Fish Lovers 2.0

[Bolt1784]

A top photo and a couple other sides would help.

Definitely a trilineatus? ♥

[MacGyver]

Yup. Definitely need to sell some plants.

[CSF]

Sooo, my zebra danio is really really fat but still swims around avidly and is mean to the other danios. Is something wrong with her? She looks like she going to explode but is acting as though she normally would.

[makoto niijima]

Um.Guys Betta Fish Are Fine In Bowls. My Best Friend Had A Few Bettas,Now She Has One In A Bowl.So I Asked some people at my PetSmart And They Said That They Are Fine in Bowls And Tanks.And That They Would Not Care What They Are In.So Why Should I Waste My Money?

[Firefly_Dreamer]

Um.Guys Betta Fish Are Fine In Bowls. My Best Friend Had A Few Bettas,Now She Has One In A Bowl.So I Asked some people at my PetSmart And They Said That They Are Fine in Bowls And Tanks.And That They Would Not Care What They Are In.So Why Should I Waste My Money?

Well, im gonna quote some people here because they explain it better than i could.

I went out and changed my 1.5 gal tank for a 8 gal tank, just for one betta.. which according to the guy who sold it to me said that was more then enough for a betta, but i just want the fish to be happy.

Most people will try to tell you bettas are happier in small tanks because they live in "puddles".
Those "puddles" are hundreds of gallons or larger.
Your betta will be much happier in an 8 gallon than a 1.5.
Don't forget a gentle filter and a small heater. ^^

Then yeah those are too small c:
Its a variety of reasons. Similar to why some people put goldfish in bowls. They don't know better or have been told wrong information.
Companies make Betta and goldfish bowls so people think they're ok and buy them. And since Bettas are pretty hardy and can survive in small volumes of cold and unfiltered water they think they're thriving in it c: Or they think that since bettas have a labirynth organ and occasionally survive in small areas of water for short periods that they're ok to live there forever.
They hear that Bettas live in puddles and don't realise that those puddles are really, really big
Lots of people don't do any or much research when they go out and buy an animal and end up not taking care of it properly.

A Betta 'puddle'
Everyone else has already explained it c:

Also siamese fighting fish. As in Siam/Thailand.

Some of these are from quite some time ago, but i figured they would help.
For bowls it is also hard to get a filter in and a heater/thermometer.

[wibeke]

Um.Guys Betta Fish Are Fine In Bowls. My Best Friend Had A Few Bettas,Now She Has One In A Bowl.So I Asked some people at my PetSmart And They Said That They Are Fine in Bowls And Tanks.And That They Would Not Care What They Are In.So Why Should I Waste My Money?

Petsmart employees don't really know much of anything about fish. There are certainly exceptions (my Petsmart definitely has a few good fish people and most of them at least try to give good advice) but for any questions about fish you're much better off talking to either experienced fish keepers or doing research on the internet for yourself.
Bettas can live in (large) bowls, but it's much more difficult to keep them healthy that way. It's hard to fit a heater, which is necessary for bettas because they are tropical fish, in anything less than a gallon and even then finding heaters that are small and reliable enough can be difficult.
The shape of the tank doesn't matter nearly as much as how much it holds. A 2 gallon bowl is much better than a .5 gallon "betta tank." The bigger the tank, the easier it is to keep it clean and the more room the fish has to swim around. Most people generally recommend at least 2.5 gallons because it's much better for the fish, and much easier for you to take care of.
When I first got my betta I kept him in a tiny, .5 gallon "tank." I moved him to a heated, filtered 10 gallon tank and he was like a completely different fish. He seemed okay in the small tank, but as soon as I moved him he went from a kind of dull, lazy fish to an active, incredibly bright and curious, incredibly happy little betta. He doesn't even look like the same fish. So I'd disagree with that Petmart employee. My betta certainly cared a lot!

And honesty, if you don't want to "waste" your money, you might want to look into a different hobby. Keeping even small, relatively low maintenance fish like bettas in a proper setup can easily get very expensive. You can keep a betta in a small, unheated and uncleaned bowl (meaning that it will survive, not thrive)
A puppy can survive in a crate all it's life if you give it food and water and clean out the cage every once in a while. But that puppy is not going to be happy and it will probably get sick from constantly sitting in it's own waste. Technically, the puppy is alive and I saved a ton of money on dog toys and leashes and all of that, but the animal isn't getting the care he needs. It's the same for fish.

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Tango has gotten a lot worse since last night. There's now red blotches on his pectoral fins. His medication hasn't come yet, and at this point I'm not all that hopeful that he's going to live to see it.
The only good news is that there's a tiny bit of regrowth on his tail, and apart from not eating, and his behavior is still the same as before. I wish there was more I could do for the poor thing.

[makoto niijima]

Yea,But I Change his water regularly without a filter.and i heat his water By Putting it near a heater. then i check if the waters good

[Dakotak]

Yea,But I Change his water regularly without a filter.and i heat his water By Putting it near a heater. then i check if the waters good

How do you check the water hun and what do you check for?

Filters are awesome devices, if you can't make sure the water is clean you know the filters are making it clean as long as your filter is cycled. Also without a filter the tank should be cleaned every day or every other day. Fish poop everyday and it needs to be cleaned somehow.
You wouldn't want to use a toilet everyday that already has waste in it. What happens if an emergency comes up and you cant make sure the water is clean, or you have to leave? The filters are a safety net.

The only way I can think of having a tank without a filter is called a wastland method. Thats where the tank is filtered naturally through plants.

Also the issue with that way of heating is that it might not be stable. If the temperature fluctuates he can get sick. Just like if you went in and out of a cold place to a warm place it can shock your body. Heaters keep the water at a warm, stable temp.

Also Petsmart, petco,petland are out to make money. So keeping fish in bad conditions where they will die when someone buys it, then that person comes to buy a new fish, works in their favor. Vs we have nothing to gain from lying to you. Im not saying all employees are like that,but a lot dont care about the fish and want to make money.

All in all, he is your fish. You can decide how to keep him but at the end of the day we are just trying to help you and him out so you both enjoy your lives together.

[Equid Phantasm]

On a betta breeders input, even I, myself, as a breeder of betta fish do not recommend bowls. A betta needs 2.5 gallons or better. Feel free to paruse the internet for the larger betta farms in Thailand and Taiwan and you'll find their fish live in huge tanks, not tiny little bowls.

If you consider giving your loving pet betta (And yes, I did say loving pet, fish are pets just same as cats, dogs, gerbils, etc.) the proper place to live and thrive instead of just "live" a bother and too expensive or not worth your time, I agree, you should not have a pet, much less a pet that requires daily maintenance.

Equid

[Cardinal]

For those that breed betta. I have a question.

I'm thinking of breeding betta in the distant future, obviously not petstore fare. For housing fry before selling would this set-up work: Large shallow bin (20-30gal), thats filled, with individual floating deli-type cups. Each cup has multiple small punctures (pin-type pricks) and lids with punctures. The bin has heater(s) and filter(s).

Would a set up like that work for fry?