Christmasfish
Aquarium Advice Addict
.....AKA What I learned about "Bettas" at age 6:
Every time I see a 4x4 inch cup sold as a bettabox, I shudder.
That goes for bubble, gimmicky bowls and brandy snifters, too.
Everytime I see rows of bettas in cups that are blue with meds and filthy with debris I burn.
Everytime I see several dead bettas on those same shelves I wanna grab a soapbox.
And everytime I hear another statement about how bettas live in puddles and DON"T NEED Space, I freak and rant. And yesterday I saw it posted the one time too many! So here goes...!
If Bettas need less space based mostly upon the fact that they breathe air, why not Gouramis, or Lungfish, Snakeheads?
Because a cruel myth has been perpetuated! That's Why!
And the corporate pet sellers and their backyard breeders of the fish world would prefer it so!
Fish warehouses in asia may raise them in bottles and jars,
but true breeders in Asia raise them as every other fish fancier handles their wet friends. Those warehouses are just fish sweatshops!
The ol' rule of thumb....gallon /inch minimum.
My grandfather bred and raised show quality Siamese fighting fish of the time (as well as a few other species). He actually flew out East for some of his desired specimens.
Sure they didn't come in all the color and style of today.The veils would be unaccepted and the deltas would be considered skimpy.
But they were glowing, vibrant, big and healthy as horses.
And even back in the archaic 70's they were kept just as any other aggressive fish. In community tanks with some neutral species or in a big "paddy he built that was planted.
In fact I think they still sold goldfish as "easy" then and in little betta style bowls and little square glass tanks.
And they would sell you you as many guppies as you would take home, so your kid could watch them all slowly but surely die.
I never wanted fancy goldfish. That was another thing my grandfather handled. They were ALWAYS delicatein some ways.
Now I realize that his perfect temps for tropicals was prolly bad for them. Even with the special circulator he built (He lived in Southern Cal)
He had several betta males in that same tank with none coming up dead. He had 11 females that swam with a school of same shaped fish that are not known to me. Granted most of his tanks were 20 gal and up.
When identifying quality he'd have a shelf with literally hundreds of large qt jars. To prevent fin damage as they come of age, this is a necessary temporary home. But Neither he nor his peers that I saw come over ever suggested they live that way permanently!
(I know hundreds because my paid task was to gently handle and clean ALL the jars every day after school! ^ .^)
They were friendly as puppies and some occasionally nipped during chow time. They jumped good!
There was always 1-2 that made the leap to the floor mats and had to be de-stressed.
And in the fast food franchises of the animal world, the experts are still simply retail cashiers for the most part.
Low paid and poorly trained with some shining exceptions. They will sell you the tank and the fish on the same day. ANY of them. Test and see.
Put a handleable size tank in a basket and look at fish and they will be ready to bag em right there! Any one you want!
Though poor circumstance may end up trapping a betta in a true puddle, most live in asian style bayous and swamps, or in the ditches and fields of rice paddies. When I say ditch, it runs along ALL that farms paddies! Rice needs constant water supply!
see: http://www.bettadreams.com/ricepaddies.html
Heh<>while searching for a Rice Paddy image, here is a betta lover who says also..No More Cups! i am not a single voice! Here-here!
Wonder why bettas left their murkier swamps to live in Rice paddies? If they like small space and still water so much
why move to unfamiliar territory when they do stay in a small range?.... Better, more available, constant water supply!
Now someone tell me they prefer stagnant, still, TINY cups and bowls!
It is one of the outrages of animal care left in the world. And gets less press because they are fish. Somehow because they show no outward symptoms of discomfort, it translated to feel no pain.
When Fluffy the Sea Otter is living in a wittle swimming pool and has a dog door to the house; and never sees others of his kind..whoa! EVERY one is involved, people freak over his "unnatural" existence..
