Stop betta abuse by pet stores, show some support (for myspace users)

keith p

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 26, 2005
Messages
1,474
Purraise
4
Location
(Long Island) west babylon, New York
Myspace now has a new feature where you make a "support" group to spread awareness on various issues and debates in the world. I like animals, so I decided to make a support group spreading awareness on betta abuse by some pet stores and people, providing links to betta sites with great information.

So the more people that join the support group, the higher the rank it gets, which means more people will see the group and learn more about the situation going on. It's free to join, you just have to have a myspace.

(there is no donations, so if you see something about donations ignore it)

Please join to show your support and spread the word to your friends! PM me for the link
 

gingersmom

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 11, 2006
Messages
8,028
Purraise
22
I'm sorry, but in the wild, Bettas actually live in very small, dirty puddles. I just don't see how keeping them in decent sized bowls is abuse.


I DO think that the males shouldn't be displayed so close to each other as it stresses them out.

I had one that lived to a ripe old age of over 5 years old, and he never got sick. I kept him in a normal sized fishbowl - if he was abused, would he have lived that long?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

keith p

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 26, 2005
Messages
1,474
Purraise
4
Location
(Long Island) west babylon, New York
The fact is most bowls are unfiltered or improper temperature, and that's the main reason for health issues.

A lion or tiger can live confined in a small cage for years at a circus, and live long, but does that mean it's ok to do?
 

arlyn

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
9,306
Purraise
50
Location
Needles, CA
Actually, in the wild, they live in irrigation ditches and rice paddies and while they may only be inches deep, they have a very large surface area.
Surface area on water is where oxygen exchange takes place, and harmful gasses are released from water.

And yes, they are unfilteed, but Nature has her own way of handling that too, something which doesn't happen in tiny bowls and plastic cups.
 

gingersmom

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 11, 2006
Messages
8,028
Purraise
22
I don't think they should live in tiny bowls or cups, and I have read that filtering and adding air circulation to the water of a tank actually disturbs the Betta.

They are surface air breathers, so as long as there is sufficient surface area and their water is cleaned regularly, I don't see there being any issues.

That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

By the way, HUGE difference between a little fish and a giant feline. Bettas can't EAT YOU.
 

fattykitty

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jun 13, 2009
Messages
227
Purraise
2
Location
With the fuzzbutts
Originally Posted by GingersMom

By the way, HUGE difference between a little fish and a giant feline. Bettas can't EAT YOU.
A kitten won't eat you. Doesn't she still deserve respect?

I kept a beta fish in a small bowl as a child. He never had the colors of my friend's beta, who lives in ten gallon tank with other fish.
 

essayons89

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 5, 2006
Messages
3,611
Purraise
2
Location
Cincinnati
All Anabantids have the ability to take oxygen directly from the air but they primarily breathe through their gills.

Light filtering and air circulation don't really bother them, but they can break apart a bubble nest.

I've kept them in a divided 10 gallon (for two males) and everything in between up to 55 gallons with filtration and heaters (around 80F). The 55 gallon housed a male and multiple females with other fish and no issues.

One thing I learned from keeping and breeding fish over the years is that there aren't too many "rules" that are set in stone.

The bane of my fishkeeping experiences: Neon tetras. I don't even try anymore.
 

gingersmom

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 11, 2006
Messages
8,028
Purraise
22
Originally Posted by fattykitty

A kitten won't eat you. Doesn't she still deserve respect?

I kept a beta fish in a small bowl as a child. He never had the colors of my friend's beta, who lives in ten gallon tank with other fish.
No, kittens should be stomped on.

Please, really.
I have three rescues and they have toys and cat trees in EVERY room in my home.

The reason for the bright colors in Bettas is due to over-oxygenation. I'm not a moron, and actually researched these fish when I owned one.

Now I'm the chick that disrespects the fish.
 

mismaris777

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jun 24, 2009
Messages
558
Purraise
1
Location
South Milwaukee, WI
Originally Posted by GingersMom

No, kittens should be stomped on.

Please, really.
I have three rescues and they have toys and cat trees in EVERY room in my home.

The reason for the bright colors in Bettas is due to over-oxygenation. I'm not a moron, and actually researched these fish when I owned one.

Now I'm the chick that disrespects the fish.
I must be a chick that disrespects fish too
! I always kept bettas in medium-sized fish bowls, and they always did just fine.

