# "RESCUING" store bought bettas



## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

"Rescuing" a fish from a store is just like buying dogs from puppy mills. You think you are helping the fish, but really you are just making the store continue to breed the fish and keep them in these horrid conditions. *Go to craigslist or petfinder or a shelter (yes, they have them for fish) if you want to ACTUALLY rescue a betta*


rant over


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## New2Betas (Nov 13, 2009)

Well said!


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## JamieTron (May 16, 2009)

I think people are doing it with good intentions...and some of the members actually speak out for the bettas and the conditions to the stores which I think is good. To be honest not everyone can afford to by bettas off of the internet and I have searched for bettas on ads before to adopt and there were none so you can't always find them that way. I have taken in bettas that people did not want anymore, I enjoyed doing that  

Supporting the stores that take care of their fish are good like my LPS which is not a chain store and they take great care of their fish...everything is more expensive but their fish are always healthy and have clean environments. But sometimes people don't have those good stores to turn to which is unfortunate...like once I moved to university the LPS here is horrid yet I still wanted some bettas so I bought two ones that looked ill and revived them. Now they don't really have bettas as often because they don't sell fast there and just pass away...so they get way less and less often. They are starting to realize that the cleaner the fish are the more they sell though so they have improved a bit...


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I think that people who "rescue" a sick fish from a store just have a soft spot in their hearts so they buy it, take it home and try to make it better and give it a good life.


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## BettaxFishxCrazy (Sep 5, 2009)

I agree with DQ. I don't understand why you are attacking people that say that they 'rescued' a betta. Even if that's not your intentions, that's how I take it. There's really no need for it.


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## CodeRed (Jun 11, 2009)

In my opinion, I don't really matter much in the betta world =S I try my best, and I HAVE made a difference, but it's because of something that I never foresaw. To be brutally honest, bettas will not be saved anytime soon. Why? Because they've been seen as decorative fish for far too long, and people believe that's all there is to it. No matter how much you preach, it's just easier for them to pick up a betta, plop it in a vase, and hope for it to do the best. Even if I protest, and stop buying, some other new person will just shrug and take the betta/bettas I had hoped to save. While I may not doing wonders for the entire species, I did save THAT one. Remember the old man and the starfish? If not, look it up. Like that old man, I may not have been able to save all of the starfish, but THAT starfish sure is happier. Its the same for the bettas. It's fighting a losing battle to just stop, and the stores probably say the same. The stores make far too much money off of bettas to give up what they're doing. Lets face it, people. It's easier to put them into cups and call them easy-to-care-for fish than to put them into individual 2.5 gallon tanks and say that they'll live forever off of only a bit of food, and no water changes. Plus, when the fish die, they'll make even more money when that person comes back for a replacement.
For me, I realize that I'm just another person to them. I'm sure they receive plenty of complaints from people like us, who care about the wellbeing of the fish, but just DON'T care. Sure, they'll make it seem like they're doing something, maybe by a bit bigger cup, but they're just trying to get us off their backs. Like puppy-stores and puppy-mills still exist, though they've been protested on and such, bettas in petstores will continue to live in horrible conditions. The best I can do is hope that the one I choose will live a long, happy life.
That's MY two cents, and it may not make a lot of sense. It was a little confusing writing it


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## vaygirl (Sep 10, 2009)

I think I've seen this thread before. To rescue something is to save it from harm. It's not just a word associated with a shelter. 

I'd gladly shove my high morals in a backseat to save a fish from a sad fate whether with my wallet or without. I think little fish lives are worth it. I guess I've just never been into the whole sacrifice a few to save the many outlook. If you don't care about the few, how can you care about the many? That's me though.


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

vaygirl said:


> I think I've seen this thread before. To rescue something is to save it from harm. It's not just a word associated with a shelter.
> 
> I'd gladly shove my high morals in a backseat to save a fish from a sad fate whether with my wallet or without. I think little fish lives are worth it. I guess I've just never been into the whole sacrifice a few to save the many outlook. If you don't care about the few, how can you care about the many? That's me though.


