Steve wrote:
Gill Passman wrote:

Steve wrote:

With all the betta discussion lately, can someone tell me about
bettas in plastic cups? Why are they offered for sale this way? The
losses must be great and the fish don't look attractive for purchase.

Also, when do the fish go into the plastic cups? Is it for transport,
or are they raised in there? Thanks for any information.

Steve




IMO if you are buying any fish you need to provide them with adequate
and suitable accomodation as you would any pet.....I would never keep
a fish such as a betta in anything other than a heated, filtered 5
gall (UK) tank....it is not possible to buy anything smaller at the
reputable places I shop....that being said I do understand that bettas
can be kept successfully in smaller, filtered, heated tanks quite
happily - although I would think that probably a 2 gall would be the
minimum....anything less and without the adequate provisions for what
is a tropical fish IMO is cruel on a long term basis - afterall they
need room to swim. Now obviously when breeding bettas a 2 gall tank
for each of the fry is impractical which is why I believe most
reputable breeders would go for a heated room therefore ensuring that
the fish are kept at the right temps and smaller containers with more
frequent water changes - in most cases, other than the very committed
hobbyiest breeding these fish is a business and it is in the breeders
interest for the fish to survive...at least til they hit the shops...

Now, I don't breed bettas, although I do have two males that both live
in their 20L (5UK gall) tanks....I would never consider keeping them
in a cup or small bowl...to me, it just doesn't seem right....

There is a trend, (horrible market), for selling bettas in
vases...they are condemed to living in a small vase with a non-aquatic
plant taking up most of the air space (so they had limited real air to
breath). I believe the advice was that they would live on the plant
roots - but bettas are carnivorous....the idea as far as I can see is
that these fish were treated as ornaments rather than live
animals....as expendable as a bunch of flowers....what you are
describing very much smacks of this type of mentality...."look you can
own a fish that can survive in a cup" - absolute rubbish - and by your
question I can very much see that you are of the same opinion....

All of this is based on my research, what I have heard from other more
experienced betta keepers, the contentment of my bettas in their 5
gall tanks and a gut feeling that it is just so, so very wrong to
provide any living creature with cramped conditions where they just
survive rather than have any quality of life....hey, ho JMO

Gill



Gill,
Thanks for sharing your betta experiences. I've had 3 male bettas in
long history of keeping aquariums, and two lasted less than a year for
me. The last one lasted perhaps 1.5 year, and it was in a planted,
heated, unfiltered 2 gallon plastic aquarium.

Stores housing/ selling bettas in plastic cups is a trend here in
Canada; its virtually impossible to find bettas in large aquariums in
the stores. All the betta discussion here lately prompted my
question. I'm really quite curious about the reasons behind plastic cup
bettas, although I think the fish stores expect customers to move their
bettas to something larger than a cup once they get home.
Steve

Hi Steve,

I've never seen bettas on sale in the UK other than in tanks....maybe
it's the places I go to....

Gill