# "Betta Abuse" ?



## AshleyGlenn (Jul 10, 2014)

Hey guys, the following information was posted on Tumblr (which each section says 'post') but I made this because I found some stuff out and I wanted to bring it to public attention because some people feel that they are fighting the cause and to an extent I think they're making it worse... Hope this helps! 

This blog is meant to confront and converse with those who’ve been supporting the “Betta Abuse” topic for the last three years or so. Before I begin with this post, I would like to start off with some background information before I begin. 
The “Betta Abuse” subject involves the matter of betta fish (Siamese Fighter Fish) being placed in bowls. The argument is that betta fish should not be placed in bowls seeing as it will cause countless problems, the biggest one being Ammonia poisoning. Ammonia is (in simple terms) a chemical that fish secrete and stems commonly from their waste. Because the fish are left in unfiltered water, they are said to suffocate on the Ammonia (similar to how we would suffocate on Carbon Dioxide). Because many feel this to be a form of abuse, they feel that anyone placing a betta in a bowl is in fact a “Betta Abuser”. 
This post and blog is to help heighten the debate and delve deeper into other facts that contradict this cause. This is not meant to stop the cause in any way, but instead to help it better itself. What I have personally been witnessing is people creating a bigger problem for themselves, and my hopes are to stop it. Before you begin to accuse me of being someone who feels it is okay to keep your betta in a bowl or someone who “condones abuse”, I would like to state that I do not in anyway participate in any form of abuse. I own two bettas (a solid lavender half-moon and a red Cambodian style crown-tail female) that share a divided five gallon tank, heater, filter, and all. I feed them proper foods and give them one day a week to fast in order to prevent constipation. I volunteer at a local animal shelter that takes in ALL ANIMALS. I also have a family that is familiar with proper tank and fish care along with other animal experience. I do not claim to be an expert, however I have done my fair share of research as well and want to share it with the fish community. 

Evolution
First we have to start off with the fact that betta fish have in fact evolved due to human involvement. In fact, countless fresh water fish have. All the fish you may see in your local pet store today would not be the kind of fish you see in the wild (in terms of fresh water fish). Most fish, including the betta, stem from a much less attractive ancestor. Breeders began selecting specific bettas in order to produce the attractive fish we see today. A good example that you can physically spot right off the bat is the fish’s fins. Natural betta look more like the plakat breed in terms of length. Tails such as the half-moon or veil-tail are not natural what so ever. In fact, a question that can be asked is whether or not this evolvement has really been an improvement to the fish. This slows their ability to swim to an extent and their long fins are more likely to get caught on things such as rocks or plastic plants (which is why it is highly advised you purchase silk or real plants). Now bettas were not really a swimming specie to begin with, however in a tank it’s difficult for bettas to move in fast moving water. Those who keep their bettas in tank use filters that run on low, however the fact is that rice paddy fields do not get filtered like rivers or oceans. It literally only gets cleaned when it rains. 
Now bettas really are extraordinary fish because they process air differently than other fish. Bettas were given or evolved to have a special organ called the “labrynth organ”. This organ is what enables the fish to extract oxygen from the air similar to how us humans use our lungs. This is a reason as to why bettas can live in unfiltered water; it’s not a necessity to have a heavily oxygenated tank. So why were bettas bred this way? Well, it’s not a pretty reason. 
Betta fish are called “Siamese Fighting Fish” for a reason. In parts of Asia it is not uncommon to see different forms of animals fighting. In fact, in some parts of China and other Asian areas, beetle fighting is a common form of entertainment. It is unethical, however it is similar to how people participate in dog fighting or rooster fighting. These fish were another means of entertainment. Modern day Thailand was once known as Siam (hence the betta’s nickname) and during that time, fighter fish was a huge form of entertainment for the king. A popular story as to how we got the betta fish was that the king of Siam gave some of his most precious fighters to an English researcher so that he may further his studies on the breed! However, the design of the fish was extraordinarily cruel. The fish were not meant to be fast swimmers, but instead were bred to stay and fight each other one on one. As unethical as that fact is today, it still stands true for the breed. The only difference now is that the colors are far more flamboyant and the fish are much more attractive. 
Due to these facts some debate that the abuse would not stem from the fish’s living environment, but rather from the caretaker simply not cleaning the water. Putting bettas in large tank may actually be unnatural to your fish, in some respect. Keep in mind, these fish have also been genetically bred to live under certain conditions. Some fish actually live in smaller spaces.