If you don't care about the many, how can you care about the few?



JamieTron said:


> I think people are doing it with good intentions...and some of the members actually speak out for the bettas and the conditions to the stores which I think is good. To be honest not everyone can afford to by bettas off of the internet and I have searched for bettas on ads before to adopt and there were none so you can't always find them that way. I have taken in bettas that people did not want anymore, I enjoyed doing that
> 
> Supporting the stores that take care of their fish are good like my LPS which is not a chain store and they take great care of their fish...everything is more expensive but their fish are always healthy and have clean environments. But sometimes people don't have those good stores to turn to which is unfortunate...like once I moved to university the LPS here is horrid yet I still wanted some bettas so I bought two ones that looked ill and revived them. Now they don't really have bettas as often because they don't sell fast there and just pass away...so they get way less and less often. They are starting to realize that the cleaner the fish are the more they sell though so they have improved a bit...


Yes, good intentions just as people who "rescue" dogs from puppy mills by purchasing them there. They want to save one dog, but with the money that the puppy mill owner gets from you buying that one dog, They can make many more, and put them in the same conditions because they realize people are indeed purchasing them. Same type of thing with pet stores



CodeRed said:


> In my opinion, I don't really matter much in the betta world =S I try my best, and I HAVE made a difference, but it's because of something that I never foresaw. To be brutally honest, bettas will not be saved anytime soon. Why? Because they've been seen as decorative fish for far too long, and people believe that's all there is to it. No matter how much you preach, it's just easier for them to pick up a betta, plop it in a vase, and hope for it to do the best. Even if I protest, and stop buying, some other new person will just shrug and take the betta/bettas I had hoped to save. While I may not doing wonders for the entire species, I did save THAT one. Remember the old man and the starfish? If not, look it up. Like that old man, I may not have been able to save all of the starfish, but THAT starfish sure is happier. Its the same for the bettas. It's fighting a losing battle to just stop, and the stores probably say the same. The stores make far too much money off of bettas to give up what they're doing. Lets face it, people. It's easier to put them into cups and call them easy-to-care-for fish than to put them into individual 2.5 gallon tanks and say that they'll live forever off of only a bit of food, and no water changes. Plus, when the fish die, they'll make even more money when that person comes back for a replacement.
> For me, I realize that I'm just another person to them. I'm sure they receive plenty of complaints from people like us, who care about the wellbeing of the fish, but just DON'T care. Sure, they'll make it seem like they're doing something, maybe by a bit bigger cup, but they're just trying to get us off their backs. Like puppy-stores and puppy-mills still exist, though they've been protested on and such, bettas in petstores will continue to live in horrible conditions. The best I can do is hope that the one I choose will live a long, happy life.
> That's MY two cents, and it may not make a lot of sense. It was a little confusing writing it


puupy mills used to be much more common, and perfectly ok with the law, now they are illegal as are pony mills and rabbit mills. many states are now outlawing pocket pet mills also, but people who think as you do are making it immpossible for them to do the same with fish


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

BettaxFishxCrazy said:


> I agree with DQ. I don't understand why you are attacking people that say that they 'rescued' a betta. Even if that's not your intentions, that's how I take it. There's really no need for it.


I am indeed attacking people who say that they "rescued" a betta from a petstore. You see, when they rescue that one betta, they are putting about 8 more bettas in that one bettas condition as petsores make enough profit off of one betta to do so. I would have argued against myself a couple years ago, as you are to me, but then I realized the truth


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## vaygirl (Sep 10, 2009)

Well heck, we could go round and round on that all day. I'm entitled to care for them my way and you yours. 

I don't disagree that we need to speak up when we feel it will make a difference while doing whatever we feel is right. I'm glad people feel they've saved a fish life. Half the world couldn't give two ... you know whats... about fish. If the people on this forum feel good about saving a life, bought or otherwise, I'm glad they actually care.


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

New2Betas said:


> Well said!


