# With all the complaints, why doesn't betta fish care get any better?



## PurpleJay (Jan 4, 2015)

I went to the PetValu near my house today to get some bedding and hay for my guinea pigs. When I was going to the rodent section I heard the bubble of filters and caught a glimpse of betta fish. I got my supplies and decided to look at the betta fish on the way out (seriously who can resist?), and I was nearly horrified.
Every single betta fish was struggling against the filter (they were in a sorta small Betta Center). The filter was so strong that some were continuously slammed against the wall. Half of them had SBD and were swimming on their sides, not to mention being thrown too by the filter current. One of them, a beautiful bicolor red/blue betta, had seemed to given up the will to live and stayed still as the filter threw him around, moving only to steady himself. Others were tucked into the corner, trying to stay away from the filter only to fail and be tossed around again. It makes me want to punch those PetValu people in the face- do they legit not care about the condition in which they sell in? I know lots of other stores do that- Walmart, for example, takes better care of their couches and toys and stuff than their bettas. 
How dumb can these people be? We've been complaining about fish treatment quality for YEARS and they still don't get the message.


Sorry. Had to let all of this pent up rage out.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I think they don't bother changing their ways because the public in general is stupid. I would say the majority of their customers are those that come in, buy a 1/2 gallon bowl and then spend the next few weeks or months watching their fish slowly die before they return to replace it. 

You only have to stand by the fish section in the average pet/fish store to realise that the dedicated hobbyist is far outnumbered by the ignorant masses.


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## selah (Oct 14, 2014)

I do not understand why any store uses those ridiculous walls.. do they really think the air flow is going to help? there is one pet store where I live that has that wall, since I have seen it, I have not gone back.. the day I was there, one of the bettas was dead and I brought it to the owner's location.. he said it was "sleeping" while he carried it to the sink to get rid of it.. I would rather see bettas kept in quiet cups then in that wall.. it must be torture for them.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

'Sleeping' that's a good one. Reminds me of Lisa off the Simpsons: "I had a Cat named Snowball, she died, she died. Mom said she was sleeping, she lied, she lied".


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

I agree with LBF. The public generally believes that bettas are a "low to no care pet". Meaning that they do not require a commitment. How many times have you tried to give advice to another costumer that was going to put their betta in a .5 gallon tank and instead of them thanking you, they say you are lying or say that you can't more than the store employees (because all employees are experts). Not to mention when a mother goes in there with her 5 year old to buy them a fish, they don't want an expensive set up when there are cheap .5 gallon options.


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## PurpleJay (Jan 4, 2015)

Yeah, i guess.

I still don't get why stores don't tell the customers to get a good setup. I mean all the store wants is money and the setup's going to give them more money right?

But what I hate about the .5 gallons is that they're so EXPENSIVE. You could get a 10 gallon + heater for like 27 bucks and the .5 gallon alone is like 30 dollars (I think I'm just looking at the ones with the LED light). I've seen more people get the .5 gallon when the 10 gallon is legit right next to it (with a lot lower price, too).


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I don't know. I suppose those customers that just want the easy fix every time are going to come back to replace their fish and buy umpteen bottles of chemicals and medications to do everything from remove algae to cure ich etc. so they may end up spending more money over a period of time than a person who knows what they are doing and only comes in to purchase food or replace equipment. 

Perhaps stores get the smaller bowls/containers from their suppliers for a cheaper price and give them a much higher mark-up than the 10 gallon tanks. It seems one of the first things a lot of customers want to know, is what is the smallest size tank or bowl they can get away with. To many non-hobbyists, a 10 gallon is a HUGE tank, especially for a single betta.


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

Replacement fish, the traffic in & out for meds, all means a return customer & a chance for more sales. They're in business to make sales, a profit, put a roof over their heads. They're not in it to be your best friend, or the fish's. 

Your pet is nothing but product to them, to be sold for a profit or written off as a loss, no different from a head of lettuce at the grocery store.


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

Tolak said:


> Your pet is nothing but product to them, to be sold for a profit or written off as a loss, no different from a head of lettuce at the grocery store.


Totally agree. It's not just bettas. My LFS just got in 200 baby oscars. How many of them are going into proper long term housing? Convicts at Petsmart sold as community fish? I see common plecos sold as algae eaters to kids for their 10 gallon tank with no mention of their dietary needs or that they are going to grow to 2' plus.