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## AshleyGlenn (Jul 10, 2014)

Small Space, Big Problem?
Many feel that the space of a bowl is the huge issue, and I completely agree. I once entered a small pet store that sold the “Gigantic Betta” breed. I noticed they had a large betta in a very small vase that was no larger than my hand. The fish could only swim in circles. In fact, his fellow bettas in cups had more space than this poor fellow. Had I the money and space, I would have saved him in an instant. I completely concur that bettas need a certain amount of space depending on their size. I could never put my half-moon in a gallon of water. However, my female is so small that she might not do so bad. Not saying that I will do this (please read earlier posts), but there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to any breed of fish. 
If you’ve ever owned a goldfish (and been successful at it) then you’ve probably heard the common saying, “you need at least a gallon per inch of the fish”. Well, this saying doesn’t really work for goldfish, however it’s meaning does make some sense. Take a good look at the fish you’re purchasing and planning on taking care of. How big is it? How big is the environment you’re placing it in? If you feel that the betta fish doesn’t have enough room to swim in, the very least you can do is get a bigger bowl. Keep in mind that you also need some form of decoration that the fish can either hide in or hide behind so that he or she feels a sense of comfort. This doesn’t only apply to bowl keepers though; it applies to all fish keepers. Another reason to keep larger fish in appropriate sized environments is to stop the Ammonia build up. As previously discussed, fish produce Ammonia which can cause them to suffocate if the tank is not cleaned regularly. Well, larger fish means larger waste which means more Ammonia. And if in a smaller tank, that will need CONSTANT cleaning. For this article, I want to give the advice to all types of owners that they need to think about quantity as a priority. If you knowingly buy a container that is too small for a fish, then yes I would label that as abuse. If not, don’t worry. Just get a larger environment. Keep in mind, bettas stem from rice patty fields. They are about 20” high and they should come up to about your knee. Many feel this is the reason why bettas require a lot of space, however keep in mind that during the dry season, the fields do dry up. This makes the territory much smaller and is why countless betta die. Along with that, if you refer to an earlier post, these betta have been genetically engineered to live in smaller spaces, however this does not condone TINY spaces!


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## AshleyGlenn (Jul 10, 2014)

