# Stupid fishkeeper rant



## Freyja (Jun 22, 2012)

And I use the term fishkeeper loosely. A lady came to the Petsmart with her two kids when I was looking at the boys during lunch break. The kids asked her if they could add a betta to their 5 gallon tank that already has other fishies in it. She said no because bettas have to be alone and besides "they don't last long anyway". I got irate but politely told her that bettas last at least a year. She replied that they really aren't that hardy and I told her "well if you took care of it properly...". Lo and behold she was there to get more fish because some of the fish in her tank had died. I was so tempted to point out the fact that her tank is sorely overstocked and her ignorance as to fishkeeping. Her blase attitude was what got me the worse. :evil: :frustrated: mg: :shake: :redmad:


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## Turtle4353 (Jul 27, 2012)

There are always the 'goldfish in a bowl people' as I call them. And I noticed that your location is Puerto Rico and I love it there! I just got back from a trip there!


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

:roll: happens all the time.. 

oh well the good thing is that she didnt torture a betta... poor other fish tho


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## Leeniex (Aug 14, 2011)

I was talking to a mom whose teenaged daughter keeps 2 bettas in a half gallon tank, and she has NEVER changed the water.:evil:


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

Leeniex said:


> I was talking to a mom whose teenaged daughter keeps 2 bettas in a half gallon tank, and she has NEVER changed the water.:evil:


How?? How long has she had them?
Did u knock some sense into her? xD


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## Leeniex (Aug 14, 2011)

Sounds like months to me. I gave the stupid mom my usual speech but all she would say was "I keep telling her to change the water". Lazy slobs.


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

Leeniex said:


> Sounds like months to me. I gave the stupid mom my usual speech but all she would say was "I keep telling her to change the water". Lazy slobs.


Well they will die soon from ammonia posioning. That's so sad.


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## CharStarr (Jul 3, 2012)

*When I went to PJ Pets to purchase my 5 gallon tank, I was talking to the Fish/Reptile Manager about bettas and I hadn't heard of this forum yet so I was asking him questions about water changes and such. He told me not to worry too much about water changes, that he just lets LOTS of the water evaporate until theres like 25% left and then he fills it back up. I was absolutely SHOCKED. He's the MANAGER of the fish department and he's giving this advice to people? Also telling them that bettas get stressed if they are in tanks that are too big. *


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## JackisLost (Feb 26, 2011)

i may sound dumb when i say this, but people that keep fish and have it die on them it's what makes our hobby live on (they will buy more than the average good keeper). if everybody had fish that stayed around for years, nobody will buy the stock, the business will be low, and eventually it would be rare to get fish. i'm playing devils advocate, i know fish care is essential.


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## deso (Apr 24, 2012)

JackisLost said:


> i may sound dumb when i say this, but people that keep fish and have it die on them it's what makes our hobby live on (they will buy more than the average good keeper). if everybody had fish that stayed around for years, nobody will buy the stock, the business will be low, and eventually it would be rare to get fish. i'm playing devils advocate, i know fish care is essential.


You don't sound dumb at all. What you say is the truth of things, the "disposable fish mentality" keeps the aquarium business running, unfortunately. A good fish keeper has high initial expenses (heater, water conditioner, test kit, quality food, etc), but as time goes on, he/she will not need to buy much at all compared to a person who kills a fish with neglect every six months or so.


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## vP H O T O Nv (Jul 19, 2012)

CharStarr said:


> *When I went to PJ Pets to purchase my 5 gallon tank, I was talking to the Fish/Reptile Manager about bettas and I hadn't heard of this forum yet so I was asking him questions about water changes and such. He told me not to worry too much about water changes, that he just lets LOTS of the water evaporate until theres like 25% left and then he fills it back up. I was absolutely SHOCKED. He's the MANAGER of the fish department and he's giving this advice to people? Also telling them that bettas get stressed if they are in tanks that are too big. *


Actually, same thing kind of happened to me at my Petco the other day. I was in buying more bamboo for my tank, and brought up the fact it was for my buddy Delta. We carried on the conversation, it seemed to be going good. When my girlfriend brought up the fact I tend to spoil Delta, by keeping him in a 10 gal tank alone. 

