#petindustry

Betta bowl kits are unhealthy environments for fish.

Betta fish need 5+ gal, filter, heater, and lots of environmental enrichment like plants and hiding spots.

April 2021 UPDATE: Marine Depot has updated their “Better Betta Care” website article to recommend a minimum of 5 gallons!!!

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Exciting news! @liveaquaria has updated the Betta fish tank size guidance on their website! They raised the suggested minimum for males from 0.25 to 5 gal, and for females from 1 to 5 gal.

I notified them about the petition for @petco to raise their recommended min Betta tank size from 0.25 to 3 gal. LiveAquaria was receptive and responsive -- in fact, their updated guidance raises the bar among industry leaders! While all of these retailers can continue to sell smaller tanks, some are giving their customers information that helps them make better choices. It is great to see a leader like LiveAquaria recognize the demand for proper Betta care information. This is a small step in the right direction! Will other retailers keep up? 😃

(Find on Instagram)

"Can I Have More Water?" Acrylic painting of the Penn-Plax Nature's Aquaponic Planter And Fish Habitat (0.5 gallon).

This tank is currently being sold at retailers like Walmart, Chewy, Amazon, and others.

It is described as a planter and aquarium that offers a "fun and educational environment" to teach families the relationship between plants and fish.

Live plants do absorb fish waste, but toxins will accumulate rapidly in this 0.5 gallon tank -- much faster than the plants can absorb.

The product packaging states it will "create a healthy habitat for your fish using plants as natural filtration." This gives the impression that it is a low-maintenance (and even self-cleaning) aquarium, when it still needs water changes every 1-2 days.

It is a non-stimulating environment for a fish to spend its entire life.

Penn-Plax is manufacturing some of the smallest and most inhumane Betta tanks on the market -- these products will only look worse with time as more consumers become aware of Bettas' actual needs.

Penn-Plax produces many aquariums 5 gallons and above that would actually provide Bettas with quality lives, and they should move away from the production of outdated tiny Betta bowls!

"Outdated Items." Acrylic painting. Aquariums like the Frozen Betta Kit (0.7 gal) by Penn Plax create unhealthy environments for fish. No top US pet retailer would recommend these 0.7 gallon tanks for bettas according to their care sheets. Petco changed its suggested minimum from 1/4 gal to 1 gal in Oct 2021. 0.7 gallons is too small for any fish and does not allow room to safely place a heater or filter. Betta fish in aquariums need at least 5 gallons and space to move around and engage with their environment.

FEB 2021 update: LiveAquaria has raised the recommended minimum for a single male or female Betta to 5 gallons!!!

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LiveAquaria is behind the curve with its Betta fish tank size guidance. For 1 male Betta, LiveAquaria recommends 0.25 gallon (4 cups) minimum, and because female Bettas need more space to swim, it suggests they have 1 gallon minimum. Most experts and top retailers recommend tanks greater than 2.5 gallon for a single male Betta! (Marine Depot, Pet Supplies Plus, and Petland say 2.5 gal; PetSmart says 3 gal; PetMD and Vet Med Illinois say 5 gal.) Female Bettas are less popular, but a more commonly stated minimum tank size for a female is 10 gallons. LiveAquaria promotes the misconception that Bettas enjoy small tanks. Aquariums under 1 gallon require frequent -- even daily -- water changes, but the average person doesn't expect to perform daily tank maintenance. Petco sold LiveAquaria last July, and it is the only other top US retailer recommending 0.25 gal minimum for a male Betta. Is LiveAquaria still influenced by its relationship with Petco or do they share the same profit-first approach? There is a petition for Petco to raise the recommended minimum male Betta fish tank size from 0.25 gal to 3 gal. Maybe LiveAquaria will make the change before Petco and show responsible industry leadership? Link to the petition: https://www.change.org/Petco-Betta-Min

Pet Supermarket’s “Betta Fish Care Guide” is giving poor information to consumers:

https://www.petsupermarket.com/betta-fish-care-guide

Action Needed:

Please consider emailing Pet Supermarket to request that they make a few adjustments.

I’ve contacted Pet Supermarket 3 times this year and didn’t receive a response.

⭐ Email:          [email protected]

You could copy & paste this request below (or add your own thoughts about their guidance):

Request: Will Pet Supermarket update its recommended minimum Betta fish tank size from 1 gal to 3-5 gal and also change its guidance, “optional accessories include filter and live plants” to “we recommend including a heater and filter”? And will Pet Supermarket add to the “supplies checklist for Betta fish owners”?: ✔️heater ✔️filter ———————————————————————————–

Why is it important? (don’t copy and paste this part 😉)

⭐ This would record movement away from the association between Bettas and tiny tanks

⭐⭐There is a petition for Petco to raise its recommended minimum Betta fish tank size from 0.25 gal to 3 gal in its “Betta Fish Care Sheet”:

https://www.change.org/Petco-Betta-Min

⭐ This would put more pressure on Petco to respond. We could show that other industry leaders have been listening and taken action. (Marine Depot and LiveAquaria both responded to suggest 5 gal min)

⭐This would help to challenge companies manufacturing aquariums under 1 gallon, because we could show that industry leaders are moving away from advising those tanks.

Showing consumer demand 

They may not respond to everyone, but if enough people reach out we can establish that there is a demand for Pet Supermarket to make some reasonable adjustments to its care guide.

If you contact them and don’t receive a response, you can email (cc/bcc) me at:

[email protected]. 

This way we can get a sense of how many people Pet Supermarket has not responded to about the request to share in future updates.

Betta World For Bettas is a space to consolidate support and show the pet industry that there is a consumer demand for humane Betta fish products, treatment, and caregiving guidance.

Although Bettas are frequently associated with tiny tanks and bowls, it is becoming more common to see consumers push back against these misconceptions. 

Many individuals and organizations are raising awareness about Betta fish welfare and proper tank conditions. A widely stated minimum aquarium size size is 5 gallons, and other essential elements include a heater, filtration, plants, and hiding spots. 

The pet industry profits from consumers being misinformed about the needs and requirements of Betta fish. For example, Petco still suggests 0.25 gallon (4 cups) min tank size for Betta fish in their Betta Care Sheet! 

Also find on Instagram: @bettaworldforbettas​

This can be a focused area to address companies by tagging them in posts, mentioning them in comments, and sharing our opinions and/or experiences with their inhumane or inadequate Betta fish products and practices. 

Link to petition for Petco to raise their recommended min tank size from 0.25 gal to 3 gal:

https://www.change.org/Petco-Betta-Min

bettaworldforbettas.com