Bettas at LFS

[MrJim]

Curious~all the stores I go to have male bettas stored in just the tiniest little butter dish containers.

1. Are bettas cold-tank? They're stored at room temp.
2. Is being confined in those little containers healthy for them?

Thanks...we have 3 lfs and all keep them the same. I know they have to be separated, but still seems kinda cruel...

[invadertoast]

They are not coldwater fish, but I'm guessing stores keep them that way because it's the most cost effective way to store large amount of fish that need to be seperated.

One of the Petsmarts near me has started keeping some of their bettas in small, filtered divided tanks that are built in above the regular fish tanks in the store. The bettas could jump over the dividers and now they only keep a few fish in them, spaced really far apart, with the rest in cups as usual. I have no idea if they're going to fix that issue and keep using the tanks... I'm guessing they do okay in a cup at room temperature for the short time they're in the store.

[Mvjnz]

Yes, it is cruel to keep them in those tiny containers. But it's only temporary and usually the fish don't spend a lot of time in the store before they are sold.

Most stores here keep them in little half filled plastic drinking cups, which I hate to see. There's one store which gives them all their own little glass container, which is still really small, but about 5 times bigger than the drinking cup.

[invadertoast]

I've also noticed that Petco uses larger cups than anywhere else, they're not big by any means but are much larger than the ones used by Petsmart and any of the smaller LFS's around here. What bothers me is when the cups aren't covered... I mean, these guys can jump!

[Northernguy]

Its so people will feel sorry for them and buy them to take them home ! IMO

[Demi ^_^]

At my fav. LFS the bettas are kept in 2g+ glass tanks with filters/everything. Thoise lucky little bettas! But in another LFS they are kept in plastic cups, normally half-filled :((

[Kayla-Bug]

But it's only temporary and usually the fish don't spend a lot of time in the store before they are sold.I disagree with that. This may not be with all the Bettas, but some of them aren't as lucky and get stuck there for a while... my translucent male for instance, I saw him at Petsmart and I fell in love with him. He flared at my finger every time I came over to him and I just wanted him soo bad. I made myself not get him. A month had passed and he was STILL there!!! I knew it was him too.


There was another Betta there that got done the same way. It was a one eyed female. I wanted her too but talked myself out of it and everytime I came back within that month she was always there. She finally disappeared. I am hoping they didn't kill her because of her eye...


But the cups are BAD BAD BAD!!! Bettas love warmer water around 80 degrees or so, not just room temp. (Unless it's really warm). They also need filters in their tanks which they don't have in those little cups. I have seen the people feed them too. They only give them like one little Betta pellet... The other thing about the cups is since they don't have filters they need to be changed more often, which they DO NOT get because they wait until the water is FILTHY before they change it. IMO, Betta cruelty. It needs to be stopped. I think if they can't put them in divided tanks (like one person said their store did) then they shouldn't have them. Bettas need room to swim too. Where they come from the water is shallow, but it's really huge!! Not a liter sized rice patty... Ok, now I am done ranting, lol, but it needs to be said and pet stores need to do a little better about taking care of their Bettas.

[Northernguy]

Well said Kayla-bug,I do agree!

[MrJim]

OK~I didn't think it was my imagination that it was bad they were stored in those butter dishes...

[mac]

1. Are bettas cold-tank? They're stored at room temp.

No these fish should not be kept at room temperature unless they are in Thailand and areas where they come from. These fish should be kept in a temperature of 27'c-28'c.


2. Is being confined in those little containers healthy for them?

No it is not healthy for these poor fish. But if they where not confined they would kill each-other if they where males.

I wished that the shops would give these fish more room in their tanks, instead of these tiny small plastic boxs.


we have 3 lfs and all keep them the same. I know they have to be separated, but still seems kinda cruel...

I have one LFS that keeps the poor fish in the tiny tank s the way they do.

But one I know separates them into each of his tank. But only in tanks they wont get hurt in by other tank mates. That way they all have about 25 gallons to swim in each. And each tank he has is planted. And I have never had any problems with his Bettas yet.