The Marketing
Well now we come to the fun part. This article is the one I’ve been holding my breath on until all the other facts could be dealt with prematurely. This debate is odd and has been considered a “touchy” subject to most fish enthusiasts because of how aggressive parts of the community are over the topic. My hope is that, even if I have not given you any reason to agree with me, those who still stand to their original opinions will at the very least take this advice. It will be detrimental to the future of your movement if it ever gets any bigger. 
Currently, Tumblr has a large community of fish lovers. Betta fish, goldfish, and all others alike. And Tumblr isn’t the only one. There are tons of forums out there just waiting for conversation over the latest fish keeping information. These sites and forums shouldn’t be hostile. And most aren’t, however the fact still remains that some people out there simply don’t know how to “play nice”. I love when I look at all the gorgeous bettas that people blog about. And who doesn’t? However, I really get agitated when I see people getting attacked over very small problems that could be addressed much differently and improve the situation, rather than make it worse. 
I am for animal rights, however no matter what cause I am for I always look into both sides and I always try to be realistic. And here is the reality: the fish market is not a large one. I know people feel that betta fish living in bowls is simply no different than when they live in cups, however I highly disagree. One reason people feel that betta fish are abused is because their lifespan is shortened greatly when in a bowl vs. them being in a tank. The average lifespan for a betta can be up to 5 years at most. In bowls, it’s about 3 years. But this can all depend on how much care the fish receive over all. If you keep your fish in a tank and never clean it, isn’t that just as bad? You may say no, but after a while tanks get just as filthy as a bowl the only difference is it’s a slower build up. 
I see the word “abuse” a lot when it comes to betta fish. And to be honest, I don’t really agree that it’s the word to use. The word I like to use in this instance is “misinformed”. First, I would like to use examples from outside our fishy realm. I don’t care whether you are for it or against it, but this is the best example: Pro Life vs. Pro Choice. Please DO NOT COMMENT ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR VIEWS ON THIS SUBJECT. This is an example in terms of the way the names are presented. Pro Life sounds naturally beautiful, doesn’t it? Of course! But Pro Abortion would never cut it. No one really enjoys this subject, so those who are Pro Choice chose the name because it gave it a more comprehensible approach. Now in terms of both situations, neither is a beautiful thing. However, when you say the word “abuse” there are negative connotations that stem from it, leaving potential fish owners terrified to even come close to a fish. 
When people on, for example, Tumblr see a post about betta bowls they look at the commentary below, right? This may not go for all viewers, but for most. When they see one person being ganged up on, it’s difficult to handle or watch. I know that many feel it’s a necessity to stress importance, but I think you’re going about it the wrong way. Whether you like it or not, this is all a psychological matter that you need to abide if you ever want your cause to make it big. Please look through these historical examples: 
-Martin Luther King’s Black Rights Movements 
- Women’s Suffrage 
-Ghandi’s Salt March
These are peaceful movements that involved major power heads. I will stress the importance of this later, but for now let’s move on to the bigger picture. Please notice how, during the times of these major movements for freedom or equality, anything that may have been hostile was denied to be part of the movement itself. I’ve seen people feel that it is necessary to “get dirty” and get angry because people “simply don’t listen”. But that’s not really a good excuse. All you’re really doing in that situation is giving your cause a horrible face. 
Let me give you a good animal example. Tortoises used to be fed dog food due to a misconception that it would be nutritious for them. But this branched into serious health concerns for the tortoises which is why people focus heavily on the “pyramiding” of the shells. Now, this wasn’t that long ago, but people never really referred to it as abuse! If it ever was, it was kept at minimal because it was widely accepted as the spread of false information. If you feel bettas shouldn’t be kept in bowls, please learn from this example! Today, most wouldn’t even dream of feeding their tortoise dog or cat food. It seems obvious now right? Well back then, a lot of things were misconstrued. But think of it this way: this could be the future for betta fish! In the future, people could have common knowledge that betta’s need at least a 2.5 gallon tank that’s both filtered and heated! But this not only takes time, but patience on your part. 
If you really want to make this big here’s my advice to you. What you’re doing right now is running around calling everyone an abusive fish parent. It made me sick for people to comment on a little girl’s YouTube video of her fish saying that she was abusive. If you were that young, you would feel horrible about yourself. Luckily, the channel was the parent’s and hopefully he didn’t read the nasty comments to his daughter, but you have to think of it this way: we are humans and we make mistakes. You were not always the expert fish keeper you are today, so be confident in those who are still at level one! 
The best way to inform people is one long, detailed post. That’s it. Just one. Let me explain something you may not know about humans and their needs: if you trap them in a corner, they feel obligated to fight in order to protect themselves. So naturally, people will begin to snap back at you if multiple people start posting on a picture that was really only meant for the friends and people they know. It is public, but the fact is that xxjoxxsmith1005 has a username like that, you clearly couldn’t find him unless you were searching the hash tags. So please understand this fact! It’s crucial. You may feel people are “playing the victim card”, but that’s because they feel like a victim. Get the bigger picture?  They won’t feel like a victim if you don’t gang up on them and have a legion attack them. 
Remember what I said about looking at your betta’s size to identify how much space they will potentially need? Well look at the person you’re about to talk to. If the photo they posted has a fish in a bare tank or bowl, think to yourself, “Did this person have the necessary background in fish care to produce a proper tank?”. Let’s admit this; humans are perfectly imperfect creatures and unfortunately not all will research before getting a pet. Fish are probably the most common in this instance! So when looking at a new owner, you have to keep in mind that the person was not surrounded by others who knew how to properly care for any sort of fish. So don’t advise them to “hand the fish to someone else” because clearly no one was educated enough to say something in the first place. 
The people keeping their bettas in bowls aren’t “cruel” people. If they were showing pictures of how they poured soda into the bowl or how they let a fish flop out of water, then they are cruel people. These people are not abusers. They just don’t know any better. You can argue that this wouldn’t be the case if the animal was a dog or a cat, but let’s face it, fish are the most mysterious of all the creatures. People don’t have the common knowledge about them yet (as stated before). The reason I advise one post is not only because of the “pack mentality” issue but also for this reason: you can’t save them all. If someone won’t take your advice, then you need to let it be. Right now, there is no law against betta bowls. So the only thing you can do right now is take a deep breath, give as much information as you can, and give them the option to contact you for more information. If the person refuses your help, let them learn the hard way. 
Along with this PLEASE DO NOT CURSE! I see this all the time! Using profanity never got anyone anywhere! It not only represents you as a poorly educated person on your own terms, but again is bad for your cause! Notice how Ghandi never once said, “**** you Britain, we gonna pop a cap in yo ass cause you oppressed us for 200 hundred years, you assholes!” NO! NEVER! Despite how terrible the British were to the Indians, he lead a peaceful movement that lead to their FREEDOM! You may feel that it’s necessary to do this, but there really is no good excuse for a poor language! If you want to get your point across, there is an easier way! This will be in my next post.


