see many people holding the Betta cups. Most of them are uneducated, too. I think that instead of trying to get the stores to do something impossible like not selling (Kind of hard for places like petco to stop selling all over the country) We should inform them and make sure that they keep Bettas in clean conditions.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

pet stores and walmart don't make alot of money off the bettas, even though they're prices at $3 and up. the money comes from the supplies you buy to help the fish. if you already have a spare tank and meds, ect, buying the fish and telling the manager you won't buy supplies from them until they clean up their act, will hurt them alot worse than you not buying the fish at all.


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## Thunderloon (Feb 6, 2011)

only thing I buy from wally besides girls is those wonderful $10.00 dip strips that cost $15.00 everywhere else :roll:


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

The whole purpose of petstores is to sell pets and pet supplies. Some stores are better than others as far as how well they care for their animals. My Petsmart does a pretty good job of taking care of their fish. I haven't seen a dead betta for a long time. All of my bettas but one have come from Petsmart and in all the years I've bought from them, I have only had one that died shortly after I got him. I also do not think sending someone a nasty e-mail is the answer to the problem of poor animal husbandry in petstores.


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## Amethyst (Feb 17, 2011)

I think in the case of creatures that are sold for so little money it's far more effective to write and vocalise complaints as and when necessary. Not purchasing a $250 puppy from a puppy mill really hits the breeder hard, but not purchasing a $3.99 betta from a huge chain store isn't exactly hitting them where it hurts.

AMETHYST


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## Thunderloon (Feb 6, 2011)

I do tell people I meet at stores that it's fifty bucks for the first fish unless they're just taking it home to kill it.

Gets their attention right off and they ask me why, so I point behind me at whatever supply I was looking at.

Food $4.00
Heater $15.00
Tank $15.00
Mesh Top $10.00
Tetra Filter $10.00
Water Treatment $3.00
Fish $3.00

You can skimp on a lid, or the heater, etc. But for your fish to have a fighting chance you need to buy about fiddy bucks of stuff if you don't know what you're doing. This is where they make their money.


I tell the store employees that, quite simply, a person who enjoys the fish and can keep them successfully will not only come back for food, ornaments, replacement filter media, chemicals and medicines, but they'll come back for fish AND send their friends if you're kind enough to explain the actual basics and they're still interested. This is why Aqueon puts heaters in it's 10g starter kits and charges a fair price hood included. A betta is a fish and you can either waste the $15.00 for the cute little awesome OH he died bowl or you can consider it an investment in a pet and learning a hobby.

An aquarium is probably the single most durable hobby supply I've ever owned, short of my 1983 Blue Chip XT's motherboard. (wow, tough thing)


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## BettaHeart (Jan 2, 2011)

i bought an Aqueon not too long ago because the only 10gal i had is occupied but little black eyes lol anyways it didnt come with a heater just the filter, hood, usually little water conditioner and flakes:-?


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