Thank you! :-D

sorry about posting so many times, Idk how to multi quote



vaygirl said:


> Well heck, we could go round and round on that all day. I'm entitled to care for them my way and you yours.
> 
> I don't disagree that we need to speak up when we feel it will make a difference while doing whatever we feel is right. I'm glad people feel they've saved a fish life. Half the world couldn't give two ... you know whats... about fish. If the people on this forum feel good about saving a life, bought or otherwise, I'm glad they actually care.


There is a difference between feeling as if you have saved a life while you are actually ruining 8 more, and saving those eight lives.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

not everyone can afford to buy a $42 fish off aquabid.. and no not all bettas come from fish mills.. they come from breeders so your arguing two different things. Many petstores accept fish from local betta breeders (even the big chains will). And not all petsmarts, petcos take bad care of their fish.. that also varies. Even breeders keep fish in small containers and not all the fish survive... thats a fact of fish keeping... you can have large community tanks and find dead fish occasionally from bullying or some disease or another.

And no you can't find bettas on craigslist or petfinder ALL THE TIME.... people rarely put fish up because its more likely the fish will die than the owner give up for adoption theres a big difference than that and going to a shelter vs getting a dog from a BYB or puppy mill. So to say never buy a betta from the LPS means that many more bettas will die and eventually the breeders will stop breeding.. so long pet fish.



If you want to argue for better treatment START PETITIONS, talk to your LPS, send the story to local news papers and magazines, hand out phamphlets. THere are plenty of online petitions to ban fish at walmart and for better care of fish at petsmart and petco and others stores. Don't get on a net forum and try to argue with people that obviously are doing right by their animals.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

You're probably not going to find bettas on petfinder or craigslist because it's easier to flush them than to find homes for them. If something happened to me, that's probably what will happen to mine. My Petsmart takes pretty decent care of their fish. All my bettas from there have been pretty healthy.


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## vaygirl (Sep 10, 2009)

Meh, I'll save the one in front of me. But I've been a sucker for hurt animals of every kind my whole life. I'm happy to have helped all the animals I've ever helped.


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

I have to agreee with the OP. If everybody boycotted poor fish husbandry we obviously wouldn't have this problem.

So in effect the ones who sympathy purchase are actually creating a self-fufilling prophesy:

They don't truly 'rescue' bettas because they think that it is too small a move to make a difference. What they miss is that they are the ones ruining the solidarity.



> Like puppy-stores and puppy-mills still exist, though they've been protested on and such, bettas in petstores will continue to live in horrible conditions.


Actually, 2 Canadian pet franchises have changed their stance on purchasing mill puppies due to consumer flack:

-Petcetera (before it went bankrupt due to rapid expansion) featured an adoption centre in which is sold surplus puppies and kittens from the local SPCA.
-Petland certifies that their puppies are not from mills.


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## BettaxFishxCrazy (Sep 5, 2009)

I'm not going to fight about this because it's stupid. If you think it's such a huge deal than complain to your lps, but don't attack people on here who think it's great to save a life. I RESCUED Jasper from Walmart. This is what he looked like before and a couple days after. So you're telling me I should've let him die which I know in a couple days he would've, than take him home and care for him? I think the pictures speak volumes. I do understand that you're just giving money to them so they can buy more fish, but we do complain and talk to managers and the staff. We aren't stupid. Everyone has a right to their own opinions, but that doesn't mean that you have the right to attack people on here. Like I said, if you're so upset about it, than speak with your lps or whoever.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

OMG, what a difference!! It just goes to show you what some good tlc can do.


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## CodeRed (Jun 11, 2009)

I REALLY don't want to get into a big argument, but I do have to touch up on my one main point: BETTAS AND DOGS AREN'T THE SAME! It's THAT what you're overlooking. There's a BIG difference to the public between a starving, abused puppy, than to a fish. You won't get the big uprising needed from people that you desire. You just won't. Why should they care? It's a FISH. To them, fish aren't special. Most people think fish don't even have a memory longer than 3 seconds, so they don't care what type of environment they're in. If the fish does die, then whoppdidoo. They can go buy another. There just isn't a big enough disgust by the people to warrant such a change. WE may care, but we are the minority. It's there that dooms your ideals to a helpless one, sadly. So, I'll hike up my pants and do what I can for those who need it most, and pray that the others end up with someone who'll actually care for them. I'm sorry to be such a downer, but it's the real truth.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

That's true, people don't care about fish the way they do dogs and cats.A lot of people are like my neighbor and say their not made of gold, they can easily be replaced.


