Starving bettas at church

[bazil323]

Heck, even if they aren't doing water changes, won't agree to do them in the future, or accept someone else doing it, just getting them into a larger container with plants would help! Yeah, they still need filtration and all that, but at least they'd have more room and the water wouldn't get quite as dirty quite as fast. Kudos! Look on craigslist.com and at the local thrift shops/garage sales. I see tons of great deals in those places all the time.

I'd really not put any snails in there at all. Even if you are checking on them, snails are pretty dirty, and if there's no filtration (and especially if there's no wc), then the snails would really make the betta habitat unlivable. Believe me, I tried it when I was first keeping bettas, and both the snail and the betta died within a month.

 

[Neervana]

forget about asking them to let you take care of the bettas, i cant stand to hear animals being made to suffer liek this. say nothing about the bettas then just take them one day and they will never know it was you...because why would you care?!!! right...if you were like them...but if you do say something about the fish then when its gone, they will remember it was you who asked!

 

[skyypeaches]

I'll PM you one, BG. Glad you did something to improve the bettas' conditions.

Hi Lupin,
Can you PM me a copy as well? Would be a good guide to have as a referrence. Thanks!

Bettagurl. keep us updated! i hope they turn out ok!

 

[bettagurl]

Will do.
And even if I did go against my beliefs about stealing and took them, they would be replaced with 2 more.

 

[Neervana]

why would you want to replace them for? the people in that church will turn two perfectly healthy fish into anorexic ones again. just take them and say "god told me to ease their suffering" which would be the right thing to do, really..so no more fish, just take the bettas, and fill both vases with some flowers or something. shouldnt you have already taken them by now? its been a while..

 

[chefjamesscott]

well here is a thought for you since these are in a church library

you might want to remind them that in the book of proverbs it says the righteousness of a person is revealed by how they take care of their animals

as well you might want to remind them that adam was a steward of the animals given the task to care for their wellbeing by god

just a few thoughts for you

 

[Just Prince]

Wal-Mart for cheap small tanks.

 

[excuzzzeme]

I can't think of a better lesson than to use this to teach responsibility. If someone refuses to be responsible then announce your intention to "do the right thing by God's creatures" and that you will take correct responsibility since no one else seems to be willing to do so. I honestly don't think you will run into much resistance.

 

[tiki19]

Hi Bettagurl, First, I think it's awesome that you are trying to change this (common)practice, but I have to disagree with some of the above posters about the BUYERS being the problem. I just ran into this a few days ago with my mom, who is quite possibly the nicest person on earth, very far from stupid, and who would never knowingly hurt anything or anybody. She bought one of those Betta-in-a-vase things and honestly thought because he was in a tiny little container just increasing the size a tad was good for him and the plant. PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER KEPT FISH DON"T KNOW ANY BETTER.

The problem is where these people get the fish FROM. Breeders DO know better, but churn these fish out. Unfortunately for these fish they can survive (not thrive) in small containers, and even tho they have to be kept seperated, you can accomplish this with a jumbo pack of cups from Sam's club.

My mom's fish is now in a a 10g. Her $6.99 "act of kindness" is now uo to $70.00 or so, all of which she never would have started had she known any better at the time.

To all of you, think back to when you FIRST entered this hobby... I know I made mistakes I bought a common Pleco for a 10g because the guy at the LFS told me I NEEDED one to cycle and to keep my tank "super clean".

Anyway, my point is, these fish shouldn't be sold in cups at Wal-Mart, or in vases at Fleamarkets, and the problem is the SELLERS/BREEDERS. That's where the letters should be going, because there will always will be unsuspecting buyers, but the sellers know EXACTLY what and who they are selling to... children and people who don't know any better. They LIVE with these fish, breeding and seperating fry, and STILL don't give a rat's a** where they end up. Until they stop, not enough containers in the world will stem the tide.

Anyway, I commend you. My Betta, Willy, has been in a 32 for 2.5 years now, and I know where you're coming from. I feel the same way. If you're anywhere near DE, I'll give you any of my extra stuff to help, but if I were you, I'd find out where the poor guys came from, post the address, and let people give the BREEDER a mailbox full of "info" as well as care sheets for the buyers!!