melonberrymint:

So I saw this today on Pinterest and then found the Etsy link and I have to make a small PSA.

Please do not ever ever ever keep your betta (or any fish for that matter) in a permanent tank this small. EVER.

The seller claims that betta don’t need aeration, filtration, or a lot of water to live a long and healthy life of two years, so a wine bottle is the perfect fashionable tank for them. This is a lie.

Small tanks mean low water temp, which makes betta, a tropical fish, sick. Any good betta tank will have a heater that can be regulated to 80 degrees.

The smallest tank any betta should live in is one gallon, which is nearly three times as much as a wine bottle (or those stupid “betta vases”) will hold. Betta will thrive much better in a three gallon or larger tank.

There is nowhere in this jar for the betta to hide when he’s scared or nap when he’s tired. They do enjoy playing with their humans, but they need some aquarium decor to interact with when you’re not around.

The seller suggests cleaning the tank once a week and that filtration isn’t needed, but bettas eat and poop just like any other fish and create waste that is harmful to them. The small amount of water in this jar should be changed daily, not weekly, to avoid ammonia buildup and remove uneaten food crud. Of course, a daily water change could be avoided with a good sized tank and a nice, slow-current filter.

This person has already sold a number of these upcycled tanks to people who don’t know any better about betta care, and it makes me so sad that their beautiful fish are living unhappy lives.