those "self supporting" fish vases

[myfishnorton]

I was just watching TLC's Trading spaces and i was surprised to see one of the designers buy threee bettas and put them in vases. He claimed that the fish wouldn't need anything else to live. I had never known that that rumor would be spread so much as to appear on TV! I just wanted to share my feelings on that...

 

[FroggyFox]

Wow...really? That bites. Would be worth an email to the TLC Crew and put that particular myth to rest.

I can't believe people actually believe that.

 

[PreciousGems]

I saw that too. Its Vern Yip, doing what he does best...abusing bettas. He has done this before on TLC, except in smaller bowls and w/out the plant. I am guessing he was trying to correct himself after the first time he used bettas, because TONS of peoples sent letters to TLC about that one. I think he should publicly correct himself, and on the reruns of those episodes should be a note at the end saying that the betta information proved to be inaccurate.

Alexa

 

[Leopardess]

yeah , that is really saddening. Has anyone here been watching the new Real World in Paris? I was watching a rerun today and noticed in the back ground, near the computer, they have goldfish bowls. The bowls are less than half full and look much less than inviting - not to mention too small and neglected

 

[CoNMaN]

i seen that leopardess and i dont think there are any fish in those bowls.

as for the TLC thing, i was tellin my aunt how i want to start a fish tank, and she told me about the Trading spaces guy, and I set her straight about htat.

 

[Leopardess]

there was something orange swimming in it when i was watching

 

[animal lover]

Alot of people are very ignorant towards bettas and goldfish mainly and I find it sickening....And the thing is its not only towards fish, some of the things I hear about animal abuse nauseates me.....I was in Petcetera one day and there were bettas in those little designer bowls, the fancy shaped ones and it was all smoggy and had fuzz growing in it, I actually told off the worker and change some of the water myself...the thing with some pet stores is that they think the fish don't feel anything...The pet store where I usually get my fish is really good with the bettas the each are in a big tank or hace a 1 gallon bowl each and thats what I like to see, not like Walmart in those little cups....

 

[fishboy]

Yah bettas are treated terribly. People think just becuase it lives in rice paddies and other "cramped" places in the wild, that they can survive in tiny little cups. It is disgusting. I saw a few people that were complaining how lethargic the fish were at petsmart, i was about to go up and ask them wouldnt you be if you were in a 1/8 gallon cup and have people poking at you constantly. It is sickening.

 

[myfishnorton]

I just can't believe the way those fish are treated...its so sad to me, I'm getting a betta and he gets a 5 gallon tank, not to himself but only has to share with three other small fish! Whenever i see bettas on a cup like that i feel so sorry for them. The lfs i am going to to get my fish keeps all of their betta in a communtiy tank. I like that because you can tell they are friendly and they get a whole lot more room than before!

 

[SoulFish]

people do treat bettas badly and it will never stop because the fish stores encourage it by keeping them and selling them in little bowls, at petsmart the other day i over heard a lady buying a betta she said "my last betta just died, he lived over 3 months, thats long for a betta", made me sick

 

[Angelfish]

I hate betta cups, I feel so sad when I see them. Whats worse a certain LFS I know the betta cups are half full! So that means the betta is in 1/16 of a gallon. The water is barely covering the fish.

 

[Iggy]

Grrrr.. man that gets me going. I shop walmart for my pet supplies, and one store keeps their males in full-size tanks with friendly fish, the other in cups... their justification for cups is that the stock is sold within a week.

I simply do not care, they have 1-3 gallon bowls just sitting around collecting dust, why don't they sell them in kit?

Also, betta's are a real popular starter fish, so why don't the stores include little leaflet instructions on size/care/feeding etc???

I tell you, its awfully hard to see bettas in cups or about 20 females in a 5 gallon tank and not want to buy some of them to save them.

Actually, the Walmart fish guy gave me a dirty look when a customer asked about putting a betta in one of those 'vase' things and I chimed in and said, "Thats not what you want, here..." (grabbing a 2 gal acrylic hex), "... this tank will do a lot better" You know what she said, "Thanks... I'll take two!"

Now whenever I see someone admiring the bettas, I always suggest they try them in a (filtered) 2gal tank.

