shadoh Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 (edited) Is it wrong that I feel bad that I sold 2 of my bettas to live out this kind of existence? Am I sounding like the betta nazi club or am I being an overprotective betta father? Perhaps I am just a snob when it comes to fluro coloured pebbles, cutsie ornaments and plastic plants They had originally been put in the bigger bowl together. I was sent the following photo and asked to come up with a solution. Note the big chunk that has been taken out of the caudal of the girl up top... Edited January 26, 2011 by shadoh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Holy mother of god, my EYES!! Put a warning on this thread. *puts sunglasses on* Okay.. Yep, it looks bloody awful (to us), but I guess it means the owner loves them. It could be worse. They could of been fed to a lionfish (don't ask..). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Those look like my tanks... NOT! Don't worry about it, they are separate now. Maybe suggest a silk plant? You can get pretty pink ones. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannonbjs Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Bahahahahahaha @Yan lol lol I guess it's one of those things - although you might not agree with how they are being kept sadly you cannot control what other people do with their animals / fish all one can do is believe in how they are caring for their pets. Atleast they are not in yucky dirty water with nothing to hide/rest on - so it soooooo could be worse :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 LOL @ Yan, that's exactly what I thought when I saw the pics. I guess it is just a matter of taste and at the end of the day, she was concerned enough to ask advise and proud enough to show me the homes she has provided. @Sarah, I have suggested a silk plant instead of the plastic one. @Shannon, they are in clean water as they have only been in their new home 3 days (not that I am suggesting that they won't be kept clean...)BTW Yan, you can't make a statement like feeding bettas to lionfish, then say "don't ask" ....Spill! *lol* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Ummm... I think I have something to confess... I have this shelf above my 3ft and little spawning tank, in which I keep jars. In front of the jars, there are two little fishy ornaments - they are very much like the seahorse, no exactly like the seahorse, but fish-fish. A pink one, and a blue one - BUT they are no where near as glittery (many years old, been in the tree-house so they have faded). Imagine something like the seahorse with no glitter, and there you go. If it matters, on top of the fish-cupboard there is a cute little bowl with blue painted flowers, with a round blueberry scented candle inside. Oh, don't forget the white pebbles. But hey, I don't keep multi-coloured gravel. DON'T HATE ME!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Well I was going to pick up a tank+stuff one day, we were loading up the gear it came out I had betta. Guy says he used to have a fighter, kept it in a bowl on the kitchen counter (sigh). He came home one day to find the bowl empty, looked around the counter and couldn't see it so he asked his daughter what happened to it, "He was boring, he always just sat there and didn't do anything so I fed him to the lionfish." says the seven year old girl... Oy gads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 :eek: I can't believe that!Jarrod - do they have names? Bootiful Princess... Cupcake... Angel... Cutie Pie... Twinkles... all come to mind. :giggle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 "He was boring, he always just sat there and didn't do anything so I fed him to the lionfish." says the seven year old girl... Hope her future husband doesn't think he's going to get away with lazing round watching sport on tv!!!!! LOL..... sounds like she's going to grow up to be a black widow!!!! Re the tanks Shaddoh.... always hope the best for your fish but ..... the decor of those tanks!!!! LOL.... at least they look like they hold a couple of litres each and not just one of those tiny "Betta tanks"... maybe you can give a subtle hint that the more water they're in the less cleaning they will have to do to the bowls.... and the more pretty ornaments they can fit in there!!!!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TasV Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 (edited) Jarrod, you know... this is an opportunity to induct another into the Betta fold. They are asking your advice, and sending you photos, and acting on your advice. You should send something back saying that they look great but if you really want to see the best out of your fish (mention exercise and tail development etc), get them a larger tank, and recommend the benefits of real plants (mention duckweed first), etc etc etc and then let slip this place where they can get loads of good advice. This is a golden opportunity, not something to be down about ;) Edited January 26, 2011 by TasV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 I did ask..... That is terrible Yan... Sarah, you are sooooo close it is scary. They have been named Kandi and Kristall. When I first heard it, I thought, great - my fish have stripper names! I really need to let go. Sold 2 boys today... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Jarrod, you know... this is an opportunity to induct another into the Betta fold. Tas, it is a good idea in theory. I tried to explain the benefit of live plants (ie: Java Moss) - I am not the best at keeping plants alive, but I haven't managed to kill off Java Moss yet. Offered some free IALs, but was turned down because they "stain the water and ornaments". I received an email from her this afternoon telling me that I am wrong about regular water changes and that a friend told her that she changes the water in her betta bowl once a month because bettas get sick and die if you are constantly changing water. It's not like I was recommending the daily water changes that I am currently doing for the fry in unfiltered 2lt bottles. I suggested a weekly water change. I guess the friend is more knowledgeable than the breeder... I give up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 They have been named Kandi and Kristall. Kandi.. um, Ok.. but the name Krystal is actually a very beautiful name, I really like it (not exactly their spelling and how it is probably said, but the name in general is nice). I think their friend is confused with frequent 100% water changes.. they'll come around, don't worry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Lol at tanks...........the fish are the ones that need the sunglasses!!!!!!! Don't know what to say Jarrod, try to forget about them, move on, plenty more to come, only the first of many you will sell all sound good........but I know how you would feel. Regarding looking after these guys, if you did what we do to these fish (eg 100% W/C daily) every day and did that to any