I think bettas have a far better chance then monster fish as far as finding a good home.

I said it before, we need Sarah McLachlan to do a late night commercial for us. Heck, I'd settle for Sally Struthers.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I always feel sorry for the goldfish as well. I dread to think how many end up living in tiny tanks or bowls. 

Almost every single advertisement or show on television that I see involving goldfish has them in a bowl. It's just so ingrained in the average person's thinking that goldfish = bowl.


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## Magickarp05 (Nov 26, 2014)

It's because all the aquarium makers and supply companies have them by the balls. All the myths about bettas are perpetuated by those companies to make sure parents and children, and uneducated would-be aquarists keep coming back to the pet stores for replacement bettas, bowls, and cubes. And the stores don't do anything to stop the spreading of these myths because half of their staff already believe them to begin with, and they likely have a contract with said companies -- something where they sell so many cubes or brands food and then they pay a percentage less for the next shipment they get in.


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## shooter (Dec 25, 2014)

I repeatedly told one of my LFS's about this same problem. Their betta display has an airline tube inserted in each cup with strong bubbles blasting the fish constantly. I told them about it 3 visits in a row and it never changed. The last time I went was my last visit there because of it. If anyone wants to call and complain about it it's the Critter Cabana in Wilsonville Oregon.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Another thing is the aesthetic appeal, that little .5g stylish cube is so cute and perfect for (insert name of air headed girl here)'s dorm, better get my boyfriend one too! 
Or else if it isn't cute for a dorm room then it's perfect for a child's room or coffee table or classroom or wherever else. I find most of the people who "don't have room" for a tank just aren't willing to make room. My dorm room is 15' by 10', including closet space and whatnot, once you add in a desk, bed, dresser, ect. Any sane person would say there's no room for a 10g, and yet i have one. Granted it takes up half the desk, but I'd rather do homework on my bed anyways.
Little tanks and tank kits are also appealing cuz they have "everything you need", so you can walk out with a kit, a fish, and food. Meanwhile whenever pet stores put together a 20g kit it's like 10x the cost of when you buy things separately. My petco has a great deal on a 50g complete with filter, heater, air stone, and I forget what else, everything but decor, for only $200. The little tanks usually even have decor, so no need to do anything but buy a fish and plop it in


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## quietlythundering (Jan 29, 2013)

It's rough. I can't stand to look in fish sections anymore, but I still do. That's how I ended up with most of my fish friends-looking, and seeing what their situations COULD be. At least two of my girls are wal-mart fish, and somehow, they were managing to tough it out while the other fish around them were either diseased or just.....what's the right word? Could you call a fish depressed? They would sit at the bottom of their cups and not move. But with both of them (Jocasta and Halcyon) I made a connection, and I knew they were coming home with me. They're happy and healthy now, but those others? Who knows......I can only do for the ones I have now. I'm not someone who is rich or powerful, and I'm relatively young. When I talk about how I care for my fish, people (though having asked me) will get bored and change the subject.
I wish I can change the world, but for now, I'm settling for just trying to change the people around me-my boyfriend, my parents, grandparents, and little brothers all see me as The Fish Lady of the family. They know that if they were going to take the Betta plunge, they'd have to go through me if they ever tried to pull that 0.5g and no-water-changing crap. They know me well enough to know that I care about my fish-not as "living decorations" that "thrive on neglect" (I swear I was going to shove the price-checker that store employee had down her throat for that one!). They are my Pets. My companions. They know I love them.
It's not much in the grand scheme of things, but in the very least, my loved ones understand that-and that if they needed it, I would help them with fish care, and so on. Like I said, it's not much, but a person must take their victories where they get them, right?
Plus, when the employees aren't looking, you can always change the water in the cups, add a drop of prime, and be on your way. I've done it before, at a wal-mart I've complained to in the past, because they liked to put their bettas in the same tanks with incompatible fish. They brushed me off-I figured, that's the least I could do for the poor fish, if nothing else. I mean, by Posieden, if they aren't going to do it, at least we can.
I should start carrying prime around with me again.


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## Polkadot (Feb 10, 2013)

It is sad.Most pet stores/aquariums (though thankfully not all) unfortunately care more about the $$$ than the little fish.The stores that still push the 'easy to care for' / 'they just need a little amount of space etc' routine is terrible.

