Buying sick betta fish and nursing them back to health?

F

Future crazy gerbil lady!

New member
Every time I go to a store that sells bettas I always see sick ones and it makes me sad. I once saw bettas thrown into tanks with very unsuitable tank mates and they all had horrible fin conditions. I just currently lost my 3 year old betta. What I wanted to do is buy sick or injured bettas bring them back to health and then sell them for cheap (money for meds) or give them away for free.

What do you think of this? Would you buy a betta that was once sick, but now in good condition? How could I sell/give them away without shipping? I don't know that many people that want bettas. I have a few people that will take one.
 
First thing I would do is contact the manager of the store. If its been a problem for a while then I would go up the food chain. Most pet stores like Petsmart, Petco and pet supermarket have a person called district animal care coordinator or regional animal care coordinator I would contact them and the district manager. Be sure you know what your talking about first and do you research, take pictures and post as many places as you can. Your actions will likely cause displinary action at petco, petland or petsupermarket and might even get someone fired. They rarely ever care about animal care at petsmart in my experiance.
 
I have taken in broken Bettas BUT I have never paid for one! If there are that sick then you shouldn't be paying for them. One I took in had had all it's fins ripped off by Paradise Fish, I demanded him for free and was given him, they snorted that he wouldn't last the night. I had him for 2 years and the store (which was an independent NOT a chain store) shut down about 2 months I after I got him. NYAH.

I would suggest only picking up what you can afford to care for and keeping them for their entire lifespan. If they are that injured chances are they may only live on for 1-2 years anyway as there could well be long-term damage. A "rescue factory" would just have you run ragged and you'd soon find yourself with too much to cope with. Concentrate your efforts on the lucky few!

This was the boy I rescued:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/catxx/3270468310/in/set-72157613584359397/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/catxx/3269646875/in/set-72157613584359397/
 
well you can always search your town for the occaisonal pet store with helthy happy fish and give them to that store...most stores like this arent chain stores but more of people who like fish so started a tiny business or something.
 
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