 

[PreciousGems]

Thats good Iggy. I can't even get near our fish guy at walmart. He hides every time he sees me or my mom go in the fish section. Thats because I always tell him which fish are sick and which medicines they need to use. But its too hard to medicate a betta in a tiny cup! Worse yet, the bettas that die in the store (or within 3 days when bought) get sent back to the breeder and a NEW betta is shipped for free! One timeI asked an employee why over 3/4 of their fish were dead and he replied " oh the bettas? Don't worry about them, they have a high death rate." Well maybe if they would take the time and energy into researching and caring for these fish, the bettas would live 3-4+ years like they should!

Alexa

 

[Iggy]

In defense of my local town walmart, they do not keep betta males in cups, but seperated amoung the non-nippy community tanks. The lady that runs the department has a number of tanks at home and does a great job, but obviously not all walmarts are the same. The local one (in tanks) sells there bettas faster, have less deaths and less illness than any other store she tells me... hmmm .... I wonder why?

The really sad thing is... it is cheaper to replace the fish than to give it proper equipment (like barracks) just because they have to be isolated from other males. No other fish has to suffer like this, but the volume and interest in bettas seem to dictate the policy of LFS owners.

I would gladly buy all my bettas from a local breeder or hobby breeder - I wish I could find one... anyone know of one near Edmonton, Alberta Canada?

 

[Leopardess]

I walked into a walmart around here and figured id check the fish situation. Well, suffice it to say I almost puked when I went in the department. There were probably 15 dead and fully decaying betta bodies on the shelves. The rest that were alive were in filthy, horrid water that obviously hadn't been changed in weeks...seriously. I went to customer service and told them they needed to do something about their fish and I was told "sure, be right over." Well, apparently, they didn't think that I would be waiting in the fish department to make sure that they actually did it. I walked back over half an hour later and she was like "Oh..wow I forgot. How weird?!" WHen she got someone to finally go over there, they tried telling me it was because the fish person didn't show up for work that day (yeah, all those fish died overnight and the water got nasty in all the others too ). Now, every time I go that way, (at least once a week) I stop in to see how things are going....which is still not good.

 

[myfishnorton]

I was reading an article in my local paper and it was about those spongebob tanks. it recommended it for goldfish (its only about 2 gallons) and bettas. Claiming neither were tropical fish (goldfish aren't but bettas are) and also called bettas JAPANESE fighting fish. Then again it was written by an eleven year old but still... my walmart has nasty comdidtions for their fish, they are all kept in really small bowls, none are dead but the water is always really nasty. Even my favorite pet store keeps them in bowls, but at least thaose ones are clean. I like the way that pet store treats it's other animals but the bettas could be better off. The pet store i will be getting my fish from the bettas are kept in communtiy tanks. Which garuntees a docile fish and a healthier one too.

 

[Iggy]

Maybe someone can make a MINT buy building an affordable barracks system for the big chain-stores, something they can use like a semi-heated bookshelf with a small water exchange system.

I have never seen and more that two-dozen bettas at any Walmart (and most LFS) also.

Petsmart holds them in cups too, but I know they change the water regularly (I visit quite often) and so does Big-Als.

 

[dana307]

Okay to add on to the betta in a bowl with plant thing. Just saw the same set up - betta, large vase (1/2 gal??) and a plant spathyfullum I think (sp?) and marbles were placed around the narrow part of the vase suggesting it would be difficult to place any food or do any water changes or the marbles would fall down on the fish. Does any know for sure that this arrangement won't work? The plant would clean the water, and feed the fish and the fish would feed the plant. I was surprised to see it in a decent pet store if it won't work out.... And yes, I am a Vern Yip fan and saw that episode. Love the idea but have some questions about the viability.....

 

[Iggy]

1. Bettas are meat eaters.
You would not expect a lion to survive by eating plants would you? Sure, bettas might survive on vegetation, but not for long.

2. Fish stores only need to worry about the first 14 days or so.
After the warranty (if any) is over, too bad if the betta dies right?

3. Bettas are Pets NOT room ornaments.
I love Verns stuff too (he is the only one I think is any good) but adding a PET (not a decoration) to someone who has NO idea how to care for it is just a $15.00 investment for the show, that expires in 3-4 months (if they are lucky).

4. Even a PERFECT Bio-Filter needs fresh Water.
You cannot re-create natures balance in a 1 gallon vase. Heck, even the 150gallon + tanks need water changes and cleaning every now and then.

Sorry if I seem sore about this, its not you, just tired of the 'disposable' betta concept. Are you just 'poking the bear' to get more reactions on this? You have dozens of fish...?

 

[PreciousGems]

I was going to say the exact same thing Iggy, nicely put.