Betta welfare UK

[rae]

Hi everyone!
I've set up a new 40l planted tank, it's been running for a month now and I've been considering what to stock it with. I designed it with a Siamese fighter in mind, thinking my kids would enjoy looking after this fish. Doing more research however, I grow more and more concerned about how this poor guy is treated, especially in pet stores that keep those horrible tiny Betta boxes. What disturbed me more was coming across reports of them being transported in tiny plastic bags.

Pet Shop Employee Shows Cruel Way Betta Fish Are Shipped | Ecorazzi

This is in the USA and I'm in the UK and I'm pretty sure our animal welfare rules are more stringent. Does anyone have anymore info on how these little critters might arrive in the pet shops in the UK? So far, I've tried not to think to hard about the aquarium trade that I spend so much money on, but these seem to be an easily abused fish, something I'm finding harder to ignore...

Any more info greatly appreciated.

 

[Mebbid]

Pretty much all fish are shipped in bags. The only way to find out exactly how they are shipped is to either talk to the whole saler or get the store to show them to you when they first arrive. I'm not personally aware of any country that has stringent control over how fish are treated.

If you want well treated and handled bettas check out aquabid.

 

[rae]

I don't know how I imagined they were shipped - I tried not to think about it I suppose! I will ask the retailer, but I don't completely trust them, I've been given misleading info in the past, hence the research now. Thank you Mebbid.

 

[Caliban07]

I don't know how I imagined they were shipped - I tried not to think about it I suppose! I will ask the retailer, but I don't completely trust them, I've been given misleading info in the past, hence the research now. Thank you Mebbid.

Hi rae

I feel your pain when it comes to these little guys. Personally I think bettas should be kept in extremely low volume or even ordered on request. Fish here in the UK aren't treated any different than in other countries. My LFS keeps up to 10 bettas on a shelf behind the counter in Guinness pint pots ( used to be a pub) it's sad really. The only thing that the UK do differently to the US is when it comes to buying antibiotics and other meds.

Really the government should bring in legislations and regular inspections to ensure LFS's are keeping there tanks stocked correctly and maintained properly.

Bettas are difficult to stock because they need to be kept alone but as for shipping I don't think they are treated any differently to other fish that are shipped. But I haven't really looked in to it.


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