The photo clearly focuses on feeding bloodworms, which should not be a staple diet, also in the USA, frozen bloodworms are not true bloodworms, they are actually midge fly larvae which are raised in basically sewer water, and known to cause bacterial infections and bloat (as well as fatal bloat). The photo recommends 5-10 gallons minimum, which is great, however….look again at the "tank mate" section. There is no additional information, which is crucial for tank mates. Shrimp and small snails (such as ramshorn snails, bladder snails, Malaysian trumpet snails, and/or a single nerite snail) are fine for a FIVE gallon, but nothing more. Pygmy corys and rasboras are okay for a 10 gallon, but I wouldnt recommended having both species with a betta in a 10 gallon, the photo also fails to mention that these are schooling fish which need to be kept in groups of 6+. Kuhli loaches are also listed as tank mates here, kuhli loaches are also schooling fish, and also need a minimum of 20 gallons, not 5 or 10 gallons.
I will be attempting to reach out to who made this photo (website link in bottom right of photo, but their website doesnt have a contact option so I'll be doing some digging), to make them aware of this inaccurate information and the large amount of people that are consistently sharing the inaccurate information to beginners.
https://i.redd.it/81qx4hd7y9bg1.jpeg
Posted by inkisbad124
3 Comments
Well I agree and disagree also.
It is a great start when you are new to the hobby but it is the responsibility of each and everyone to do their own research and ask questions – before starting / buying anything.
I feel like putting too much information is more babysitting / baby assisting.
When people see this kind of explicative image, they should go from one information to another and research about it until they understand it.
But that is just the way I do things and it has always prevented me from making big mistakes.
And I just saw it too and thought it was great.
Do you have a better resource? Like a quick reference guide?
I’m only in it for my kids so I don’t really want to read a novel.
Amen! I hard disagree (but respectfully) that a 5 is fine for a nerite because it’s just not. And certainly never a newer tank. They are wild caught roaming, migratory snails and they deserve more space and high flow plus their temps in captivity really matter and those aren’t in line with many betta tanks. They have to have enough surface area in an enclosure, they can too easily starve or live malnourished lives in 5. It is better for them, like most peaceful creatures, to not be alone too. There are studies on aquatic snails kept isolated as well as studies that they show fear and finally, a study that sought to look for anxiety in particular and yep, they (like other inverts studied before them) experience what we call anxiety and what was used in that study was water fish were in. Inverts aren’t just sentient, they have more in common with us than we realize and they deserve better. Best temps for *most* inverts and other tropical fish are usually lower than what many betta tanks are kept as. That means a shortened lifespan but from a serious ethical perspective, deliberately housing a wild caught being that *cannot* reproduce in a freshwater tank in temps that can cause it’s reproductive organs to be more active is unacceptable. I don’t think it’s great when it’s done to other snails like Mysteries either, but it’s heartbreaking how a being that’s so exploited (bettas, still exploited, were once victims of guides that come from the trade all being wrong too) doesn’t get a better life with perks that can come without the dangers in the wild. Definitely not ranting *at* you btw but a nerite isn’t fine housed in a 5 by itself with a betta, and per research, other smaller snails aren’t either depending on your personal philosophies and ethics. I think we should stop recommending tankmates in general or at least provide the full story of their care and tank requirements. Nerites get done so dirty. The standard/general minimum for a nerite is a 10 gallon. The aquatic snail sub is also a great place for info on them. There are even entire threads about how different they are and keeping them together. There are gastropodologists and malacologists in this world and some participate in that sub along with experienced keepers we can learn from. We know they live over a decade with proper care which is pretty shocking until you realize just how many are kept without enough food in tanks too warm.
My issue with this image is suggesting tank mates, especially inverts, without even mentioning pH/gH/KH, it’s just like “here, these won’t harm your fish, all good”. This is a betta sub and this Is not a sub where invert carers or experts are congregated and I don’t think folks who have expertise with bettas should ever recommend another species to put in an enclosure without even providing basic info on the needs of that being. You need to test/know pH/GH/KH and be willing to change the tank for an invert because they have specific requirements and this is “shelled friend 101” yet so commonly missed by betta owners. This guide leads to bad decisions that can harm living beings put in a box with a betta but the wikis in this sub do the same exact thing. Most people care and wouldn’t want to improperly keep an animal but unfortunately many people get their info about other animals here or only research if a being is going to harm a betta and they don’t encounter accurate info, which usually makes them feel bad, until they run into better info after the fact or when there’s an issue. I get so disheartened by this sub because out of all the communities who should be quick to grasp that this industry provides improper info and mistreats aquatic animals because they simply survive it, I would think a community built around bettas to provide the info the stores/trade/sellers misinform us about would be the first to refrain from doing the same thing to other living, sentient beings.
Good on you for taking steps to hopefully stop the spread of this commonly used tool. I think that’s awesome, and it’s so so great to see! ❤️🥳