Okay, odd thought here.... If you can put female bettas together why do stores still sell them in little cups?

Question

AmyLou... I think you are a little confused on the sex of your bettas. The males are the flashy ones.

Answer 1

I think mostly because 1) they themselves are uninformed 2) it's easier if all the bettas are treated the same 3) if they come fom the wholesaler that way, they just get left that way.

Most of the shops in my area sell them from tanks where they are kept together, but I have seen it done in cups as well in other areas.

MM

Answer 2

Not all do. But the suppliers send the cups with the bettas, so the stores use them to get rid of them. Where I'm at, we put the females in one tank together and one male per other tank with suitable tankmates. The fish look a lot better when they have room, filters, and heated water and tend to be a lot more active this way.

But at some stores, I wouldn't rule out the possibility the first answerer suggests!

Answer 3

Even though it has been said that female bettas can be kept together, it is not always the healthiest situation.
Female bettas still tend to be agressive to other females. If you find a pet store that does keep females together in a tank, you will usually find that they don't look very healthy and there is always a more dominant female.
Even though they do not fight like the males do, female bettas, in my experience, have always done better kept alone or not with their own kind.

Answer 4

Really - why do pet stores do any of the things they do? Why do they put 40 goldfish in a 10 gallon tank? Why do they put 20 mice in a 10 gallon tank? Why do some sell kittens and puppies - keeping them in tiny cages all day? Pet stores only care about making money - not necessarily about the pets in their care. Sure, bettas would be happier in larger aquariums, but they can live for awhile in those little cups - and if they are in little cups in the store, it may convince people to buy the tiny little cup-sized "betta aquariums" the stores sell - more money for them!

Answer 5

I have seen female Betta's together in a tank sometimes at the place I get my fish but someone told me they seem to do better alone.I suppose its more convenient for the stores to keep them in cups.

Answer 6

when the bettas are young the pet ship cannot tell weather thay are male or female.

once the shop has had them for about 3 mounths they can normally tell if thay are male or female and keep all the females in 1 large tank together

Answer 7

It's a question of aesthetics. People buy bettas more for their decorative quality than to actually have a pet. For example, a betta in a small cup adds colour to a minimalist decor.

Answer 8

you do have a good point. I have always wondered that...I just decided to stop asking questions and get on with my life... :)

Answer 9

they are really aggressive so probably not. The males are small and not as pretty- the females have the long flowing fins-

Try holding a mirror up to the fish bowl- they will puff out their fins and try to fight their reflection- its neat.

Answer 10

The people in the pet stores can't tell which gender they are?