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## DefyingGravity (Sep 23, 2009)

I agree with CodeRed. Some of us also just don't have the things you offer. Australia doesn't have craigslist. We have The Trading Post, but fish are never on it. I think I'd be laughed out of town if I asked if we had a shelter for fish. Sometimes the only option is a chain store, so why not try and save one of the dying ones if that is your only option.


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## AngelicScars (May 5, 2009)

I did do a quick search on both Craigslist and Petfinder and didn't find any Bettas.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

I think the OP is forgetting that puppies aren't the main sufferers of puppy mills. The breeding dogs are. They are the ones who spend their lives making babies with little to no vet care and living in squalid conditions. THIS is MUCH different from bettas... unhealthy fish will probably not spawn.. bettas in petstores come from well cared for fish some where.

I don't consider 99% of people that buy bettas from wal-mart etc "rescuers".. the one with the red fish.. you def are ... to actually be rescuing you must be saving from immediate danger.. most fish bought from LPS aren't in immediate danger.. just bad conditions.

Like I said... there is a fine line between boycotting bettas in stores and completely outlawing pet fish. There are already extremist groups who would like to ban 'non-native' species (saving dogs, cats, horses, and other livestock) and PETA who wants to ban having pets altogether. IF you have a problem try for better care...not for bans.


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## Nicknac44 (Jul 20, 2009)

Alright you need to realize something else too. I live out in the Oklahoma Panhandle and the closest pet store is 100 miles away!!! So your tellin me instead of geting a "puppymill" betta i should drive all that way to get to a store that may not even have any, or i could order one that costs 30 some dollars on top of a hefty shipping fee???? What you preachin may be alright for city folk but i'm not a city dweller! This is the only affordible way to keep these great fish and i consider myself a rescuer!!! I save these fantastic fish and I will continue to buy fish there!!! Thank You Very Much!!!!


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## MollyJean (Dec 29, 2009)

I really hate to point this out.. but for places like Walmart that sell bettas for 4-5 bucks each... It doesn't matter if the whole shipment dies one week.. they're going to get more in the next week. They're buying these things for a buck a pop, and just selling one covers the shipment. Unless they go a good 6-8 months with no sales.. nothing's going to change. And I'm sorry, but that's not realistic at all. Someone WILL buy them. Probably someone who has no idea what they're doing (Like my mother in law) and when that one dies, they'll go back and buy another. I wouldn't be surprised if large chain pet stores like Petsmart do the same thing.

And local pet shops? little ma and pop places.. the one here takes really good care of it's fish. All of it's animals in fact. We went in last week for a heater and I was showing my daughter a bubble nest. The fish had been there so long (in a 1 gallon.. they try to sell them as packages in 1 gallon tanks) that it had built a nest. And it makes sense to me. They have to watch spending and income, they're more likely to keep the fish healthy.

My point is, you're not "saving the many" at all. Even if every person on this forums decided never to buy a lps or walmart fish again.. they would still sell them. You have to be vocal, not passive.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

Even ma' and pop (as they say) shops don't all take care of bettas.. the one near me has their bettas in cups smaller than the ones at petsmart and MUCH smaller than the big ones of wal-mart. They were even advertising small tanks by having a betta in one of these on the counter....