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## AshleyGlenn (Jul 10, 2014)

Major Power Heads 
A power head is pretty much what it sounds like: Someone who holds a lot of power in the community. The major animal organizations I like to think of is PETA and ASPCA. These two are not only the most popular but also the most influential. PETA has addressed the betta fish “crisis” by the way! If you want to read their article, I highly recommend it because the next part of my article will be addressing the flaws in their logic. 
Link: http://www.peta.org/issues/companion-animal-issues/cruel-practices/betta-fish/ 
PETA pretty much summarizes the entire argument on the opposing side as a whole. And what could I possibly have to refute against? Well, it’s the last sentence of the article that bugs me. “Please don’t buy betta fish or support pet stores that sell betta fish.” This includes Petsmart and Petco who DO SELL BETTA FISH! You may not like the way they run business but do you know that Petsmart saves over 400,000 lives a year? That’s all pets in total! They do have a charitable cause to them and you SHOULD support that! The fact PETA said that really wasn’t the brightest move. You could say they only meant the aquatic life section of a major branch, but wouldn’t that mean that a good portion of the bettas in pet stores would die anyways? And you could say that at least it’s stopping the problem... But the thing is people don’t purchase fish like they purchase dogs or cats. This, however, will be brought up in a different post. 
So did I just bring this up to attack an organization? Not entirely. Actually this can, yet again, help a cause you fight for! We always say that it only takes one person to lead an army, to really start something, to really make a change... But that’s not entirely true. The fact is, if you’re the one person trying to make a movement, then you need to know how to branch out to the big dogs and get people to follow your cause until it becomes the “real deal”. ASPCA saves so many lives, I don’t think you could ask for a better organization. However, they have not recognized betta abuse yet. There was a petition this year to try and get them to recognize, so please read this link! (For those of you still supporting, you’d appreciate it). 
Link: http://www.change.org/petitions/the...areness-day-in-raising-awareness-this-june-21 
The petition, if you read through thoroughly, did not pass. ASPCA still does not recognize it as abuse. I do agree, it is sad that there wasn’t much done. But that’s how it is. And let’s face it, this organization makes sacrifices. It has to take care of all the other animals out there that are being beaten, forced to fight, killed even. In the grand scheme of things, as much as I hate to admit it, fish aren’t at the top of the list for priorities. What I like, however, is that I’ve seen this person all over the aquarium forums posting information. And I think they have the right idea! Please learn from this person if you want to further your cause. If you can get a major power head like ASPCA to follow you, so many more possibilities will open up for you.


