Did you guys know that most bettas kept in Asian households are almost always kept in little containers or small tanks?
Back before I kept my first betta and did some research, it was always common to think bettas are easy fish to take care of. Throw them in a jar, feed regularly and they will thrive.
You tell them that bettas need 5 gallon tanks. They call you crazy. You tell them they need decorations. They throw in some colorful pebbles and they're done. The last picture shows a betta in this bowl that this pet store is selling. It shows that keeping bettas in bowls or small tanks and containers are the norm.
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1oxshuo
Posted by EstablishmentFine820
7 Comments
And to be honest, I don’t understand it, it’s just basic common sense if you think about it for five minutes. You don’t even have to know anything about fish, it’s enough to think about how animals live, what their instincts are, and then you can roughly figure out what is acceptable and what isn’t for pretty much any animal.
I also can’t understand the “puddle myth,” and why people still believe it. How are fish supposed to reproduce in the wild if they supposedly live alone in tiny puddles?
Yes, I did know this. It’s sad how deeply the abuse is ingrained in some cultures.
Show keepers literally say this to sell off specialized betta tanks (it’s just a small fishtank)
I remember as a kid my parents were always into fish keeping and when they’d send me to get a betta or guppies the shopkeepers would always try n sell the tiny tank too and when I’d disagree with them they’d be like “ur a kid”
Most people ik have huge tanks for their bettas but the plants and substrate inside aren’t well maintained.
It’s not just bettas, sadly. I have many qualms with the way animals are viewed in many Asian countries. Things like goldfish, birds and turtles are also kept in tiny tanks/cages with bad food, dirty water, no enrichment.
They’re seen in many cultures as “bringing wealth/prosperity/long life/etc” so people will put them in their houses but not care for them anywhere near appropriately. Which breaks my heart. Tbh if I believed a turtle would bring me a long life, I’d be pampering that turtle til the end of my days, or theirs, whichever comes first lol
I recommend this documentary[Revealing the Life of Betta Fish](https://youtu.be/vo99l-U3bGE?si=EX6yKvZaG4qNWM9b)
Yes, they do live in shallow waters and they can survive in “puddles” but that is because of the loss of natural habitat which endangers their species. In that documentary, the man who counts how many bettas are left in their forest and reports it to the board finds bettas in tree husks because the waters are depleting and the bettas try to find water where they can. Now, no thanks to deforestation, they are also forced to live in small waters… Which is sad 😮💨
The kids he brings along with to find bettas hope they can protect their wild fish 💔
i keep mine in a 14g and i still think it’s too small. their personality and individuality grows and shows in larger setups. bettas in larger tanks are also less stressed and violent. mine is currently sleeping with my cories which would be near impossible in a smaller tank system
Asian here. I won’t say that this believe is correct, but I can understand why people believe in that.
First of all, Asian houses usually don’t have much space. Many people still lives in small house with many family members. So a 40x20cm space for a 5G tank can be quite a luxury for just 1 fish. That same space can be used to put a small fridge or a washing machine, or just leave as a precious empty space in a crowded living area.
Second, Asian usually don’t have much times. Many of the top coutries with the worst work-life-balance is in Asia. Worst case, people get back from work just have enough time to eat and sleep. Not to mention, many kid after a long list of extra lesson after school and parents have to take care of them. So finding time to take care of a 5G tank, doing water change and clear the glass is hard. For small tank, they can just pour water out like they do with a water bottle.
Thid is budget. Big tank is quite expensive for a hobby. I remember that back when I was small, I would need to save every penny of my allowance for 6 months to buy a 5G tank alone. Meanwhile, a fish like betta is very cheap, usually a-tenth of a cost of the tank or cheaper. Not to mention the cost of light, filter, plant and all, the cost of a tank can be a 50 time more than the cost of the fish. Spending 50$ on a tank to keep a 1$ fish can be very non-intuitive.
So for many people, it is either a small tank or no fish at all. People very like pet, and fish is one of the cheapest pet. So they choose to believe the shopkeeper’s lie. It is a very normal human’s behaviour to believe to what they want to believe.