I don't think that this thread is going to lead to anything good. Everyone's already in the beginning stages of a big debate/argument, and I don't think that's what this site is about.

Cats and fish are TOTALLY different! It's like saying that lizards and horses should get the same care and treatment. It just doesn't add up or make sense.

And I totally agree with you GingersMom, kittens SHOULD be stomped on!
. That's why we're all members of a cat forum
 

arlyn

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
9,306
Purraise
50
Location
Needles, CA
Originally Posted by GingersMom

They are surface air breathers, so as long as there is sufficient surface area and their water is cleaned regularly, I don't see there being any issues.
They don't take 100% of their oxygen from the surface, anabantoids developed labyrinth organs as a mechanism to live in smaller bodies of water, allowing them to exploit all available oxygen sources, but they do still need to breathe through their gills.

I have no problem with keeping them in bowls as long as there is decent surface area, but I don't like seeing them in anything smaller than 1 gallon.
My current dude lives in a 1.5 gallon aquarium with a very slow moving internal filter, unheated as it's not needed in my climate.

My only issue is with the way petstores keep them, and perpetuate this sad lifestyle to the uninformed who buy from them.

And like you, I do not like seeing the stressed males all posturing at each other all day long on a single shelf full of 8 ounce cups.

Surface area really is important for releasing the toxic gasses from the water.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

keith p

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 26, 2005
Messages
1,474
Purraise
4
Location
(Long Island) west babylon, New York
Originally Posted by Arlyn

My only issue is with the way petstores keep them, and perpetuate this sad lifestyle to the uninformed who buy from them.

And like you, I do not like seeing the stressed males all posturing at each other all day long on a single shelf full of 8 ounce cups.
That was my actually #1 reason for this debate. The pet stores selling the bettas actually make up most of the neglect these fish suffer, and it doesnt help that many of the workers dont know what they are talking about, so they give the buyer the wrong information. I know be me they dont know much about them.

98% of the bettas at my fish store are dead,starving,in brown water, or have some sort of illness. Very few are healthy and even fewer actually live in clear water. My store seems to care more about the half moons and crowntail bettas than they do with your average looking bettas. But even they are not immune to the bad treatment, some of them have huge fins, and cant even open them in the tiny cups.
 

cococat

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 2, 2007
Messages
4,953
Purraise
12
Location
USA
Originally Posted by mismaris777

Cats and fish are TOTALLY different! It's like saying that lizards and horses should get the same care and treatment. It just doesn't add up or make sense.
Not the same care, but both living beings should get proper care and treatment.
Lizards 100% should get proper care. Just as horses should too. If a person is going to take responsibility to keep a pet, in other words a living being (be it a turtle, dog, cat, or horse) during the life of the pet, they do have an obligation to meet their husbandry needs or otherwise don't get the pet!
 

trillcat

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 19, 2008
Messages
1,738
Purraise
2
Location
Wisconsin
Originally Posted by keith p

That was my actually #1 reason for this debate. The pet stores selling the bettas actually make up most of the neglect these fish suffer, and it doesnt help that many of the workers dont know what they are talking about, so they give the buyer the wrong information. I know be me they dont know much about them.

98% of the bettas at my fish store are dead,starving,in brown water, or have some sort of illness. Very few are healthy and even fewer actually live in clear water. My store seems to care more about the half moons and crowntail bettas than they do with your average looking bettas. But even they are not immune to the bad treatment, some of them have huge fins, and cant even open them in the tiny cups.
I am with you on this, I have seen betas displayed at a Walgreens! In tiny cups. suffering. Because they are fish we do not care??? This is sad for my fellow cat people. We respect all life, and to make light of this is sad. Im not a PETA person who will douse you with red paint for even thinking about eating meat or rally againt lobster being served but I do have compassion for these poor creatures.
Betas get the suck end of the stick.
 

rockstarkitties

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Messages
142
Purraise
1
Location
VA
Once at a local Walmart I saw a bunch of bettas in those tiny plastic containers with holes on the lid placed ONE ON TOP of the other. Most of the bettas on the bottom row were already dead for lack of oxygen. I frantically started removing the piles (up to 4 stories at a time) so they could have a chance to breathe.
I stood there until a manager arrived and I went on a rampage.
 
Top