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## AshleyGlenn (Jul 10, 2014)

Money
Oh this is the one that really gets people mad. “If you don’t have the money, why did you buy the animal?” Right? Well, there’s another marketing reason behind it that you need to understand. You may feel that people are buying these fish because they are considered “easy” pets. And you’re right. However, what you need to understand is that you’re asking a lot for one small creature. I understand how you feel, but other people don’t. Let’s put it this way: a starter kit at Walmart is around 30$ to 40$ depending on the size of the aquarium. Good news is that it comes with everything you could ever need! The bad news is that the fish you put in it could be expensive depending on breed. And if the filter doesn’t run on low, you need a new one. And you need to buy proper cleaning care. And decorations such as plants and hiding holes. By the time you get all this, you can expect to spend around 100$. For that same price you could go to your local animal shelter and save the life of a cat or dog and some shelters even include spay/neutering costs plus (as our local shelter does) they give you coverage on veterinary care for certain vets and for a certain period of time after you adopt. 
Now think of how much upkeep a fish tank needs. And I mean the PROPER upkeep. Now think about how taking care of a cat or dog would be. Buy their food, water, maybe a toy or two and they’re pretty much set to go. Their upkeep is low key. Keep in mind, not everyone is a fish enthusiast like you or I. So we have to think in terms of your average everyday person. And in their minds, they would probably rather pay the extra few dollars to have a more easy going pet. Don’t reblog this and tell me fish aren’t! If there’s even a slight change in their ecosystem, they can die! You as a fish owner know this well enough. It’s a sad fact, but even the simplest of things can kill your fish! 
Now what is supposed to be an easy pet to keep has suddenly become a very expensive affair! I would know! Remember, I have two with proper care! I like using my local fish store as a great example. And NO, it is not a major branch. These people have been running one of the best fish stores for since I was a little kid (over 20 years). They have a really funny saying, “If you can keep goldfish, you can keep a salt water tank.” I was getting advise for my goldfish tank from one of their experts and he gave me an insider on the fresh water fish these days. 
He told me that most fresh water fish these days come in with some sort of problem. Most of them are either really sick, or they were bred improperly. He also told me that they get most of their fish from Hong Kong, so they don’t really know what they’re getting until it arrives. Let’s face it, even markets outside the fish realm has this issue. This leads back to the funny phrase. The reason he said that was because fish tanks in total can be a real hassle and can be really expensive.
One thing that really bothers me is people with vet costs. Honestly, these days vet prices can go through the roof. Medication is also a serious issue. Recently, I purchased a Calico Fancy Goldfish. She’s pale in color so a few days after she was brought home, I noticed something on her back fin (it was white and I hadn’t noticed due to her pale complexion). It was a white ball that looked something like a zit. I looked it up before taking a clear photo to my local store, and most said they had no idea what it could be. It was white, but too large to be Ich. Most said it was a form of a tumor. Very rare, but possible. When I showed my expert, he told me that he’d seen it a few times and most fish died from it. He said no one had really looked into what it was (and even other studies online didn’t know). He showed me the medication he would use to treat it though. And it was 20$. I had only recently purchased the fish and she was 5$. And the real kicker? The medication could worsen her condition if it wasn’t a certain illness. I was so dejected. I felt horrible because I didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t hurting from it, or so it seemed. But I couldn’t just waste 20$ on medication that may kill her anyways. I’m a college student, and money is tight. So I waited. The thing’s off her now, after a few weeks, but I was lucky! From what I read, most people lost their fish due to the same issue. I’d seen pictures and it looked exactly the same! 
So what does this have to do with bettas? Well, it’s the same moral. You can’t say someone is abusive for not being able to pay a medical bill. I could have been prepared for Ich, but fish tumors? People have to euthanize their dogs and cats all the time due to bills they simply can’t pay. I feel that illness should be one of those things no one can really bring into debate because no one ever really expects it. 
Now whenever I go to my local fish store, I drool over the salt water tanks. I remember when we used to have one when I was a little kid and I deeply miss it. If ever I had the time, money, and space I would jump at it! I look at all the fish, but I get upset. Know why? I rarely see them get adopted. It makes me sad that no one wants such pretty fish! But the reality is that salt water tanks are expensive and no one has the time so no one buys them. I saw a gorgeous fish die at the bottom of his tank and it made me sad that he didn’t have an owner who loved him prior to. If we think of it in the same manner as dogs or cats, wouldn’t you feel sad for that same exact reason? But bettas can have this issue too. People won’t want to buy them if they’re so expensive. And that’s where a huge issue then lies: those bettas wont ever see a home outside of their small dirty cup! Would you really want that for the fish? 
And remember how I talked about misinformation? Well that’s the same thing here. People didn’t understand that these fish were so high maintenance and now they can’t afford them! What are their options? They could return the fish to the store, but it would probably die there anyways. You could advise them to give it to someone who can care for it properly, but as I’ve stated before, that doesn’t really help the issue if no one can care for it properly. So what does help?