The general public cares more what happens to veal calves that are being prepped for consumption than their own domesticated friends, ,that live with them daily. At least the calf is there only 8 months of his soon to be ended life! The poor Bettas live the same set of conditions for years! And it isn't just Bettas. I was a former feline fancier and
I have seen stock kept in horrific conditions. No wonder pets are not fun anymore. They have the wrong reactions to stimuli based on their inbred physiology and their scarred psyches from being unsocialized, unhealthy and poorly kept.
Those of us that are older..before there were 30 styles of catbox and litter....
Do you remember your old housecat EVER defecating in the house as an adult? or not being unable to eat right?Or being "prone" to a disease? And I wont even touch dogs! The subject of today's rant is fish, the Betta in particular. I am not an expert. My grandfather probably was in his day. And I know nothing about tetras or platys. Or marine fishkeepin, other than bits and pieces overheard as a kid. But I know verbal justification for a bad action when I see it. It is up to us to ensure these animals that are genetically altered for our pleasures are kept in standards above and beyond what they might encounter as their wild from. We have made them weaker genetically than their wild counterparts.
It is our duty to keep them safe and comfortable! If we cannot do so, then we need to be satisfied with a virtual pet. If the word expense creeps into your vocabulary, especially when referring to purchase of the bacsic necessities for the creatures health, then it is probably the wrong pet/hobby for you. My daughter on her own has made over 700 in a year to put to her plan to have a parrot and breed bettas. She's 8. She has planned this all for a year. She has ordered custom tanks, shelves.
If she can be prepared to care for a animal, we adults should do better (incl me
)
Anyway that is the fussy opinion of this former genetic engineer (and still training..still a lot of formal school left) and breeder of rare animals and cats. I rarely go into petsmart type places. It is in and out for items I need. Now that I frequent the fish zone waiting to snap up the small heaters when they come in I see TO much. My daughter is right. I should do my small part and just order Foster &Smith again. A slight rise in expense but a show of principle against the megalith petpalaces.
I look at my fish the same as the dog, cat, bird or the kids to an extent. They are my wards as long as they reside with me, and it is my duty to
ensure them happy, long, comfortable lives.
*Wipes foam from lips and steps down from high horse* Mighty thirsty! Gimme an Ale! Barkeep, I wurked me up a mahty thurst!
Every time I see a 4x4 inch cup sold as a bettabox, I shudder.
That goes for bubble, gimmicky bowls and brandy snifters, too.
Everytime I see rows of bettas in cups that are blue with meds and filthy with debris I burn.
Everytime I see several dead bettas on those same shelves I wanna grab a soapbox.
And everytime I hear another statement about how bettas live in puddles and DON"T NEED Space, I freak and rant. And yesterday I saw it posted the one time too many! So here goes...!
If Bettas need less space based mostly upon the fact that they breathe air, why not Gouramis, or Lungfish, Snakeheads?
Because a cruel myth has been perpetuated! That's Why!
And the corporate pet sellers and their backyard breeders of the fish world would prefer it so!
Fish warehouses in asia may raise them in bottles and jars,
but true breeders in Asia raise them as every other fish fancier handles their wet friends. Those warehouses are just fish sweatshops!
The ol' rule of thumb....gallon /inch minimum.
My grandfather bred and raised show quality Siamese fighting fish of the time (as well as a few other species). He actually flew out East for some of his desired specimens.
Sure they didn't come in all the color and style of today.The veils would be unaccepted and the deltas would be considered skimpy.
But they were glowing, vibrant, big and healthy as horses.
And even back in the archaic 70's they were kept just as any other aggressive fish. In community tanks with some neutral species or in a big "paddy he built that was planted.
In fact I think they still sold goldfish as "easy" then and in little betta style bowls and little square glass tanks.
And they would sell you you as many guppies as you would take home, so your kid could watch them all slowly but surely die.
I never wanted fancy goldfish. That was another thing my grandfather handled. They were ALWAYS delicatein some ways.
Now I realize that his perfect temps for tropicals was prolly bad for them. Even with the special circulator he built (He lived in Southern Cal)
He had several betta males in that same tank with none coming up dead. He had 11 females that swam with a school of same shaped fish that are not known to me. Granted most of his tanks were 20 gal and up.