I know we all have to learn and start somewhere,but with the world at your fingertips today there is really no excuse to not know about proper care and needs for bettas.

I think a lot of people just don't want to know really.They don't want the truth about Betta husbandry to upset their little decoration looking pretty in a vase on the kitchen counter.


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## Reccka (Jul 20, 2014)

Bikeridinguckgirl14 said:


> I find most of the people who "don't have room" for a tank just aren't willing to make room.


This is so true. I can see not having space for larger tanks...but EVERYONE has room for a tank bigger than a .5 gallon cube. And if you really truly don't...you should not have a pet.

I've seen a lot of posts with people saying "Oh, I can't fit anything bigger than a 1 gallon." When their tank is pictured on a large dresser or bookshelf next to perfume or knickknacks. Stuff that can easily be rearranged to free up a lot of extra space.

I understand that not everyone has the space for a 30 gallon like I do,(thing is ginormous, but I'm happy I have it. I made room for it.) but my 2.5 gallon and my 5 gallon cube could honestly fit just about anywhere in my otherwise cramped room if I just moved some stuff to the side a few inches. Any shelf, any stand, my headboard. 

Then again, I have learned the ways of Ikea decorating. Since I am limited on space, every piece of furniture I have is designed for maximum storage. I don't own any furniture in here that doesn't have to capacity to have stuff put in it/on it or both lol. Mostly both.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

My 2.3gallon bowls I used to keep each of them in, a 10g takes up a lot less room.
In fact, a 5g takes up as much room as 2 1g bowls
And my moms 3G cube tank takes up almost half the room my 10g does
These evil cubes are smaller than the box I keep my makeup in, smaller than 3 pairs of socks! But you don't have room for anything bigger than this? Give me a break! 
Another one is "I can't afford a big tank" which might be true, we all have sympathy for this one, but those stupid cubes cost $10-20, and you can get a 2.5g fishbowl for $20


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## PurpleJay (Jan 4, 2015)

I hate how they say "easy to care for". Fish are NOT EASY TO CARE FOR. I mean, sure, you're fine up until your betta catches a sickness. Wham- you're on your own. No vet to help your fish. The pressure's on you now- and if you do something wrong it's going to cost lives. If you think being pressured to save lives when you're a stupid all-for-nothing fish lover (like me) is easy, then either you're a saint or you really need to get a life.

(Excuse me. I like to rant.)


Reccka- You do have a point. A really good one. My friend has this really big female she kept in a betta cube and I kept nagging her on and on to get a bigger tank. Every time I walked by her kitchen, I would point to a big pot and say "hey that's how big your tank should be" and stuff like that. Eventually she moved the betta to one of those .5 death divider tanks, but without the divider so the female had the whole .5 all to herself. I still didn't approve but it was better than the stuffy betta cube.


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## Reccka (Jul 20, 2014)

PurpleJay said:


> I hate how they say "easy to care for". Fish are NOT EASY TO CARE FOR. I mean, sure, you're fine up until your betta catches a sickness. Wham- you're on your own. No vet to help your fish. The pressure's on you now- and if you do something wrong it's going to cost lives. If you think being pressured to save lives when you're a stupid all-for-nothing fish lover (like me) is easy, then either you're a saint or you really need to get a life.
> 
> (Excuse me. I like to rant.)
> 
> ...


I'd say that about ANY pet. NO pet is "easy", but it depends on the person's definition of easy. If "easy pet" means "I literally never want to do anything with it ever" then it doesn't match up(and said person should get a pet rock.), but I find my bettas to be the easiest pets I've ever cared for(I've cared for dogs, chinchillas, mice, rats, rabbits, other fish, and birds through my short life so far lol). That's just me personally though. I enjoy how they mostly do their own thing, and aside from daily feeding, I don't have to do much. I know it's far less easy to others though. It is intimidating to have to be your pet's vet and I hope I won't ever have to do the heavy stuff, but if it happens, I attempt to be prepared. Hopefully.

I just don't get some people, honestly. Why have a fish in such a small space? You can't even enjoy it that way.