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## Piyoteru (Apr 17, 2014)

Very insightful reading, I see that in the end up comes down to culture and how fish have been perceived by the general public for a very long time. Marketing and misinformation has been one of the biggest influences in selling betta as easy to care for fish. 

I'd also like to add that the marshes and rice paddies a_ very_ densly planted- these plants also serve as filtering because they will take up the ammonia produced by any fish living in the water. Adding to that it rains a lot in Thailand- I mean a lot, have you seen the weather forecast for it the past few weeks? Storms like crazy! The water often has lower pH, meaning ammonia is less toxic than if it were higher. But most people will not know this in the first place.

I find one of the biggest drivers, along with marketing is social media and the sharing of pictures of fish in bowls/tiny containers. If you hop on somewhere like pinterest, instagram and weheartit many people, artists, vintage enthusiasts etc will collect and share many photos of betta in tiny containers. They see it as beautiful- though compared to a beautifully decorated and planted tank with a bright betta, you can see what looks better. For something to change, the social media needs to shift in what pictures are shared. More people should share ideal set ups with beautiful plants, happy and active betta displaying behaviors one wouldn't see in a small unheated wine bottle. Not as much people do this on platforms outside of tumblr, so they are dominated by less ideal homes.

People keep seeing bowls, as long as they keep seeing them they will think it's alright.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

The most effective phrase to educate me was, "You know, most libraries are pretty cold. You should consider getting him a heater. You can get the right kind for about $20."

I thought about it, and realized that the library is cold. The heater was cheap, so I went out and got one. I don't know if I would have done the same thing if the person who suggested it had called me an abuser or made other cruel comments. I probably would have...but I also wouldn't have come back to this excellent forum, and who knows what kind of advice I'd get elsewhere?

The most effective phrase I've used when talking about betta care to someone else is, "When I got my boy a heater, he changed color."

The usual response is, _"Really?"_

It's a carefully calculated phrase. The first part, "My boy," indicates that I think of Mr. Kitty as an individual, rather than just a fish. The second part is a clear visual indicator that anyone can understand. How do you know a fish is happy? Well, something dramatic as a color change has a big "wow factor" that indicates that there was a problem without being judgmental about it.

I also talk about how much harder fish care turned out to be than I expected, and when they ask how, say "You're keeping a creature alive in an alien medium. I mean, if you have a dog all you have to do is feed it. You don't need to worry about the air he's breathing."

That usually gets a slow blink, and then a nod. People don't mean to be cruel, they just don't think about it like that.


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## Reccka (Jul 20, 2014)

hrutan said:


> I don't know if I would have done the same thing if the person who suggested it had called me an abuser or made other cruel comments. I probably would have...but I also wouldn't have come back to this excellent forum, and who knows what kind of advice I'd get elsewhere?


Exactly this. Attacking people for not knowing everything about an animal's care makes people defensive and it makes them continue what they're doing instead of changing. I'm personally not a fan of how a lot of tumblr handles this for this exact reason. They are much quicker to attack someone who doesn't know rather than informing. It happened to a friend of a friend. He simply _mentioned_ that he thought maybe he wanted a betta in one of those giant wine glasses and they called him an idiot, an animal abuser, cruel, for something he had only _thought_ about. :-? They've probably turned him off to the idea of ever even trying to properly have a betta now because he now thinks of it negatively. 

The tone of this article was much better. Informing rather than attacking is the way to go. But I agree that marketing is a problem. When people go to buy a betta, they're going to trust what they've heard and seen. And that usually involves keeping them in an unfiltered and unheated little bowl.


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## sharkettelaw1 (Mar 6, 2013)

im not trying to be snippy here, but firstly evolution does not exist and bettas have not evolved from wild types, they've simply been selectively bred to achieve different tail types. From what i read, long fins were achieved by a mutation causing fins to be longer than usual. Bada bing! Thats where it started.


