Opinion On A Few Betta Things

Let me preface this by saying I am running out of room in my fish room, which is also my bedroom (small apartment, lol).
Well, I still like to go around to PetSmart and Petco because they get some interesting things in sometimes.
Their bettas are always dying. Petco had an outbreak of columnaris, and I saved one of those guys (slow moving strain, thankfully) and found him a good home.
Well, no more friends want bettas, and I'm out of room.
I have two one gallon bowls (hear me out) that are currently home to a variety of plants, some funky nematodes, and pest snails. These bowls have to stay up because I don't want pond snails anywhere else, but I'd feel really bad killing them.
One of the bowls is cycled, and the other has a bunch of pothos hanging out of it. I know I could keep the params in check, and they are wider than most cylindrical 2-3 gallon tanks, just not as tall.
So, question one, opinion on adopting out bettas from chain stores? PetSmart lets me do this, I just have to sign that I won't bring it back and they give me the fish for free. Still supporting the businesses, or not so much since they don't get money?
Question two: is it ethical? I think it's probably fine, since I'd be taking sick ones that would die in a few days anyway. Additionally, I know their life spans will likely be reduced, so a few months in clean conditions in a slightly larger cup is probably better, imo

 

1. I don't really have a problem with this, but I still won't support them because I do have a lfs to buy from that takes pretty good care of their bettas. Also better to get him for free because they don't get a profit, so you aren't really supporting them.

2. I agree with you on this. You would be saving an individual that would've probably not lived.

 

I think what you are doing is ok. I would like to not support Petco sometimes but I don’t have a good LFS and I feel so bad for the fish. I felt extra bad this last week because one of my petco is upgrading their fish tanks and because they have no community fish currently it seems they overstocked bettas but no one is buying them

 

I think what you are doing is ok. I would like to not support Petco sometimes but I don’t have a good LFS and I feel so bad for the fish. I felt extra bad this last week because one of my petco is upgrading their fish tanks and because they have no community fish currently it seems they overstocked bettas but no one is buying them

One of our PetCo's seems to have overstocked on bettas as well. They usually have "betta runs" on the weekends, often times very few left on Monday/tuesday. Looks like only 5 or so were missing from their bunch today....

And yeah, I don't see a problem getting them from a big store for free if you can! Least the fish won't be so cramped in dirty water. We have 2 LFSs here in town, the water is clean but they are kept in even smaller cups than the Big Boys...so from an ehics point of view, I am rather screwed.

 

I did go to a store in Milwaukee they had a great selection of fish best I’ve ever seen and it was rather impressive but the bettas were still kept in really small glass squares ...and didn’t look in any better health than the chains so it is a predicament.

 

Why are bettas always kept in small cups in LFS? At least when I start mine I'll give them tanks. But I feel like we are all focusing on pet dumb/co when the real enemy is Wal-Mart. I once found a betta there that had ICH. ICH!!!!! In all my months of fish keeping I have never seen a betta with ich at a pet store

 

Why are bettas always kept in small cups in LFS? At least when I start mine I'll give them tanks. But I feel like we are all focusing on pet dumb/co when the real enemy is Wal-Mart. I once found a betta there that had ICH. ICH!!!!! In all my months of fish keeping I have never seen a betta with ich at a pet store

Yeah....we NEVER buy any kind of fish at that store...even the community tanks never look healthy

 

Thank you all! Alright, so this is the plan for when I get back.
So, question:
I'm considering getting the ones that look the absolute worst, like beyond saving, so that they can have a few days in nice water. Should I do this or just get some ones mildly bad off, like super lethargic and some finrot type of stuff instead of floating at the top, barely moving gills. What would you do?
Don't know how much my heart can take, but I may try the first one.
And just because, I've only adopted fish from PetSmart/Petco before, not really bought anything. And I get most of my supplies online. I just like to go look around, because if this one manager is there, the tanks actually look nice.

 

How many and what kind of “pest” snails are they? I can possibly take them if you want and a Betta

 

How many and what kind of “pest” snails are they? I can possibly take them if you want and a Betta

One bowl has ramshorns, the other has pond snails and some ramshorns. Neither has a lot, since I just sold someone 60 out of both, and a gallon doesn't hold too many snails... They're basically all babies and honestly probably not enough for shipping.
Plus, I know I'm going to miss just one baby or something and feel bad if I take it down.
I've never shipped fish before, but if I can rehabilitate one I'll definitely contact you!!

 

One bowl has ramshorns, the other has pond snails and some ramshorns. Neither has a lot, since I just sold someone 60 out of both, and a gallon doesn't hold too many snails... They're basically all babies and honestly probably not enough for shipping.
Plus, I know I'm going to miss just one baby or something and feel bad if I take it down.
I've never shipped fish before, but if I can rehabilitate one I'll definitely contact you!!

Okay I have an 8 gallon with just some ramshorn/pond snails that a Betta would love! I also have a 10 gallon that I may divide not sure yet.

 

The Walmarts here don't sell fish

 

All of my bettas are from PetCo as my LFS only sells veil tail (and even though I have on VT) I hate VT bettas lol. PLUS PetCo keeps their bettas in better conditions than the LFS.