I wish that the shops would stop keeping the fish this way. It is too cruel for these fish.

mac

[Tolley]

I have never seen these little cups it sounds cruel. Here in the U.K bettas are sold in the tanks with other fish. (1 per tank)

[Kayla-Bug]

I have never seen these little cups it sounds cruel. Here in the U.K bettas are sold in the tanks with other fish. (1 per tank)Wow, I wonder why they put them in cups here then... they need lessons from people in the UK lol.

[MrJim]

I have a 2.5 gal tank sitting around empty~would that be big enough for a single betta?

[invadertoast]

I have a 2.5 gal tank sitting around empty~would that be big enough for a single betta?

Some people say no, some say yes. I say yes, a 2.5 is a great size for a betta, there's enough room to add a small HOB filter or get an internal one. I have two 2.5 gallon betta tanks (one is divided and houses 2 males) and they're all doing great!

[MrJim]

Some people say no, some say yes. I say yes, a 2.5 is a great size for a betta, there's enough room to add a small HOB filter or get an internal one. I have two 2.5 gallon betta tanks (one is divided and houses 2 males) and they're all doing great!

OK thanks!

[JimTheBetta]

OK thanks!

I can atest though that in a bigger tank there fins do get bigger. Mines fins weren't getting any bigger in his little 2g tank, but once he got in the 10g his fins have been getting bigger and bigger nonstop. Granted not many people would give a betta a 10g tank all to themselves, but... ya know :D

[Corndawg]

I have never seen these little cups it sounds cruel. Here in the U.K bettas are sold in the tanks with other fish. (1 per tank)

Still have my cup my betta came in just to show. Just to show size, it is sitting next to a 16oz/1pint can of my favorite beverage.
http://i38.tinypic.com/sqgump.jpg

[MrJim]

Still have my cup my betta came in just to show. Just to show size, it is sitting next to a 16oz/1pint can of my favorite beverage.
http://i38.tinypic.com/sqgump.jpg

Crazy, isn't it? And at the local Petsmart they are on a shelf by the fishfood, not even back at the tanks~guess the store temperature has to be good enough...

[korith]

I was at petco and watched one employee do water changes in them. He must have had about 40 containers with bettas in them. I find it odd a store would get so many of them. I don't think I've ever been in any sort of lfs where I've seen an actually customer buying one:p

[DragonWatch]

I have never seen these little cups it sounds cruel. Here in the U.K bettas are sold in the tanks with other fish. (1 per tank)

This is the way they're house here in South Africa too, it just makes good sense, doesn't it?

[LORENZO]

oh yes here i see it all the time little cups. On the subject of bettas has anyone had any luck with a betta and angels together. i have not. I have not had luck with betta fish. What is their ideal PH? Can they adjust to a ph of say 7.

[Northernguy]

I have my male beta in a 10 with neons and an apple snail.He loves the tank and uses every inch of it.Betas are fish and need room to swim and explore.
They also need filters and heaters.
Yes those cups are cruel and whoever came up with the idea that this is good for the fish must have escaped from a rubber room and gone into the fish cruelty biz!
I also feel that they are kept in those small cups so people will feel sorry for them and take them home to a real tank!It works!

[MrJim]

I have my male beta in a 10 with neons and an apple snail.He loves the tank and uses every inch of it.Betas are fish and need room to swim and explore.
They also need filters and heaters.
Yes those cups are cruel and whoever came up with the idea that this is good for the fish must have escaped from a rubber room and gone into the fish cruelty biz!
I also feel that they are kept in those small cups so people will feel sorry for them and take them home to a real tank!It works!

How many neons?

[Corndawg]

I have my male beta in a 10 with neons and an apple snail.

I have been thinking about something else for the tank. Its a 5gal hex. Ive thought about a snail... how do you like yours? Does it help stimulate the betta? Mine wants to play in the mirror constantly, by no means does stress him, but still only let him use it a little bit at a time. Think he wants a buddy :/