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## Piyoteru (Apr 17, 2014)

That is kind of... evolution by the hands of humans, but yes selectively bred is the more correct term. Though evolution of wild betta itself is driven by the environment, who survives the dry season and pass on their genes- which is why we see bettas having the ability to withstand poorer conditions (to an extent) and take in air through their labyrinth organs unlike other fish. Those without born without the ability to breathe air, jump and find bigger bodies of water etc well enough will die. Just like how we humans decide who gets to spawn or who gets culled in some cases.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Debating evolution is both off-topic and likely to cause hard feelings. It's better to avoid that to keep to the friendly nature of the forum. ;-)

Have you guys read the thread in Betta Chat? The "Showpiece Effect" thread - http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=430321 .

_That's_ what we want. We want people that will sell them like the gorgeous tropical fish that they are, worthy of their own, pride-evoking display. A master salesman like that is in a position to do so much good for the species and fish owners alike.

I have a dream of opening a betta specialty business...but how to create enough revenue to keep it going? There's the challenge. Imagine walking into a shop filled with bettas shining like jewels in their 5g setups...buy just the fish if you want, but take the whole thing (fish, plants and all) home for $100.

I just...don't think it would make enough money. :-? A business has to survive, and it has to stock what sells - especially small businesses, that operate on a razor's edge from month to month.


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## deenis (Jul 14, 2014)

Yeahhh, leaving the evolution debate alone . . . I've seen the best way is not to attack people, but just to show them how much more they can do with just a little more space. A 5 gallon has a small footprint and can be beautifully decorated, plus you can have a snail or shrimp, and people seem a lot more receptive to that than just being told off. It's so much better to tell people what they CAN do than what they can't. Generally once someone realizes they have great options, they'll go out and upgrade as soon as they can.


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## Seki (Jul 10, 2012)

hrutan said:


> Debating evolution is both off-topic and likely to cause hard feelings. It's better to avoid that to keep to the friendly nature of the forum. ;-)
> 
> Have you guys read the thread in Betta Chat? The "Showpiece Effect" thread - http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=430321 .
> 
> ...


Someone posted a picture not too long ago that they saw in a Petsmart of something similar. It was a betta in a glass bowl with an ornament and maybe a plant or something? I can't quite recall. Anyway, there was a tag saying "Like this setup? Take it home today for $65." or something along those lines. But it was a tiny bowl (no more than 1 gal) and it looked horrible and the betta was clamped and striped and looked miserable. It was the most unappealing set-up I'd ever seen, and apparently it wasn't working. I remember there was a note on that post that said "There used to be a halfmoon in this set-up, but I think he died so they replaced him with this VT."

But imagine if you could do that on a grander (but still economical... if that's even possible) scale. Showcase each betta in a heated tank of at least 2 gallons. Put cards between the tanks so that customers can remove them to make the bettas flare and show off their gorgeous fins, but they can be put back so the fish don't stress. Imagine each individual betta fully colored up and showing off for all his visitors.

hrutan... wanna go into business together? LOL


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Yeah I remember. It was a betta in a glass bowl with a couple fake moss balls.

After the pet store I saw yesterday, I'm actually thinking about it...although my roommate and I are actually planning on opening a board game shop in about 2 years, and I'm not so sure my husband would be interested in changing the plan for something more risky. I expected a mediocre neighborhood pet shop with a few rodents and goldfish, not a little shop of horrors! **shudder** How do places like that stay in business??

My thought: It would have to be a more general tropical fish shop. Sell aquariums, aquarium equipment, food, conditioner ect., and have a variety of goods to choose from. We could breed and show our own bettas and sell them in beautiful setups, along with other "betta friendly" fish, snails, and shrimps that are more likely to be successful in a community tank and don't fin nip. Keep a wide variety of healthy plants for sale...and grow more in the back. ;-) A lot of that stuff grows like weeds! Offer stocking advice, and don't provide inadequate bowls or aquariums in the first place.

Let's build a betta business! (ba-dum-ching)


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

Helpful for us fish enthusiasts to fix the way some of us come across xD. I know I've been a little bit 'attacking' before (only a little bit! :v) and I feel corrected hehe. 

Great read-I'm on the road so it was entertaining .


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