Going from a 4 oz betta cup to a 16 oz betta cup for store display a good idea?

Question

My bettas come in tiny (4x2x8") bags from the wholesaler. There is about 2.5 oz of water in them. Amazingly, most survive the trip. This is far better than they way my old wholesaler shipped them... don't ask!

When I get them, I put them in a 4 oz cup that is considered an "industry standard".
I can't do this anymore. I know it is cruel. I'm going to keep them in 16 oz containers most likely...

4 oz cup - current container
Top width: 3-5/16"
Height: 2-1/8"
Base width: 2-3/16"

16 oz cup - new container?
Top width: 4-9/16"
Height: 3"
Base width: 3-1/2"

The problem is will customers consider the new cup an appropriate home? Right now, about 1/3 think it is OK to keep it in the 4 oz cup I sell them in. I'm not sure why...
I've got to market them in a way that people know this temporary home is better than typical packaging, but this is not an appropriate home! Anything under 1 gallon isn't appropriate!
Am I doing a good thing? Am I creating just more confusion and abuse? Thanks!

Ringer, if they don't sell in 3 days, I change the water. The water is blue because it contains the medication methylene blue, used to treat fungus. Most bettas come from the wholesaler with health problems. If you don't change the water and treat it, they die. Most bettas are sold within 7-10 days. I try to order them in small numbers.

Answer 1

Make a sign - you can get material from bettatalk.com and other Betta websites (and I bet they'll allow you to copy what they say if you ask) and give the info about putting them in a real tank. It's amazing to me how many people don't know this but the word of an authority will help to change things - thanks for doing that!

Answer 2

What a great idea! Finally someone willing to spend a little more to help care for a Betta! I would go with the larger container. Alot of people are misinformed about where Betta's originally come from. Maybe you could post some info around their display to inform customers about them. As well as how to care for them. I am a huge Betta lover and I hate to hear people say..well they can live in those tiny cups in the pet store @@. Also like someone else stated You could also place them with other peaceful fish so the customers will know that they can live with other types of fish. I think this is a great thing.

Answer 3

I think this is a good first step. Personally when I owned a store we never kept betta's in cups. We spread them out throughout our store putting them in with other fish as appropriate.

However 16 oz is much better than 4 oz. I would simply educate all of your staff so that they ALWAYS tell a customer that they need a minimum of a 1 gallon tank for any betta. Or you could put together a special package for betta's and include a "free" betta with the purchase of the 1 gallon package.

Answer 4

Go ahead and begin to use the 16oz containers. I know when I go to a pet store and see the bettas in a larger container I automatically think that they are healthier than their counterparts kept in the 4oz containers. It will also show your customers that you really care about the well-being of the animals you sell.

I would recommend having a betta in an ideal home within the display of 16 oz. betta containers, so that people will see it and follow the example. People automatically assume that the pet store has them in an appropriate environment, so you displaying an ideal home will not create any confusion and will make people think "Okay, so I need to buy this, this, and that." You will be improving the lives of the bettas you are selling along with increasing the sales of the products you use to house your display environment.

Answer 5

First of all, I commend you for showing how much you care about the fish you sell. Many stores in my area not only don't keep the fish in healthy conditions, but they don't seem to
care what happens to them once they have gone through the cash and out the door with the customer.

My suggestion would be to put them in the new 16-oz cup as you planned, and then explain your feelings on what you consider an acceptable tank size for bettas would be to any customers who are interested in purchasing one. Another good thing to do (imo) would be to create a care sheet that you include along with the fish - not just bettas, but any fish you sell. There's a tremendous amount of people who buy on impulse, or purchase without knowing proper care of a pet - be it fish, dog, cat, rabbit, you name it. Giving them a care sheet with basic facts on how to keep the fish happy and healthy might go a long way in not only easing your mind as to how the fish will be cared for, but you might also wind up with many more repeat customers who return for advice and/or purchases. In the care sheet for bettas you can include recommended minimums for tank size and your reasons why.

Unfortunately many people do still believe that bettas are quite content to live within the confines of a stifling cup...I think that thought originated because in the wild, bettas could be found surviving in tiny puddles in Asia, and it was assumed that this is how they lived. But in actual fact, in the wild they live in shallow, water-filled rice patties which - during certain times of the year - shrink down to the size of puddles. The bettas can survive in such conditions, but it certainly isn't an ideal for long-term living.

Answer 6

10 thumbs up on that one
Finally someone starts to make a difference
Since you're selling them, and it looks like from your question that you're a store owner, you could make even a bigger statement with selling to your customers only 2.5 gallon tanks which are filtered and heated
Any time you sell a Betta you should explain to your customers the cruelty of keeping ANY fish in a bowl

I would also go ahead and take any tanks you have that are not a good home for fish down from your shelfs

I would go right ahead, that is a perfect sign that you really care about your fish


Good luck
And give us some heads up what customers think


EB

Answer 7

For transfering them from a tiny cup to a 16oz will help this betta be healthy and have brighter colors the other way to help them be and look healthy is to put in a tank i seen pet stores put 1 male betta in the 10 gallon tank with the regular fish like small plecos, tetras, etc. and they sell faster and have more room.

So a yes you are helping him more with no harm.
WT

Answer 8

If you move them to the bigger containers and people complain, you just have to explain that is temporary housing. Even more importantly, make sure your employees are telling customers that 2.5 gallons is the minimum am mount of water that Bettas should be in.

Nosoop4u

Answer 9

im glad u put ur betta fish in a bigger cup. but people are just ignorant when it comes about how big the fish bowl should swim.... what u can do is make a mini poster saying that they should put them in a bigger bowl when they purchase the fish. have the cashier also tell them once they buy the fish. or the store helper should also inform the customer if the customer looks interested in the fish.

Answer 10

i would consider it a great home especially better than the ones at walmart and petco that keep them in half an inch deep water with 3 inches wide and the water is nasty and the fish is sick i woul buy them from you alot faster than petco or walmart.