I hope you can help anyway. lol My boss has instaled a 29 gallon tank at work and proceded to purchase 6 male bettas and put them all in together, and he dosent want to belive me when I tell him they are going to kill each other.
(I have them seperated into there own plastic cups at the moment )
Could one of you guys PLEASE write an explanation here so he will know I'm not pulling his leg.
He is standing here while i write this and is eargaly awaiting your response.
p.s. if I am correct everyone in the office is going to get there own betta tank (2 gal) to take home with them, and I will get to set up the work tank properly. This is going to cost Him lololololololololol.
Thanks in advance
E.
2007-03-12 06:49:05 · 6 answers · asked by > 4 in Pets ➔ Fish
THANK ALL OF YOU!!!!!!!!
From me and the Girls here.
The Boss is sufficently red faced (lol) and is on his way to Petsmart as I type to buy 7 whisper 3's at $50 bucks a pop.
***(sit's at desk rubbing hands together in glee)***
2007-03-12 07:09:14 · update #1
p.p.s. He is a great guy, just no experence with fish, and we are having a tank setup class after work so every one go's home happy and lives a long life.
Again Thank You all.
2007-03-12 07:12:48 · update #2
Oh my, that should be common sense :S
Tell your boss that they're called Siamese Fighting Fish for a reason! Male bettas are very territorial and will flare at or attack male "intruders". While they rarely kill each other while fighting, it's very stressful for them and many will end up dying from the stress of it all.
If he loves bettas, then he could get some females. They can co-exist peacefully, and they come in the same beautiful assortment of colours that the males do.
If he's still not convinced, here are a few links that state that male bettas must not be kept together:
http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/qa/a/qa011.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siamese_Fighting_Fish
Although there's much more info online if you google Betta Fighting!
Looks like everyone is going to get a betta and 2 gal setup to take home :) Lucky them!
And thanks for sticking up for the little fish, I'm glad someone is :)
Edit: Yayy I'm happy he's convinced :) And tell him not to feel too badly about it; after all, a person can't know something without learning it. The true test of character lies in their willingness to correct the situation.
Bettas for all!
2007-03-12 07:05:55 · answer #1 · answered by Zoe 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
First thanks for caring and to the boss thanks for considering your employees information. I hope he is the asset to your business that his concern implies.
I would suggest you google Betta fighting, plakat or betta keeping for literally thousands of records on this exact topic.
In short, Bettas (Betta splendens) are a commercially adapted version of the wild fish of the same scientific name. This fish is extremely territorial and will fight to defend that territory against any others of it's species. Approximately 400-500 years ago natives in the fishes homeland (Siam, Tailand area) noticed it's ability to fight and they were collected and used as sport, much like cock or dog fighting in parts of the world today. In time the sport became so popular, people began to breed the fish and extracted the colors and finnage variations you and I are used to seeing today. It wasn't until the 1840's that the western world became aware of the fish and it was named Betta pugnax for it's pug-like face. Later it was discovered that there were actually two species involved. One kept the B. pugnax name while the more colorful species was renamed B. splendens.
Sirs, I have kept and bred this wonderful fish for over 20 years and currently serve as a Certified judge forthe International Betta Congress, please trust me that your employee knows what he is talking about. They may coexist for a very short time without significant fighting and they may not kill each other on sight, but they will fight enough to eventually kill each other either through direct damage, stress, or disease due to wounds. It's a certainty and it's inevitable.
Thank you for you time in reading this and thank you in advance for taking the action needed to protect the fish.
"magicman"
2007-03-12 14:03:05 · answer #2 · answered by magicman116 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Get him a beginner's aquarium book like Complete Idiot's Guide to Freshwater Aquariums. A couple of people already beat me to say that they are called Siamese FIGHTING fish for a reason.
P.S. Magicman does seem to be a knowledgeable person to ask aquarium questions to.
2007-03-12 14:00:55 · answer #3 · answered by Becca 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They are not called Siamese Fighting Fish for nothing
2007-03-12 13:54:39 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Magicman and Zoe may be respectable top contributers, but it doesnt take a fish specialist to confirm that they will hunt eachother down, just an average aquarist, such as ourselves.
2007-03-12 13:59:31 · answer #5 · answered by * r 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
They are called "fighting fish" for a reason. Males will kill each other.
http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/qa/f/faq0011.htm
2007-03-12 13:54:53 · answer #6 · answered by mom of 2 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