A real betta rescue

I am probably going to rescue a betta today. There is a rack of bettas at the LFS and they are kept horribly. Worse than petco/ petsmart. They are in small glass containers, about the size of two shot glasses. Most bettas don't even have room to turn around.
My question is, how should I rescue a betta? Because if I buy it, it's not a rescue and I'm still supporting the store.
Any advice from anyone who has done this (or anyone who hasn't)?

 

Well, don't steal it, that's for sure! If they're kept that badly, a letter-writing campaign may be your best bet for long-term success. Is it a small store or a chain? Then if talking to the manage/owner/CEO doesn't work you can go as far as writing a letter to the editor in your local news or start a petition to get them to stop carrying bettas unless they put them in better containers.

 

Well, don't steal it, that's for sure! .

Oh, sorry; I meant ask if I can get it for free!

 

Oh, sorry; I meant ask if I can get it for free!

Haha I doubt they would let you take a betta home for free!

 

Yeah that's my problem

 

You could just MAYBE get away with saying how bad they treat there fish to the owner or even manager and get a free beta, but nothing more.

 

Ok thanks. I might as well try.

 

Ok thanks. I might as well try.

Yea! Tell me how it goes. Ok?

 

I'm on my way now! I'm excited.

*I'm not texting and driving.

 

Good luck!

 

I still think that starting by writing a letter is your best bet to save the most bettas. Get them to change their ways so that all the bettas they get in are treated properly rather than using their abuses to get one betta out of there.

 

Well. I have her. They refused to give her to me for free or even offer a discount. When I mentioned that she had swim bladder and fin rot, the salesperson said no still, and tried to sell me some Paraguard. So I just bought her. So much for the rescue thing but at least I can maybe make her happy.

She's quite the daredevil. Most bettas don't like current, but she actively swims right under the filter flow and darts around. I think she's trying to prove how strong she is

Her ammonia burns have healed a little just overnight. I'm hoping she's ok but I think she'll be fine.

 

She's quite a pretty one! Love her pastel colours

 

She's beautiful!

 

Thanks! She's really starting to perk up and I'm realizing how bad a shape the fish in the store are
She's super active and happy. Name suggestions?

 

Daphne

 

That's a cool name. It suits her.

Here's some of her daredevilness. She likes to swim right next to the intake. Does anyone know why she could be doing this?
She also swims right to where the water comes out of my filter. She swims against the current but she's a little small to beat it
She's a weirdo.

 

I've had Bettas who would "play" in the current created by the filter She's just experiencing things she never has before!

 

oh my, your new betta is gorgeous! I've always had a little bias toward lighter coloured betta (probably because I only kept darker ones growing up)

my newest goes toward to sponge filter's outlet slowly, slowly... then swims through the bubbles and flies away from it, freaking out. I thought at first it was just too much bubbling... and then he did it another five more times. silly boy.

 

I think I might be obsessed with taking pictures of my fish. Most of the pictures on my phone are just fish

 

I would be too, she literally looks like a pearl? even her tail rounds out. I'm in love!!!! (and Brave would be, too)

 

(and Brave would be, too)

She does remind me of a pearl, like the blue kind.

 

okay I'm guilty of not reading your post. I literally just saw the pics and went

Brave was a rescue! he has a tumour, so nobody in the right mind would ever get him (says a lot about me). it was from the local PetCo, and while I've never bought anymore from them (I have dropped many betta into their planted tanks, though) I knew I'd never be able to make enough of a difference to their profit... so I decided to make a difference to one fish's life.

both sides of the argument make sense to me, but I leaned on one side for that one day. now I have Brave and he has me.