He gave me that look like, are you stupid? Then told me that a 1 gal tank was questionably too big for a Betta, and they don't need all the fancy things I give Delta. This got to me, but I kept calm and asked what he would do. He took me over to the tanks, and started pointing at 1 and giving me a description on why a Betta would be perfect for that particular tank. The biggest tank he pointed at was 3/4 gallon, no light, no filter, and a starter kit none the less. 

As well as today in walmart, a lady took her daughter to get a few things for her new Betta. She was going to get a 1 gallon betta tube, then the .3 gal cube, then the half gallon divided tank. She looked lost about it. So I stepped in and tried to point her in the right direction. She grabbed a 3 gallon tank filter, heated, lights. Along with conditioner and all that good stuff, I told her a few things I knew and she was off, seeming more comfortable and less worried about dead fish.


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## Freyja (Jun 22, 2012)

Turtle4353 said:


> There are always the 'goldfish in a bowl people' as I call them. And I noticed that your location is Puerto Rico and I love it there! I just got back from a trip there!


I take it you enjoyed yourself?


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## Turtle4353 (Jul 27, 2012)

Always do


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Glad I dont have to put up with this my Petco is great many of the people there are fellow hobbyist and know there fish.


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## ravenwinds (Feb 5, 2012)

My local Petsmart is that way, the fish manager and his team really know fish and will question your intent if it seems you are getting fish that shouldn't live together. They'll ask what your setup is etc. They were worried when I got like 4 different kinds of fish until I told them I had multiple community tanks (a 20g, a 29g, and a 40g). The only downside is they know very little about bettas and so they tend to follow the Petsmart party line...which is horrible. I have been teaching them a bit about bettas and they seem enthusiastic about it, but since Petsmart is over 30miles away, I don't get there much!


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

My Petco employees are not super knowledble about bettas but they agree the Betta caresheets are inaccurate.


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## ravenwinds (Feb 5, 2012)

At least that is a step in the right direction!


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

I think it is a really big step there.


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## prosthetik (Oct 5, 2012)

Eugh, an old lady that works at one of the stores here always convinces people to put their Betta's in 1/2 litre bowls [thats 0.1 gallon!] - but I try so hard not to say anything because the people who own the store are really nice & I don't want to get banned lol.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

A Betta can actually fit its body in there you should say something.


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## whiskandbowl (Aug 21, 2012)

prosthetik said:


> Eugh, an old lady that works at one of the stores here always convinces people to put their Betta's in 1/2 litre bowls [thats 0.1 gallon!] - but I try so hard not to say anything because the people who own the store are really nice & I don't want to get banned lol.


Definitely say something. They can't ban you from a store for voicing your opinion/facts, if you do it calmly and rationally that is.

Ravenwinds, could you print of a good caresheet and give it to them, since they seem to be willing to learn?


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Only the owner can but your plan is great.


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## whiskandbowl (Aug 21, 2012)

ChoclateBetta said:


> Only the owner can but your plan is great.


I should rephrase. They _could _ban you if they really wanted, but that would be a trivial and silly reason to ban someone.


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## prosthetik (Oct 5, 2012)

I know I should I just get really shy when it comes to that stuff lol.
I've noticed over the last week or so though that they are selling bigger 'Betta Bowls' - 2 gallon which isnt much still, but its an improvement from those tiny ones I mentioned earlier.


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## ravenwinds (Feb 5, 2012)

They might look at it but they won't keep it and pass it out to customers...we're talking about corporations, big ones at that! I know how they work, everything there has to be approved by the corporations at the top and they, I am sure, have their "fish expert" on staff....probably that guy from YouTube that talks/writes like a crackhead, ThaiTyBetta!

So, I don't see how it would do much good to print out a care sheet. Honestly, I am just happy my store doesn't seem to believe in selling the baby bettas! I saw 3 in there once (at Petco) and I spoke to manager about how cruel that was...out on the floor where all the customers could hear....wouldn't let her maneuver me to a quieter spot for our discussion! I have never seen them back....every once in awhile there will be a very young one mixed with the others and that is hard enough to take.

Whiskandbowl: I see you have ferrets. Me too...I have 4: Finn, Tristan, Logan (my 2.5 yr old daughter, Oriana, loves her super heroes!), and Daisy (my 5 yr old daughter, Shani, has loved this name since she was 2). Welcome to the weasel war dance!