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## Reccka (Jul 20, 2014)

Bikeridinguckgirl14 said:


> My 2.3gallon bowls I used to keep each of them in, a 10g takes up a lot less room.
> In fact, a 5g takes up as much room as 2 1g bowls
> And my moms 3G cube tank takes up almost half the room my 10g does
> These evil cubes are smaller than the box I keep my makeup in, smaller than 3 pairs of socks! But you don't have room for anything bigger than this? Give me a break!
> Another one is "I can't afford a big tank" which might be true, we all have sympathy for this one, but those stupid cubes cost $10-20, and you can get a 2.5g fishbowl for $20


I have some sympathy for those who can't afford a large and new tank, and I think most of those people just have to be taught to be resourceful. There are so many dirt cheap used tanks out there online and in thrift stores. I only have my 30 gallon because the person who owned it before asked my mom "Hey, does she want a big tank? I don't want my fish anymore." I said "Heck yes I do." Got mine for free. Happens a lot. We've given away old tanks in the past as well.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

I agree, fish are easiest to care for if you care for all your other pets properly. Theoretical examples: woman a has a cat. Every day she refills the dry food and freshens the water bowl twice, feeds wet food at 10am, brushes or pets the cat for at least half an hour, and cleans the litter box. She picks up the cat puke and fur balls without complaining, and takes her beloved noodle to the vet twice a year. She also gives noodle flea medicine twice a year. She probably will be able to care for a fish.
Woman b has a cat. She doesn't think she ever took it to the vet, complains about why it sprays all over the house. She fills the food and water of she notices they're empty, and cleans the litter box when it starts to smell. Noodle has a flea collar, but it's a few years old. Damn cat smells. This woman will undoubtedly complain "what do you mean I have to clean he fish water once a week? It's water, it's clean, and besides it's just a fish." She will later complain that the damn fish smells


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

PurpleJay said:


> I hate how they say "easy to care for". Fish are NOT EASY TO CARE FOR.


I'd bet it's easier to care for 200 fish than 200 dogs. Never had 200 dogs, 3 is more than enough. No doubt 200 fish are easier than 3 dogs. The problem lies in education more than time money or space, ignorance is bliss. 

People know the yearly vet visit for a dog is going to cost, grooming will cost, dog supplies will cost, because they've taken the time to educate themselves on this, in most cases. Same goes for cats & such, people don't educate themselves on what the fish they have really needs. 

How many people do we see on here who don't have a proper quar/med setup ready to roll out? How many drop money on yet another betta, rather than put that money towards some gear that would be to the future benefit of the stock they have? At some point it becomes a matter of perspective, when used 10 gallon tanks regularly go for $5 or less, as mentioned being resourceful you could probably get a quar/med setup for $10. 

I've found that looking in a mirror gets one through life better than pointing a finger. There's always room for improvement with animal husbandry, no matter how well versed the individual is.


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## PurpleJay (Jan 4, 2015)

I guess. But I am one who gets easily stressed and having lives depend on an easily stressed person is not a good idea because they will probably screw something up. 

I hate how people only clean their pet's things when they're "noticeably smelly or empty". My guinea pigs tend to try to cannibalize each other once the food runs out, and I guess shrill siren calls can tell you it's time to fill up the food bin or water bottle. But people who don't have loud firetruck rodents shouldn't just wait until they can see the dirt. Like, I mean you do laundry all the time even when you don't see the dirty stuff on the shirt. 

I don't get why people don't understand that when they get a pet they also get responsibility. It's not like you're just gonna sit there and wait for your pet to do the stuff themselves. YOU got them so YOU should do it. Yeah I know wild animals care for themselves but last time I checked wild animals ain't cooped up in some fat ol' cage with a built in water bottle and a food bin. THEY FREAKIN' HUNT AND EAT GRASS AND STUFF. OUTSIDE. WHERE NATURE TAKES COURSE. 

Well in the summer I guess you can just set your rabbit or mouse or somethin' outside in a big fat playpen, but that's just in the summer. You can't possibly put them outside in the winter and expect them to do everything themselves. Remember, they're also domesticated. There's a big diff between domesticated and wild.

Some animals are okay with being outside (like goldfish- my friend put hers out for the whole summer and he grew like three inches), but that doesn't mean you stop caring for them. If you can't care for a pet, then you shouldn't get one. Simple.