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## MollyJean (Dec 29, 2009)

That's really little.. I know my local pet store isn't like most. You can tell they take care of the animals, as most of them can be handled and are very social (snakes, rats, birds, all of them), but rather then boycott places like that, with the tiny bowls, it might be more effective to ask them to change; Ask them to put out information sheets where they keep the fish. You can't expect them to stop selling items like that, they probably bring in good money, so they won't listen, but it's not unreasonable to ask them to inform buyers on what they're buying.. and pointing out that customers will probably spend more money on a 5 gallon and all the fixings then that novelty bowl isn't a bad idea.


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

I think you guys are misunderstanding something here. I am not pro-'sympathy purchase'. This does not mean you are forbidden from buying all LFS bettas-- it just means that you don't give your business to stores who take awful care of their bettas. 

If the cups are clean and the bettas look okay, you are doing the right thing by supporting them whether they are Wal-Mart, Petco, Mom & Pops or Aquabid. And if they aren't, take the betta to the manager and give 'em an earful. If they are fully competent at their job they have no reason to neglect these bettas... it's a catch-22 for them. If they don't comply with either giving you an obviously dying fish as a rescue or treating the betta themselves (and THEN giving the fish department a makeover), just go to their boss.

So therefore I would have to say you are doing as much of a service to betta welfare by buying at a pet store who treats their bettas acceptably as you are by refusing to support sub-standard fish departments.


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## MollyJean (Dec 29, 2009)

I don't disagree with that, but the OP basically said buying a fish from any store is bad, and they should all be bought online (which I don't really agree with, because how do I KNOW they're being cared for online?) or a shelter. Not ALL stores are bad.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

MJ... this place doesn't sell the bowl.. just the fish.. as far as I could tell and it makes sense to me that they would try to push bigger tanks but for some reason they don't. I haven't been back to that place since they ridiculously over charged me for a 10 gallon and hood ($65.... just for the empty tank, hood, and a divider) but I'm going this week to see how much they price their plants at and I might look at their bettas and try to ask about why they keep them. The ones I saw last time were in horrendous conditions in tiny tiny cups. I doubt they'll do anything as they are an aquarium shop and their main income is from built-in tanks and salt water fish... not bettas.

I just always try to talk to people I see looking at bettas and explain how to properly care for them.. One lady had me show her all the right stuff to get like I was a petsmart employee LOL


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## JamieTron (May 16, 2009)

I just think that it is not appropriate to attack someone with your own views and say theirs are wrong...Everyone has different views and I think there are a lot of intelligent betta owners on here that highly care about bettas in their own way. I read everyone's comments and they all have great aspects to them, I would not say anyone's is right or wrong. 

I don't think attacking is the right way to go about things, people don't respond well to that.


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## AngelicScars (May 5, 2009)

I agree with the above. I don't believe you should push your thoughts/beliefs and whatnot on other. People here are clearly here to properly care for their Bettas. That is a step in the right direction no matter how little of a step.


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## iheartmyfishies (Sep 14, 2009)

Neglecting fish should be illegal just as it is for cats and dogs, and all stores that fail to care for fish properly shouldn't be allowed to sell them. As long as the bettas are cared for properly, I see no reason why it would be immoral to buy them. I agree pushing beliefs on other people is not cool, trust me being a vegetarian and nonreligious I get it all the time. But stating your opinions is fine. Veganchick has every right to state her mind, just as I do. I don't feel like she's pushing her beliefs on anybody, just giving alternatives and trying to help us.


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## keshinvk (Jan 4, 2010)

how should i buy plants,caves,gravel,and a 5 gallon tank for my Betta if my dad is not allowing me to?


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

Print a few care sheets off and show them to him. Back this up with the fact that fish can and do feel pain and stress, and you feel irresponsible as a pet owner by not providing your betta with everything it needs.

Also, bear in mind that the larger the tank the less maintenance it is because the fish waste will be more dilute in a smaller volume of water... a betta bowl needs to be cleaned every day (I would even say twice a day if it is really tiny) wheras anything upwards of 3 gallons should only need weekly cleanings.

Perhaps you can strike a compromise such as getting a 2.5 gallon tank, making your own caves by siliconing together rocks or using flower pots and getting some silk plants instead of buying the expensive pet-store variety.


