# Betta fish at Petsmart



## 5p5 (Aug 5, 2010)

Hello,

I happended to walk through the fish department at Petsmart the other day. I noticed that they were selling betta fish in /sealed/ containers (approx 1 cup, maybe less). There's no way to feed the fish or for the water to be oxygenated. My impression is that this a rather cruel way to market a fish.

However, I confess that I'm not a fish fancier (I was getting supplies for my cats) and do not know if this is an acceptable way to sell tropical fish. I wrote to Petsmart and they replied that they think it's ok.

I would be very interested in getting opinions from the members of this forum. Thanks in advance.


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## Garfunkle09 (Aug 2, 2010)

I just recently got my fish "Kiwi" from PETSMART. I don't recommend shopping for fish there. I'd never looked closely at Betta fish before, but after I bought him, I researched. I bought a fish that has severe fin rot. Not a good place to go. I suggest PETCO.


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## Kittles (Feb 8, 2010)

Not okay. They _need_ holes in the lid for a reason. 



wiki said:


> Bettas are anabantoids, which means they can breathe atmospheric air thanks to a unique organ called the labyrinth.


I've read that they only get about 10% of their oxygen from the water. They're reliant upon the atmospheric air for the rest, which if deprived is animal cruelty, is it not?


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## KLeighS (Jan 11, 2010)

Kittles said:


> They're reliant upon the atmospheric air for the rest, which if deprived is animal cruelty, is it not?


 
Exactly... All those poor fish have a horrible death awaiting them. imagine suffocating, your muscles aching from lack of oxygen. :'( Horrible way to die.


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## Drift (Jul 26, 2010)

So by any means, I am trying not to make Petsmart look better, but I know I've seen them change the water in the cups and all the ones at mine usual are pretty clean and healthy. The cups are not sealed, there are small holes on top.
If fact, I find more dead Betta's at my petco than at my petsmart. However, all 3 of my betta's I bought from Petco and I saw a mustard gas and a butterfly halfmoon there the other day I was thinking of getting. >


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## Jayy (Dec 23, 2009)

My petsmart does a pretty good job of taking care of their bettas. Petco on the other hand has sick and dieing bettas most of the time. Other times the bettas look heathy. I just think some times they're lazy and don't care and other times someone finally does something, but they should care for them all the time.


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## Kokonoko (Jul 28, 2010)

Should start a movement to have a "betta-loving" employee in each chain pet store? lol ;P

Yea, its a horrible thing though. Although I find it hard to believe that a petco or petsmart would be so ignorant to the care of betta as to not allow them to have oxygen holes? That seems almost counter-profiting to the store. I suppose... sadly... that they're under the thought that theres such an abundance of bettas that its 'alright' to treat them as such.

If it were me... I'd be looking into that further and printing off Facts of betta care to bring to that manager. Show 'em a "what-for!"


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## JosShavaughn (Jul 23, 2010)

You should see the bettas at my walmart. 

There was only like 4, and they were obviously the leftovers before the next shipment, they looked terrible. I wanted to buy them all and give them a proper home, but I couldn't afford to even give one a proper home. All I can afford is Zombie's proper home. 

I have fallen in love w/ Betta's and I will get another one when I get my financial aid refund check. I'm going to buy Zombie a 5g tank w/ a filter, then buy a new heater for that one, and then give the new betta Zombie's old home, since it's all set up. I think I'm going to buy Zombie this castle I saw at wal-mart instead of his log. Although I do like being able to see Zombie to make sure he's okay, so I may just buy the new fish it's own hollowed out log, and let Zombie keep his.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

The cups at my Petsmart have air holes in them. They change the watwer twice a week.


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## KBoone (Jul 12, 2010)

> Yea, its a horrible thing though. Although I find it hard to believe that a petco or petsmart would be so ignorant to the care of betta as to not allow them to have oxygen holes? That seems almost counter-profiting to the store. I suppose... sadly... that they're under the thought that theres such an abundance of bettas that its 'alright' to treat them as such.


I used to work in a pet store and I can tell you that they are not thinking of the loss of Bettas as a huge profit loss. They pay pennies for them. It actually costs them more to care for them properly then to just let them be. Sad, but true. That's why you hope that people that get those positions as store managers genuinely care about the animals they sell in their store.

And I am by no means saying it is okay to treat Bettas like that, but there is an over abundance of Bettas. A number of breeders will donate their "culls" to pet stores. Their CULLS. Think about it.


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## Kokonoko (Jul 28, 2010)

Yea, I suppose its not to alarming -.- Fortunently at my wal-mart they have a very awesome employee who throughly cares or the bettas there.


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## xswornxoffxjello (Mar 18, 2010)

JosShavaughn said:


> You should see the bettas at my walmart.
> 
> There was only like 4, and they were obviously the leftovers before the next shipment, they looked terrible. I wanted to buy them all and give them a proper home, but I couldn't afford to even give one a proper home. All I can afford is Zombie's proper home.
> 
> I have fallen in love w/ Betta's and I will get another one when I get my financial aid refund check. I'm going to buy Zombie a 5g tank w/ a filter, then buy a new heater for that one, and then give the new betta Zombie's old home, since it's all set up. I think I'm going to buy Zombie this castle I saw at wal-mart instead of his log. Although I do like being able to see Zombie to make sure he's okay, so I may just buy the new fish it's own hollowed out log, and let Zombie keep his.


 So begins the Betta Bug. 

I know exactly what you mean. It's horrible to see those poor fish. But, as someone (idk who :lol said, "No one can do everything, but everyone can do something."

Really, I don't think that any one chain of petstores is responsible for neglect. I've seen really great Petsmarts, bad Petcos, and pretty decent Wal-Marts. When it comes right down to it, it's the individual store and/or employees.


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## LoveSGSE (Aug 2, 2010)

Yes its very cruel. But if you see it at the PetSmart director's POV, its a different thing. They cant possibly put every fish into a 1g / 2g tank. They wont be making a profit at all. In fact, a lost. Im not encouraging bettas to be kept that way. But they dont have a choice, since its for them making a living.


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## 5p5 (Aug 5, 2010)

Thanks. I think I'll send this link to the lady that replies to my original query at Petsmart.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

The cups should have holes in them. My biggest concern is the fish are sometimes stacked on top of each other, blocking the air holes.

Its not an ideal method of keeping the bettas but it is the middle ground between what is cost effective and what is good for the fish. I would personally like to see LESS bettas being stocked so more room and attention could be provided to them.


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## Little Veiltail (Nov 16, 2009)

I agree with the previous post. Sure, if they sell less bettas and keep them in proper environments, it could drive up the cost of the fish, but I really wouldn't mind paying extra for a pet that I'm sure is happy and healthy. =)


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## puppyrjjkm (Aug 2, 2009)

Our petsmart has the same lids, but instead of popping out the middle hole, they leave it in which has teeny holes in it, and just leave the top (not securely on) so they can feed. So when you try to pick up the bettas in the back row, and you can only pick up the lid area! Ah I've almost dropped a few because of those stinky lids, because they're too lazy to pop out the hole. :evil: Oh and they have cups stacked on top of eachother too, like 1fish2fish stated.


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