I would not out the bettas that are in awful dirty water into clean water right away as it may shock them. I've had some that were in awful conditions die when I introduced them to clean water, even though the temp was the same in the cup and he tank.

I wish my PetCo would adopt out bettas. I saw this one that didn't have a tail which was there for months! Last time I went he was gone, probably died. Even still, better conditions than the bettas at my LFS which are kept in the smallest cups I've seen! So I think you are doing a great think trying to save them and if it's temporary and to help them recover, I think a 1 gallon bowl is fine. Especially if the fish has swim bladder it would make it easier to move around / get to the surface with less water.

The Walmarts here don't sell fish

Neither do the ones in Connecticut.

 

Now I want to rescue another one! I have another tank coming, was supposed to be a backup...oh MTS gets me every time

 

Thank you all! Alright, so this is the plan for when I get back.
So, question:
I'm considering getting the ones that look the absolute worst, like beyond saving, so that they can have a few days in nice water. Should I do this or just get some ones mildly bad off, like super lethargic and some finrot type of stuff instead of floating at the top, barely moving gills. What would you do?
Don't know how much my heart can take, but I may try the first one.
And just because, I've only adopted fish from PetSmart/Petco before, not really bought anything. And I get most of my supplies online. I just like to go look around, because if this one manager is there, the tanks actually look nice.

I think you should go for the worst ones. Then take pix and create a thread that shows how bad the really bad ones that you are saving from Petco look and hopefully you can nurse them back to health. This may encourage others to adopt from you once they are healthy. What you are doing is a very good deed but you should document through pix the horrible conditions that some of these Betta end their days in. At the very least it will be a great way for others to learn how best to keep Bettae and also how to treat illnesses or diseases. So I am in full support!

 

I think you should go for the worst ones. Then take pix and create a thread that shows how bad the really bad ones that you are saving from Petco look and hopefully you can nurse them back to health. This may encourage others to adopt from you once they are healthy. What you are doing is a very good deed but you should document through pix the horrible conditions that some of these Betta end their days in. At the very least it will be a great way for others to learn how best to keep Bettae and also how to treat illnesses or diseases. So I am in full support!

I think that's a good idea, I'll try it!!

 

I think that's a good idea, I'll try it!!

post your new thread's link here so we can all participate

 

post your new thread's link here so we can all participate

Will do! I'm out of town for another week, but once I get back and settled, I'll start this little campaign.

 

I'm fine along and you consult the person your buying from. Id prefer if you said "This fish is sick/ dying, I will buy it for a cheaper price or for free." Instead of just buying them for full price and not saying what's wrong. I was hopeing to do that with this starving veiltail betta at petvalu... Poor thing. ( I have never seen such a skinny betta )

 

I'm fine along and you consult the person your buying from. Id prefer if you said "This fish is sick/ dying, I will buy it for a cheaper price or for free." Instead of just buying them for full price and not saying what's wrong. I was hopeing to do that with this starving veiltail betta at petvalu... Poor thing. ( I have never seen such a skinny betta )
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Yeah I've done it before, if I just say like "this guy has obvious really bad finrot + whatever else" then they end up giving them to me for free. Hope they do that for you and that little guy

 

Yeah I've done it before, if I just say like "this guy has obvious really bad finrot + whatever else" then they end up giving them to me for free. Hope they do that for you and that little guy

Usually I get over now getting a betta I wanted in 1-2 days but I still keep asking. I'm sure my parents won't let me go back .

 

Usually I get over now getting a betta I wanted in 1-2 days but I still keep asking. I'm sure my parents won't let me go back .

You must learn more JedI mind tricks..."Go to fish store this weekend, we will..."

 

I am going to look into this. My brother works at Petco and although I have yet to see one that is in dire shape I am going to ask him if he can give me the unhealthy ones for free. He says they literally just put any animal/fish that dies into a freezer and it gets shipped back. Good idea!!

 

You must learn more JedI mind tricks..."Go to fish store this weekend, we will..."

Things have been very strict. I do have one spot available for him but still a no. I miss the day I owned 9 bettas .

 

Things have been very strict. I do have one spot available for him but still a no. I miss the day I owned 9 bettas .

Well, I would start with showing how 9 bettae are really a norm. You can write up a serious letter including links on animal keepers on youtube who have entire buildings built for fish. Now convince them that you are not going that way but it could potentially be a future small business for you. Parents are either business minded or intellectuals. If intellectuals then find articles on how having fish decreases the likely hood of all sorts of mental illnesses etc. We should have a whole new section on how to convince significant others on getting just one more...

 

Yeah....we NEVER buy any kind of fish at that store...even the community tanks never look healthy

Walmart’s where I live are getting out of the fish business thank god

 

Hey guys, got started with the first little dude! He came with a snail as well (separate, but when I asked if they had any adoptions, they just handed me a snail). I don't like their policies, as they wouldn't surrender any of the extremely sick ones, because "oh bettas are supposed to do that" or "they're just doing that because they don't like the cups". Like, yeah, here's this betta laying flat on the bottom of the cup with more than half his fins gone because "he doesn't like it".