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

prosthetik said:


> I know I should I just get really shy when it comes to that stuff lol.
> I've noticed over the last week or so though that they are selling bigger 'Betta Bowls' - 2 gallon which isnt much still, but its an improvement from those tiny ones I mentioned earlier.


talk to them...
I went to pets paradise half a year back, and they were keeping 3 female bettas in the same vase. the lady knew nothing about bettas. all the information she told me was wrong. I told her how to keep a proper soririty and had a lengthy converstation with her. in the end she thanked me an said that she will seperate the fish. the next time I came back I was pleasantly surprise thatthe females were taken out of the 1/4 gallon vase and put in the giant plant tank they had.

if they are selling larger set up it means that they want to improve. but telling them (nicely ofcourse) about the proper way to keep fish, you are actually helping them in many more ways than you know and increasing their field pf expertise.


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## prosthetik (Oct 5, 2012)

Yeah, I really should D:

One place here is really good with the bowls/tanks they sell. They do have those little 1/5 gallon ones, but they only stock a couple at a time, not about 30 like both other places here. & they actually enjoy me coming in & telling them about what tanks I have mine in & how well I look after them, which is why I've ordered my female from them, because they actually care more than the other two places.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

My Petco hates the bowls but are forced to sell them.


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## nel3 (May 29, 2011)

ChoclateBetta said:


> My Petco hates the bowls but are forced to sell them.


thats the sad part of most of the "proper" tanks that the stores and companies. the companies rent shelving space and the store is unfortunately obliged to sell such things for bettas. contracts such as that are hard to fight against.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

If I ever have a Pet store there would be no bowls.


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## nel3 (May 29, 2011)

ChoclateBetta said:


> If I ever have a Pet store there would be no bowls.


same here, it'd be 1 gallon tanks minimum size though do prefer something around 2 or 2.5g minimum. i dont have any issues with 1g tanks aside from frequent WCs. though im not too sure it would be as viable as one would think. many people buy them for the looks though not all will take proper care of them ie uneducated people. even those people have some value even if they dont stand for the values you try to instill in them. money doesnt grow on trees like one wishes it'd be.

such people will eventually will help you find the right people to own betta. im not promoting imprper fish care but if some bad apples spread too many bad lies and discredit the store, less people will drop by. it'd would be a tough life but fulfilling if you only came across those that are willing to take proper care of the bettas sold in thats store. turning down customers if they dont care about proper care is a tricky thing to do.


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## paloverde (Nov 9, 2012)

Sometimes it's not the employees fault that misinformation is told to patrons at pet stores. I witnessed a petsmart " manager" telling a young employee to stop informing people to research before buying, he said when it doesn't workout they will be back.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Another good point. If I had a Pet store I would breed my own fish and sell special shrimp tanks.


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## nel3 (May 29, 2011)

paloverde said:


> Sometimes it's not the employees fault that misinformation is told to patrons at pet stores. I witnessed a petsmart " manager" telling a young employee to stop informing people to research before buying, he said when it doesn't workout they will be back.


its a common story all about money as usual. less visits to the store=less money. its not as bad when money overrides selloing inanimate objects but many times more worse when that commodity is a living creature. even training costs money and the profit margin overules that most of the time.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

It seems like here live plants and cecorations make more of the aquarium sale.


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## sainthogan (Sep 27, 2012)

I just talked to a friend who saw the picture of the betta I'm getting on facebook. She said, "oh, he's such a beautiful fish. I don't know how you keep them alive, my daughter here has gone through 3 of them already". Yikes! I told her that I have a 5 gallon tank set up and that I need to clean it at least once a week, and she said "See, I told you, you needed to clean that silly little tank a lot more often. No wonder they died." I didn't even dare ask what size tank she had or if it was even heated.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

Wow. I admit Carter is my 3rd Betta in 3 years. In had big gaps in fish keeping. I learned proper care now. many people seem to have gone through tons of Bettas in a short time one at a time and never learn.


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## sainthogan (Sep 27, 2012)

I honestly think she went through 3 in one year.


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

That is terrible.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

paloverde said:


> Sometimes it's not the employees fault that misinformation is told to patrons at pet stores. I witnessed a petsmart " manager" telling a young employee to stop informing people to research before buying, he said when it doesn't workout they will be back.


geeez
money money money... huh


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## ChoclateBetta (Jul 22, 2012)

They are like Mr.krabs hurts clients and products.


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