When identifying quality he'd have a shelf with literally hundreds of large qt jars. To prevent fin damage as they come of age, this is a necessary temporary home. But Neither he nor his peers that I saw come over ever suggested they live that way permanently!
(I know hundreds because my paid task was to gently handle and clean ALL the jars every day after school! ^ .^)
They were friendly as puppies and some occasionally nipped during chow time. They jumped good!
There was always 1-2 that made the leap to the floor mats and had to be de-stressed.
And in the fast food franchises of the animal world, the experts are still simply retail cashiers for the most part.
Low paid and poorly trained with some shining exceptions. They will sell you the tank and the fish on the same day. ANY of them. Test and see.
Put a handleable size tank in a basket and look at fish and they will be ready to bag em right there! Any one you want!
Though poor circumstance may end up trapping a betta in a true puddle, most live in asian style bayous and swamps, or in the ditches and fields of rice paddies. When I say ditch, it runs along ALL that farms paddies! Rice needs constant water supply!
see: http://www.bettadreams.com/ricepaddies.html
Heh<>while searching for a Rice Paddy image, here is a betta lover who says also..No More Cups! i am not a single voice! Here-here!
Wonder why bettas left their murkier swamps to live in Rice paddies? If they like small space and still water so much
why move to unfamiliar territory when they do stay in a small range?.... Better, more available, constant water supply!
Now someone tell me they prefer stagnant, still, TINY cups and bowls!
It is one of the outrages of animal care left in the world. And gets less press because they are fish. Somehow because they show no outward symptoms of discomfort, it translated to feel no pain.
When Fluffy the Sea Otter is living in a wittle swimming pool and has a dog door to the house; and never sees others of his kind..whoa! EVERY one is involved, people freak over his "unnatural" existence..
The general public cares more what happens to veal calves that are being prepped for consumption than their own domesticated friends, ,that live with them daily. At least the calf is there only 8 months of his soon to be ended life! The poor Bettas live the same set of conditions for years! And it isn't just Bettas. I was a former feline fancier and
I have seen stock kept in horrific conditions. No wonder pets are not fun anymore. They have the wrong reactions to stimuli based on their inbred physiology and their scarred psyches from being unsocialized, unhealthy and poorly kept.
Those of us that are older..before there were 30 styles of catbox and litter....
Do you remember your old housecat EVER defecating in the house as an adult? or not being unable to eat right?Or being "prone" to a disease? And I wont even touch dogs! The subject of today's rant is fish, the Betta in particular. I am not an expert. My grandfather probably was in his day. And I know nothing about tetras or platys. Or marine fishkeepin, other than bits and pieces overheard as a kid. But I know verbal justification for a bad action when I see it. It is up to us to ensure these animals that are genetically altered for our pleasures are kept in standards above and beyond what they might encounter as their wild from. We have made them weaker genetically than their wild counterparts.
It is our duty to keep them safe and comfortable! If we cannot do so, then we need to be satisfied with a virtual pet. If the word expense creeps into your vocabulary, especially when referring to purchase of the bacsic necessities for the creatures health, then it is probably the wrong pet/hobby for you. My daughter on her own has made over 700 in a year to put to her plan to have a parrot and breed bettas. She's 8. She has planned this all for a year. She has ordered custom tanks, shelves.
If she can be prepared to care for a animal, we adults should do better (incl me
)Anyway that is the fussy opinion of this former genetic engineer (and still training..still a lot of formal school left) and breeder of rare animals and cats. I rarely go into petsmart type places. It is in and out for items I need. Now that I frequent the fish zone waiting to snap up the small heaters when they come in I see TO much. My daughter is right. I should do my small part and just order Foster &Smith again. A slight rise in expense but a show of principle against the megalith petpalaces.
I look at my fish the same as the dog, cat, bird or the kids to an extent. They are my wards as long as they reside with me, and it is my duty to
ensure them happy, long, comfortable lives.
*Wipes foam from lips and steps down from high horse* Mighty thirsty! Gimme an Ale! Barkeep, I wurked me up a mahty thurst!
