info on bettas

[ADAMHANK]

i kept bettas for years and i love'em, but now i see bettas in vases with flowers or plants in them.
is this cruel?
i thought that they needed to breathe air. with plants on top of them, how can they breathe the air?
someone was telling me that they feed off the roots so there was no need to feed them.
i just got mad and didnt want to hear anymore.

AdamHank

[TKOS]

The thought is that the bettas will eat the roots, then their waste will help the plant grow and the plant will oxygenate the water. Good theory but Bettas are carnivors. They will eventually start to eat the roots as the are starving. But the Betta will slowly waste away and the plant won't be able to keep up with the ammonia build up and the fish will die. It may take a month or so in some cases but it will happen.

Of course I guess that people who buy these use them for decoration and don't mind replacing them every so often

It does really suck. You couldn't get away with stuffing a cat in a big bottle with a plant, but aparently fish don't count.

[Dangerdoll]

And to add to this, you are correct, Bettas need to reach the surface to breath. Without being able to do so, the betta may drown. Whether it's starvation, ammonia poisoning, or drowning, the betta's most often die. They must be provided with a set-up which allows surface breathing, adequate food/feeding, and a clean tank with water changes.

[KateA.]

I've been telling my customers who ask to just forget the plant. Most people fill up the jar right to the top and don't leave an air pocket. 'Course with the plant and gravel in a cup on top of the water I doubt there is much air getting to the fish. I've had idiots who want to keep ferrets in a 10 gallon tank, so people just aren't thinking about the welfare of their pets. It's about what they want, what they have room for, what they have money for.

[fishdude]

very true kateA sad but true