other fish I have kept before, they would be dead in a week. Easy for some one with limited experience to get the message wrong or be unsure after talking to others with limited experience but different fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenGirl13 Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Well I've looked at those photos twice (once with the shades on B) !!) and I am speechless!! Lovely fish Shadoh but unfortunatly no matter how many horses you drag down to the water trough you can't make 'em drink. Their new owner is obviously quite proud of them and you have at least managed to get her to seperate them. But oh dear.... the decor, the names....dread to think what the rest of the house must look like Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 People are lazy, the strong majority will go with crappy info if it means they have to do less.. such as water changes, for example. but the name Krystal is actually a very beautiful name Why thank you. :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenGirl13 Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Yan you are so right. The main reason a lot of people will buy Bettas is because they see them in those little containers at the LFS, are given inappropriate care info (unfortunately more often than not by same LFS) and think YAY! pretty little live decoration with no work involved. I was actually speaking to an LFS employee yesterday who was going to put a male Betta in her 2ft tank with 6 large goldfish !! I didn't really know where to start with the lecture but start I did and 20 minutes later she was suitably ashamed and asking for more info. I am taking a copy of the Betta Care Sheet in to the shop today, which the manager has agreed to give to those who want a Betta, to read while they are choosing a fish. I call that a win Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 (edited) Oh believe me, I work in an LFS. You wouldn't believe some of the stuff I hear. The majority of people are ALWAYS more willing to try the cheap way out. Some will learn and do stuff like get a heater and do water changes. Other will just move onto their 6th Fighter in a year. Edited January 26, 2011 by Yan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnylass Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 FlameDragon is there a link to where you got the Betta Care Sheet? Or is it your own version? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volvodriver Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 @ Sunnylass. It's a sticky in the General Discussion section on here. I know what you mean about people choosing to go with the missinformed advice. I was asked by my sister if i could arrange a betta to give to her kids for Christmas. I went through everything with her before getting one and checked with her that she was fine with the care she was going to have to give. I lectured her on proper care and as she was only keeping it in a 4ish litre bowl i told her to do 50-70% water changes ect ect, went and got her a nice fancy CT that i'd seen on multiple occasions at someone's and gave them it for Christmas. Fish is doing fine until she goes away for 3 days, i told her that the fish will be fine for that amount of time and she won't need to worry one little bit, just don't overfeed it when you get home. Of course she walks into LFS, who tells her to buy one of those holiday block things, she checks with me before putting it in and i said it's probably not the greatest idea because it'll just break down and make the water into a toxic mess, but of course the LFS staff must know best (they really don't, i later found out that it was the same store i had to convince the guy that 2 of his fish were difinately dead and that the rest had a severe case of what looked like velvet). She puts the block in and comes back to a very sick fish, i don't get informed that the thing is dying so that i can actualy do anything, i get an email that it's changed color, i send back a reply asking more details 2 days later get the reply that it had died and asking where to get another one, I give her 3 options close to home as well as someone, but she goes back to the same LFS that killed the last one, buys one and of course it dies in 4 days (probably already had something to begin with). BTW, i have now found out that the very well informed guy at the LFS reommended she only does 20-30% water changes, so when she was getting rid of the toxic mess that she found at the bottom of the previous ones bowl, she was just performing 30% water change in fear that she would kill it with too much clean water.... Moral of the story is, we who spend hours and hours of our day researching these things and have tanks of healthy fish coming out of our ears know nothing, the kid who works at the LFS because it gets him a bit of pocket money to buy candy at the end of the day obviously is more of an expert. Rant over! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Thankyou Volvodriver. Very well put and this is what I will now give people to read after they have bought a fish, I have told them what to do and how to keep them happy, they then go to LFS and question everything I have told them. Waiting for the call now to say they are having problems. :-(. Just so annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenGirl13 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 (edited) @ sunnylass - volvodriver is right and its copiable/saveable/ printable or whatever the words are that i need here (sorry brainfade day today, not only am I now treating my lovely new YoYos for Ich but I also have two guppy girls trying to give birth at the same time... bit of a scramble round here today!! ) see what I mean... I was talking about the betta care sheet. (Not that volvodriver isn't right otherwise of course) God i give up... have confused myself now Jo Edited January 27, 2011 by FlameDragon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_95 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 I hate it when no matter what you say the lfs is always right >:-( I hate the "they live in puddles so they don't need water changes and like small bowls" one!!!!!!!!!!!! If I ever help some one getting a betta I tell them they really need a minimum od 5 gallons because many people will not do bi-weekly water changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Betta care sheet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spanger Posted April 17, 2011 Report Share Posted April 17, 2011 I'm too scared to show you guys my tank... he he he. And the best comparison I have read (remember I'm a newbie) is that while it's true you can keep a chook in a battery cage and it will lay it's certainly not a nice life. I never planned on keeping my (soon to be fish) in a betta bowl but after reading the battery chicken comparison something just clicked for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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