Unhappy with treatment of Bettas at LFS

Something that gets my blood boiling is the storage and display of bettas in almost all pet shops. You are confronted by numbers of these poor guys lying motionless in plastic containers. Whilst I cant accuse any of the LFS's of cruelty, surely to goodness the display of these fish could be enhanced by building a tank with many separate departments? I was in one of the prominent sponsors shop during the week and must say I left unhappy after seeing the way these fish are treated.

 

With you on this. I learned not to start arguing with them about it because they don't really care. I now just tell the first person that ask if they can assist that I wanted to buy some fish or equipment but seeing how they treat the bettas I changed my mind.

 

Dont forget that they all don't know for sure the strains they sell to you. Some will even insist on a certain type (eg Halfmoon) just to get you to pay the higher price. @halfway I think I know

 

lets get together and send them a letter?

 

I was in the Fourways area this weekend, having to fulfil a promise to buy my two kids each a fighter fish for their separate aquaria. Well, same story, dozens of polytops with barely 100 ml of water in them, and several fish looking like death is only an inch away. I managed to find two fish that were okay, but it left me feeling guilty for supporting the practice. Even my kids (5 and 8 y/o), asked how it is possible to keep fish like that. I honestly didn't have an answer for them.

 

It is bad the way these fish get treated and its the same every where you go

 

I find it truly offensive and disgusting, some of these fish are in containers that probably do not contain more than 250ml of tepid water, mostly PET jars, with probably few if any water changes. The only way to change this is to find an acceptable standard from a recognised source and/or expert on how these fish are meant to be kept, and inform shops of this.

My experience when raising this with shops, has been a shrug of the shoulders, and a (mental) middle finger.

An initiative such as this would have to have the backing of a group like TASA, SPCA, or a significant number of its members, so it packs some punch. If shops ignore the legitimate standards, then name, shame, use of social media, and boycott offenders until the practise changes.

Yesterday I went into a pet shop to get some tubing, I had a colleague with me who has no interest in fish, he spotted the Betta's and was truly horrified.

 

From the Australian SPCA website, How should I keep and care for Siamese fighting fish? - RSPCA Australia knowledgebase at the basic level, these shops seem to be getting it wrong. I know the website refers to keeping, and shops are selling, but the basics are the minimum....

 

Agreed!

I have been to pet shops all over Gauteng and the conditions the bettas are kept in are horrifying so say the least. These "temporary homes" are not maintained properly if at all. 98% of the bettas I have come across either have clamped fin, sbd, fin rot or some sort of disease (not being treated). Claiming to be the best betta retailer is one thing, but to do so and sell dying fish to the public is another.

Surely, if the fish are kept in a healthy environment they would look more appealing and in turn the lfs will sell more of them as well.

I have found 1 pet shop in the westrand that supports this, they keep 1 betta per display (60 liter) tank with comparable fish. They even have dumbo bettas, picking mine up tomorrow

 

Pet Stop has a nice setup for their bettas with filtration and all. Much better than the small jars.

 

Spare a thought of the supply chain - but yeah it does seem like we missed the boat on what is OK treatment of bettas in ZAF.



Later Ferdie

 

As long as people keep buying they will keep supplying.

 

I say some planted 1ft tanks with heater and filter +20% daily water change sounds good and is appealing to customers.Throw in an exotic Betta and voisla complete setup sold.

 

The big difference in ZAF betta males selling and what I have seen in thailand, malasia, singapore, hong kong, we sell them from plastic jars - they do the display in glass, you get the plastic bottle to take your beta home with you and then it was white non-translucent jars. The reason why I noticed this - and took the pic - females typically get sold from bags like loads of other fish ...

Females in the right and middle bags



Later Ferdie