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## AngelicScars (May 5, 2009)

iheartmyfishies said:


> But stating your opinions is fine.


Felt like pushing to me.


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## SummerOj (Dec 29, 2009)

If I was a suffering fish or any other animal I would want someone to reach out and help me. I don't think fish being sold at places that sucks at taking care of them will stop anytime soon, so I'm going to do what I can to help a helpless animal.


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## Jayy (Dec 23, 2009)

^agreed ^


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## lilyeverlasting (Jan 14, 2010)

I know this thread is old. Anyway, I "rescued" a betta yesterday from Wal Mart and I certainly don't think it was wrong.

Your original post did have an arrogant, slightly attacking tone to it, that I found to be rather debate worthy  Do understand I'm not "attacking" you but I would love to put in my two cents into this argument, even if it is a week or so old.



> If you don't care about the many, how can you care about the few?


How can you care about the well being of "the many" if you cannot spare a precious moment of your time to save those "few" that are suffering? Especially since those that are suffering ARE part of "the many" you seek to save? There cannot be "the many" without there being "the few".

EVERY animal has a right to a home. It might not seem to you like you are discriminating against the animals in pet stores, but you are. Not just the store. There are loving animals out there who deserve a home, even if they are in a pet store. Even if they do need to be "rescued".


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## Zenandra (Nov 14, 2009)

I just want to point out that Walmart (I dont know about other stores like petco and petsmart, but I assume they're the same) Does not really care if people buy the bettas or not. Every day (or twice a day) the employees working in the fish department must go through all the tanks, take out any dead fish and mark them down on an inventory sheet. At the end of the week the sheet is sent out and the store is given money (a refund) for every fish that dies. Walmart does not lose money by letting their fish die! 

If you rescue a betta you are helping that fish. but the store is making money and you are leaving a space open for a new betta to take its place. If you don't rescue the betta it dies, the store still makes money, and there is still a space being made for a new betta to take the dead bettas place. 

So shouldn't you help the betta in need? I think so!


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## BettaxFishxCrazy (Sep 5, 2009)

Oh wow, I didn't know that Zenandra. That's so messed up though...still getting paid for dead fish?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I always buy healthy bettas but I wouldn't mind rescuing one if they gave it to me.


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

dramaqueen said:


> I always buy healthy bettas but I wouldn't mind rescuing one if they gave it to me.


Agreed!


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

kelly528 said:


> I think you guys are misunderstanding something here. I am not pro-'sympathy purchase'. This does not mean you are forbidden from buying all LFS bettas-- it just means that you don't give your business to stores who take awful care of their bettas.
> 
> If the cups are clean and the bettas look okay, you are doing the right thing by supporting them whether they are Wal-Mart, Petco, Mom & Pops or Aquabid. And if they aren't, take the betta to the manager and give 'em an earful. If they are fully competent at their job they have no reason to neglect these bettas... it's a catch-22 for them. If they don't comply with either giving you an obviously dying fish as a rescue or treating the betta themselves (and THEN giving the fish department a makeover), just go to their boss.
> 
> So therefore I would have to say you are doing as much of a service to betta welfare by buying at a pet store who treats their bettas acceptably as you are by refusing to support sub-standard fish departments.


Thank you


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## bettamama (Dec 17, 2009)

I have contacted health departments, peta, and corporate stores amongst other places about the well being and cleanliness of grocery stores and how the fish are taken care of. I actually have caused a huge stink at one store. Most people do not care to hear my rantings, but some do listen and fix the problem temporarily. I live close to a Meijer, if anyone knows what that is and they always have Betta's and I know I shouldn't buy them from there, but I cannot help it. Some of the fish just look so sad and pathetic and sick, it breaks my heart so I buy them.

I know I shouldn't, but I don't have the money to order all these expensive fancy fish off the internet, and I feel a lot better saving fish that could potentially die from the ignorance of others. I constantly go to this Meijer store and check on the Betta's they get in. I just went in the other day and they had about 30 Bett'as and most of them had about an inch of water. So, I filled all of their water up and treated it. *I'm nosey and know where they keep the conditioner and food* I just want to see that Betta's get the best care possible. 

