What's with the Fish Nazis?

[Talitha]

I was in a pet store last week wanting to get either a Goldfish or a Betta. It's been a while since I've had any fish, and I really miss the tranqullity they bring into a room.

Anyway, the guy in charge of the fish tanks insisted that Goldfish need a 30 gallon tank... HUH?
I figured 'nutz to you' and went to the other pet store down the street.

Almost as soon as I walked in, I saw - and fell in love with - a 'Blue Butterfly' Betta... he was absolutely stunning! He was too pretty for my old acrylic Betta tank (it's seen its better days), so I picked out a new one that holds almost 2 gallons. A few colorful silk plants made their way into my cart, as well as a slender meditating figurine and a smiling, brightly colored Nemo statue... gotta have Nemo, right?

As I was on my way to the check-out, a stock-girl looked into my cart and said "You DO know that Bettas need at least a 10 gallon tank, right?"

I replied "Everyone knows that! This tank is for my new Kitten."

[ShazzieB]

1. Great retort!

Both of those guys were nuts. 2 gallons is fine for a betta, and insisting on 30 gallons for a goldfish sounds like code for "Let me see if I can get you to spend more money!"

[Talitha]

3. That's why I simply walked out.

Getting a big sale is what I thought he was after, too.

Glad I did, though. Otherwise I'd have never gone to the other store and found the Blue Butterfly Betta. As they say, all's well that ends well.

[SharonClark]

2. As a former aquarium owner...

I agree with the "stock-girl" that Bettas need a 10-gallon tank.

"Myth 1. Betta Fish Don't Need a Lot of Space
Perhaps the most popular myth is that bettas can live in small bowls. The opposite is true: Betta fish need a tank that's at least 5 gallons (19 liters), and 10 gallons (38 liters) is better. The origin behind this persistent myth is uncertain, but may come from the fact that bettas are often sold in small containers, and because they have some ability to breathe out of the water.

But bettas can be stressed if they're housed in close quarters, especially if they share space with fish perceived as rivals — for small tanks mean there's nowhere to hide. Even when housed with fish they get along with, they still need places to escape when they don't feel like socializing."

https://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/betta-fish-myths.htm

[Talitha]

4. Don't worry, he's not stressed at all.

There are no other fish in there with him - he's the King of the tank.

[happybird]

5. Many years ago, I had a Betta in a 10 gallon, octagon-shaped tank

Gustaf was gorgeous! Everyone who came over to the house exclaimed how they had never seen a Betta so large and pretty. He lived for many years (6 or 7, iirc) and I swear it was due to the size of the tank.

I hate seeing them jammed into those tiny bowls at the pet stores. Can’t even bear to stop and look.

[csziggy]

6. I was at Petsmart a couple of months ago

And wanted to buy cheap goldfish. They used to sell "feeder goldfish" for something like $2 for a dozen. Now their cheapest goldfish are like 75 cents each.

I used to buy the "feeder goldfish" and throw them in my concrete water troughs to help control the mosquitoes. Those things are several hundred gallons and the goldfish would get pretty close to pan sized. They happily propagated so I seldom had to replace them.

Unfortunately after I retired from running the farm, too often, the water troughs were let to get low enough that the raccoons and herons would catch the fish. And one idiot I leased to drained ALL the water out, ignoring the fish left flopping, and scrubbed the tanks out with bleach. I had a nice ecology going on, with algae, fish, bugs and such, and this moron killed it all.

I still need to get some cheap goldfish for my tanks. That or invest in bat houses soon. I think the bats will eat more moquitoes than the goldfish.

[Fla Dem]

7. At least 10 gallons is the recommended size of aquarium.

From Peta. Also some good tips on care of your Betta fish.

https://www.peta.org/features/never-buy-betta-fish-as-pets-how-siamese-fighting-fish-suffer/

Betta Fish Q&A: Why These Animals Aren’t ‘Starter Pets’

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Generally, no fish should be kept in a tank smaller than 10 gallons. However, a single betta can live in a 5-gallon tank—but more is always better. Most municipal tap water contains chlorine and chloramine, which will kill fish, so you must treat tap water properly with a water conditioner before adding it to an aquarium. Once a tank is fully set up with a properly working filter (bettas prefer low-flow settings), substrate, and decorations, the water must be cycled for several weeks before fish are added. Testing kits can help determine when the tank is done cycling. This will allow time for beneficial bacteria to grow, which are essential for breaking down toxic ammonia once fish are added to the tank. These bacteria convert fish waste into nitrates, which can be removed only with regular water changes. About 10% of the water in a tank should be removed and replaced once every week, and a gravel vacuum should be used to remove waste material from the substrate. Soaps and harsh chemicals should never be used to clean a tank, as these substances are deadly to fish.

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