What fish (other than bettas) don't need a filter

[Roan Art]

She asked about what fish didn't need a setup and would live in a bowl, and I implied that gouramis might since they are similiar to bettas in terms of breathing... which got me a glare from the co worker. Which made me wonder, why is it uncouth to torment gouramis when it is just fine to do the same to bettas?

It's not couth to torment either. I'm not sure why you would even suggest any fish to her if you know she's just going to stick it in a vase or bowl?

Is the co-worker who glared at you the same one who sold her the goldfish? If it is, he or she has a lot of nerve giving you a dirty look after sentencing those goldfish to death. I thought were were out of the dark ages with goldfish. Guess not.

There's a well-known myth that bettas live in puddles, and they can, in fact, survive in small quantities of water. It's a temporary thing that bettas can do in order for them to survive in the wild and live until the next rainy season. Unfortunately people took that as meaning that they can live -- permanently -- in small vases and bowls.

No such myth exists for gouramis that I'm aware of, so people don't think of keeping them like that. Thank goodness.

Roan

 

[Liz]

It's not couth to torment either. I'm not sure why you would even suggest any fish to her if you know she's just going to stick it in a vase or bowl?

I know it's not couth to torment either. It was kind of sarcasm... I guess I meant, in society's eyes... what's socially acceptable. It gives me a slight euphoria to see bettas in 10+ gallons. But she was asking about what kind of fish to keep in a vase, and my co worker seemed bent on selling her something, and I was trying to think that if she didn't want a betta what else might tolerate the vase without too much damage...

Is the co-worker who glared at you the same one who sold her the goldfish? If it is, he or she has a lot of nerve giving you a dirty look after sentencing those goldfish to death. I thought were were out of the dark ages with goldfish. Guess not.

He's a nice guy and he knows a lot but I guess he's developed an apathy towards fish by now. He sells brackish fish as freshwater, and I don't know to what extent I am expected to lie. I mentioned once that GSPs prefer brackish and he hushed me up. He knows but he sells them anyways. I don't think the owner knows about the brackish thing, and I don't think he would want him doing it (this coworker puts in the orders for all the freshwater). But I don't want to be some "tattle tale", especially since I am new there.

I don't see why it's perfectly okay to keep feeder fish in horrible conditions and be fed to things, when prettier fish are treated like gods. It disgusts me that subjective unconcious human preferance dictates the health and futures of one species over another, especially when the minds of the differing species are nearly identical....

I also hate seeing dead fish in the tanks. Maybe I haven't worked there long enough, but I hope to never get to where all that the corpse means to me is a loss of money.

 

[gagaliya]

I never understood why bettas are sold in little 1/4 gallon bowls and then keeped in something similar at someones home?!! :mad2: They are still a fish and need room to swim. This is a petpeave of mine, it makes me very angry.

I have keeped a flame dwarf gourami in a 3.5 gallon vase for quite a while

sorry that makes no sense at all

 

[Liz]

3.5 gallons is 14 times the size of 1/4 a gallon...

 

[Roan Art]

I know it's not couth to torment either. It was kind of sarcasm... I guess I meant, in society's eyes... what's socially acceptable. It gives me a slight euphoria to see bettas in 10+ gallons. But she was asking about what kind of fish to keep in a vase, and my co worker seemed bent on selling her something, and I was trying to think that if she didn't want a betta what else might tolerate the vase without too much damage...

Nod, I understand. Bettas can tolerate a vase much better than a goldfish can. Goldfish, depending on the type, need 20-30gallons for 1 fish. They produce a lot of waste. That's why most goldfish in bowls only live a couple of years. In a proper tank they can live 20+ years. Might want to tell your co-worker that.

He's a nice guy and he knows a lot but I guess he's developed an apathy towards fish by now. He sells brackish fish as freshwater, and I don't know to what extent I am expected to lie. I mentioned once that GSPs prefer brackish and he hushed me up. He knows but he sells them anyways. I don't think the owner knows about the brackish thing, and I don't think he would want him doing it (this coworker puts in the orders for all the freshwater). But I don't want to be some "tattle tale", especially since I am new there.

Sounds like you're stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I don't see why it's perfectly okay to keep feeder fish in horrible conditions and be fed to things, when prettier fish are treated like gods. It disgusts me that subjective unconcious human preferance dictates the health and futures of one species over another, especially when the minds of the differing species are nearly identical....

Neither do I.

I also hate seeing dead fish in the tanks. Maybe I haven't worked there long enough, but I hope to never get to where all that the corpse means to me is a loss of money.

Bide your time. Read everything you can here. Ask questions and learn. Make a good impression on the boss, then make your move towards better kept fish. Always have a reputable reference to back up whatever you tell them. It's hard to argue with facts.

Roan

 

[Onikun]

Liz sold it to her because thats Liz's job. to sell fish. It doesn't matter what the customer is going to do with it if you're just an employee for a retailer. If they want it then you sell it. Don't be so hard on her.

 

[Liz]

I guess in a way I don't see what's the big deal about fish being mistreated, when so many feederfish and such are mistreated constantly and nobody complains for them.

 

[stingray4540]

sorry that makes no sense at all

I was stating how I feel about keeping fish in such small quarters, then I answered his question by telling him that it is possible to keep dwarf gourami's in bowls, because I have, but it drove me nuts to have to keep him in there, and it was alot of work doing that many water changes.

 

[reziztor]

I guess in a way I don't see what's the big deal about fish being mistreated, when so many feederfish and such are mistreated constantly and nobody complains for them.

Although most hardcore breeders/fish keepers would deny it, I suspect its the "Untermensch" ideal.

 

[misopeenut]

actually if you have enough plants and enough lighting, you can keep about 5 tetra in a gallon tank.
my friend is doing it right now
no light, no filter no co2, nothing.
just remember to not feed so much, and for first few weeks might have to change some water but after that all she does is just add water.
it is possible