*Sigh* I wish I could own thousands of them.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

It's the same at my Meijers here!! I complained too, about there being about an inch of water for the bettas to live in. The cups are bigger than the ones at Petsmart but what good is that if they only put an inch of water in it? Then the cup has that stupid tube in the middle and they say that the bottom of the tube can't be covered so they can get air.


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

bettamama said:


> I have contacted health departments, peta, and corporate stores amongst other places about the well being and cleanliness of grocery stores and how the fish are taken care of. I actually have caused a huge stink at one store. Most people do not care to hear my rantings, but some do listen and fix the problem temporarily. I live close to a Meijer, if anyone knows what that is and they always have Betta's and I know I shouldn't buy them from there, but I cannot help it. Some of the fish just look so sad and pathetic and sick, it breaks my heart so I buy them.
> 
> I know I shouldn't, but I don't have the money to order all these expensive fancy fish off the internet, and I feel a lot better saving fish that could potentially die from the ignorance of others. I constantly go to this Meijer store and check on the Betta's they get in. I just went in the other day and they had about 30 Bett'as and most of them had about an inch of water. So, I filled all of their water up and treated it. *I'm nosey and know where they keep the conditioner and food* I just want to see that Betta's get the best care possible.
> 
> *Sigh* I wish I could own thousands of them.


I understand how it feels.... talk to the manager about buying them for cheaper, and every time go a little cheaper... Soon he will be giving the sick ones away to you...


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## BakaMandy (Jun 16, 2009)

Life is precious in whatever size or form. 

Just because they were "farmed", "sick" and/or "mistreated" in the store does not mean we should deprive them of the right to deserve a better life. People who "save" betta fish or any animal in general provides them with that opportunity since they are helpless and without the means to provide it for themselves.

No matter how much it may have to do with the emotion of pity or sympathy, what people do when they "rescue" is out of pure kindness, love and humanity of their hearts.


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

In my opinion, the best thing to do for the betta is to take his cup in to the manager and say, look. This animal is going to die. You haven't taken good enough care of it, and it is miserable. This is how you SHOULD take care of a betta, and if you were to do this, you would most CERTAINLY sell more of them than you do now. It takes only five minutes time and almost no training. You can't sell this creature for full price if it's going to die in a day. I want to help this fish. I'll buy it for half price. Or you can give it to me for free, since it will be dead in about five hours if you don't. 

If they refused, I would still buy the fish. That fish did nothing to deserve what it is getting. If I was being sold in a container the size of a port-a-potty, filled with my own feces, I would want to be rescued. Granted, fish aren't human beings. But I'm sure they know that their lives suck when they're being neglected. That fish won't understand that you're rescuing eight other fish (by the way, those guys will be shipped elsewhere, so you're probably not doing anything anyway). All it will know is that it is suffering, and nobody's helping it. And then it will die.

Probably the best way to go if you want to serve the "many" is to work for legislation to regulate the way bettas are sold. Long shot, but if it worked, it would be fantastic.


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## nochoramet (Oct 2, 2009)

I agree with CodeRed, BakaMandy, and those of the similar opinion. No matter how many times you complain to Walmart, or whatever other chain store, they won't care. People want to believe bettas can go into a vase with a peace lily and never be fed, they don't want to hear that they must get at least a 2.5g tank and change water and feed them, etc. I've argued with several managers, and whether the fish dies or not, they're getting their money. If the fish dies, they still get paid for it. They don't care whether the fish is healthy or not. They won't give discounts, they won't give them free no matter how horrible of conditions the fish are in. 
Like BakaMandy said, life is precious, no matter what form it's in. You are saving a betta from death, or an ignorant owner. If the betta dies, 8 more are still going to be sent in its place. I'll rescue any betta that I have the room and money to devote to his/her life. Whether it's from Walmart or Aquabid. They're still living things and they can't help the situation they're in.


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