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

I found that my fish are easier to care for than other pets. Water changes 1-2 times a week are super easy. They don't need shots. They don't require training to not chew wires or destroy furniture, etc. I can give them attention whenever I come into the room, and they won't follow me around and trip me while I'm cooking or need to be locked up somewhere while I use cleaning chemicals in the bathroom. 

After writing all of that, they are harder than I expected. My daughter asked for a fish for her 4th birthday, so I decided to get a betta because I'd seen them living in bowls and such. I did research and found out how much work they are and almost bought a sea monkey kit instead. Except for heating in the winter (our house is in the 50's, so the normal 50 watt heater isn't enough), the 10 gallon tank I got is super easy to maintain.

I hate seeing the poor bettas in stores, though. Most of them, even if the cups are clean, mostly lay there. They look excited if they notice me looking, and I always want to take them home. I've run out of outlets in the computer room, so I can't get any more tanks right now


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## shooter (Dec 25, 2014)

Ugh. I stopped by Petsmart on my way home tonight. Their bettas were in such bad shape. Some floating on their sides on the surface in their cups, some laying on their sides on the bottom, others just clamped and limp looking. Makes me want to cry.


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## PurpleJay (Jan 4, 2015)

Same! I've been to my PetSmart and at least they take care of their bettas. Only rarely there's a dead one, which I guess is okay. Petco on the other hand is TERRIBLE. All the bettas are dull and half of them are dead or almost dying. I haven't visited Walmart yet but from the reviews I really don't want to.


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## PurpleJay (Jan 4, 2015)

Went back to the PetValu to pick up some pellets for the guinea pigs. Bettas were worse than ever.

Apparently the store people think that if you get a filter you never have to clean out the tank. Makes me want to punch their stupid faces. 
Anyways I took a couple pictures. Here they are-


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## Crossroads (Jun 28, 2014)

As others have mentioned, the general public doesn't want to learn. They shut down the enthusiasm of others to believe the myths and lies they've been fed. This is true of most pets.

Rats get kept in glass cages, and usually alone despite being social creatures.
Fish get kept in "tanks" way too small for them and people *still* try to keep bettas together as if somehow, _theirs_ will be different. 
Dogs get thrown out on a leash in the yard with no concept of shelter.
Lizards and leopard geckos get kept on poor substrate(sand, dirt, etc) and without proper lighting.
Snakes get housed without proper hides, proper substrate or humidity. People feed live and wonder why their snake gets badly injured or dies.

Pets are impulse buys more often than not. A cute puppy or kitten, a sick fish in need of help, a wiggly little noodle(ferret) bouncing all over the enclosure. People don't stop to see if they had the time or money for a proper set up.

I didn't either at first. Mako came home with me with a 1.5 hex, no heater, an airstone, no filter and sharp edged plants. 
Until a friend of mine on Skype jumped my butt on it and I went out and got a 5.5, a heater and a filter. Now all of my tanks are planted, heated and are 5 gallons and up.
The public is massly uneducated and few care to learn.


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## Ilovebettasbk11 (Nov 12, 2013)

Here is what we can do SPREAD THE WORD educate others on proper care for them 

Purplejay it stinks those tanks are very filthy


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## Alyssalovesbettas (Jul 19, 2014)

I went to Walmart one weekend to get some cat food with my mom. I decided I should look at the fish section just for the heck of it. I was shocked, there was a small blue VT in a nasty yellow colored cup he was on the bottom gasping and would float to the top. So I decided to go find the fish supervisor and ask why the cups weren't cleaned. He was a nice guy and all and said he couldn't do anything and had to wait until Wednesday until the "Cleaning" guy came. So I asked him if I could clean the cup and he looked at me like I was crazy, apparently they have a whole stash of supplies in a cabinet above the sinks. Looked in there and found stress coat. Found a small cup they used for "Cleaning" and put the poor fish in there. Cleaned out his cup and tried to make the temperatures the same, and tried to acclimate him. As soon as he got in the cup he looked like a different fish. The guy saw a little crack in the cup tapped it up and wrote on the tape: "Please help me!" My mom told me I couldn't get him, but the next day I went back to see if he was still there but was gone. So hopefully someone saved him! 
It seems like to me that most people who work at Walmart have no authority to do anything or actually "Help the fish".


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## Ilovebettasbk11 (Nov 12, 2013)

I dont understand why walmart have fish if they cant take care of them? Who the heck brings in the fish?


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