Member

Posts: 13
From:petaluma,ca
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 08-15-2003 06:47 PM         

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today i went to the only pet store we have in town and i saw something that made me wonder.i was buying another betta and there was only one healthy one,the rest were all beaten up as if they were either sick or fighting with themselves(i dont know if they do it) but i just dont think its fair that they dont take proper care of them,i was going to buy all 6 and take them home..i have 4 bettas and each have their own take(biggest is 6 gallons)i dotn think its fair to put them in those tine little boxes.does anyone have any suggestions on what i could do to help the sick ones?

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Posts: 20
From:Aurora, il, USA
Registered: Apr 2003

posted 08-24-2003 10:47 PM         

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You know, they feel comfortable in a small place. They stress out in big places. Are you sure it was the size of the container? The ones Ive seen looked fine in those small cups. Maybe it was just that shops way of taking care of them that was wrong. This is interesting tell me what u get.

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Posts: 36
From:
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 02-12-2004 07:04 PM         

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The bettas natural habitat is, in a sense, small puddles. The males and females can't stand each other so they stay seperate. Somehow they can puddle-jump and when the male has got the water full of "Bubbles" Then the female jumps, lays, then leaves. The cups, yes, seem cruel to me but the bettas are happy.

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Posts: 98
From:british columbia
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 02-12-2004 07:26 PM         

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no i think its sick how they have them in little cups. its like being locked in a closet your whole life. i have mine in a 3 gallon tank. he seems fine and has a feke log with little java ferns. they look sick in the litle cups and just hang out there. if you bought a sick one the best thing to do is put it in a bigger place and make it happy and try to nurse it back to health. or at least give it a happy life before the end.

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Posts: 501
From:Missouri
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 02-12-2004 07:30 PM         

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The belief that bettas prefer cramped spaces it TOTALLY false. The only reason it is still circulating is because it makes people feel better about torturing their fish by keeping them in horrible conditions.

My betta is MUCH happier in a 10 gallon tank than he ever was in a 1 gallon. And after having him in the 1 gallon for less than a month, I really can't recommend anything smaller ant 2 gallons for a betta.

It's not just a matter of swimming space (how on earth can a fish be happy when it can only swim in circles and can almost touch it's nose to it's tail?). There's also the matter of bioload. Fish produce ammonia and in a cycled tank that is converted to nitrIte, then nitrAte. Anything above 0ppm ammonia and nitrIte, and 20ppm nitrAte is toxic and can kill the fish. The more water you have, the more these toxic substances can be dilluted and the longer it will take to build up toxic levels. In anything less than 1 gallon, it will only tank about a day or 2 for toxic levels to be reached. How can that be a good environment for a fish?

Boy, this is my second rant today. I'm on a roll.

::deposits another 2¢ in jar and steps off soapbox::

-Chelle

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Member

Posts: 145
From:Toronto, Canada
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 02-12-2004 09:18 PM         

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I think keepng Beta's in small cups is cruel as well. I would never do it. I think it's a popular myth like many things in our world.

I've had one male and 5 females in a 10 gallon tank before. They lived happily swiming in, out and under things.

unfortunately after I had them for about 3yrs they died of something that looked like Ick but probably wasn't since I treated them with medecine for Ick.

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Posts: 100
From:
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 02-12-2004 09:28 PM         

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i have my betta in a 30 gallon with a peaceful tropical community he loves it.

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Posts: 104
From:Austin, TX
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 02-12-2004 09:51 PM         

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We have had a red male betta in a 20 gal planted community tank for 6 months and he is a happy, healthy fish with a good appetite. he chases the platys and flares at the gouramis but he is all bluff. Conversly, we have had a blue male betta alone in a 1 gallon bowl for over a year and he is a happy, healthy fish with a good appetite. He flares at his reflection but he is all bluff. It is hard to judge which one is "happier" but they both seem to be thriving.

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Posts: 255
From:Courtenay, B.C, Canada!
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 02-14-2004 12:51 AM         

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way back when i had a beta and veriouse tetras in my first tank 20 gal he was always stalking around with his fins in display mode when i got him he was all druppy and sad... but he past when he was about 2.5 years.. as to the tetras my fiend gave me 1 of his baby oscars well his dads O's had babys and i got 1 then in about a month their was no more tertas... ohh well. as to the Oscar he got given to my sisters friend he got to be about 4 inchs in about 3 months
lol that was a very long time ago about 7-8 years .... good memories

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(>( < ')

[This message has been edited by cichlids small Jaws (edited 02-14-2004).]

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Posts: 36
From:Van Voorhis, PA USA
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 02-14-2004 04:45 PM         

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I can't believe you people are talking about "animal abuse" on a FISH. You all must be members of PETA.

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Posts: 200
From:canada
Registered: May 2003

posted 02-14-2004 04:52 PM         

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FISH ARE PETS !!!!!!!!!
NOT "JUST FISH"!!!

my oscars swim to the glass when i come in the room they rub against my hand when i clean the tank. they are very much pets the same as any dog or cat.

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Posts: 55
From:canada
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 02-14-2004 07:02 PM         

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i think its crul to put them in those little tanks but when i got one for a gift and all it had has that little 1 gallon tank thing. He had to live in it i didnt like the fact that he was cramped up. but what could i do all my other tanks were full. so i left him in it and he lived for about 2 years i thought that was pretty amazing for a fish to live that long in such a small tank

But i still think that it is crul to go into a pet store and see them in pplastic cups

-JAMin

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Posts: 277
From: Indy
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 02-15-2004 10:42 AM         

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I've kept them in 10 gal. nothing less.
I did have one that was shy and liked to hide so I made him a small cave that he could retreat to. Even then he still came out and swam around in the open tank on a daily basis. I know I wouldn't like to live my life in the trunk of a car. LOL.

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James (The Grateful One)

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Posts: 200
From:smithtown, ny, usa
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 02-15-2004 02:55 PM         

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my uncle had a betta in a little boal which was like a quater of a gallon and he never cheaked the water ammonia nitrite nitrate and ph a the did 100% water changes by putting him in a cup with water then put him back after 3 years i said thats it i cant take it anymore im taking the fish home with me and thats what i did he is now happy in a peacefull 10 gallon community

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Posts: 200
From:smithtown, ny, usa
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 02-15-2004 03:01 PM         

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and i aggrie with pacu guy fish are very much pets if you wanted to you could put a leash on one and take him for a swim around the tank

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