My daughter has a betta for her classroom pet. As soon as she started in her class I noticed the poor little guy in his teeny bowl. It can't be any more than three cups. I spoke to the teacher about it in a vague way saying that we had a betta too and he has really flourished since I moved him to a 2 gallon tank and that I wish it could be even bigger. She stopped that by saying that she had a betta for 2 years before and put it in a bigger container and it died. I had a ton of questions that I wanted to ask just to help have a better understanding of fish, BUT this is my daughter's new teacher and I wanted to start off on the right foot.

Anyway, TODAY I go in and there is a huge evaporation line in that little bowl and some sort of scum growing in the bowl. The water is super cloudy. I kept my nose away but I can only imagine the smell. I am so stuck. I want to help this little guy. Her teacher is stressed out. Do you think she might be receptive to me doing water changes every other day? I hate watching this play out and not trying just to avoid upsetting this new teacher. She is an excellent teacher... exceptional actually.

Opinions please. Any suggestions?

I'd just walk in with a larger container wrapped up with a pretty bow and present it as a gift. Offer to set it up for her if she is busy, be all gushy and excited like you just can't wait to see how it looks and basically do it yourself straight away if she doesn't take the hint.

I have no issue telling teachers what I think about anything, they're not the boss of me.

Me either when it comes to my kid, BUT, pets can be like kids to people. I resent being told how to raise my daughter (or I would. No one has done that yet!). I figured I would start small and just offer to do the changes, then I could slip a gift in later and acclimate him properly to a larger container. What stinks is I REALLY don't have time to do this. I barely get dinner on the table on time as it is. Why can't people just take care of their fish? This girl is smart, too. I am certain it's just ignorance and I have been ignorant myself so I need to be more forgiving. It's just hard sometimes.

You are in a tight spot here, but I think you are heading in the right direction by going in to do water changes. I would tell your daughter's teacher just what you said to us, that she is an excellent ... actually exceptional teacher, and you know how busy she is, so you would like to help her out by doing the changes. Perhaps after a few weeks, you can bring in a larger tank, and by then it wouldn't seem like an affront to her, but just something to help you out

I like the idea of bringing in a new more suitable bowl/ tank and setting it up. Like a present for the fish. I see it like contributing a useful item for the classroom.

I think that the mention of the old beta dying after being moved to a bigger home is just an excuse for not having a better home for the current betta, larger homes do not cause fish death, water quality or not acclimating is likely to be the cause. I am sure that the teacher really must know this. The premise that the fish died as a result of having more space to move around and more dilution of wastes just is not logical. If the teacher seems offended by your desire to provide a better home for the fish you can always play the role of an animal rights activist or extremist then she will probably just chalk it up to your animal right behaviors as opposed to being offended.

I just hate to see how bettas are housed. People think that it is adequate to keep a betta in a cup or less water. This is absolutly ridiculous. Our local Walmart has had a huge dislay of betta for weeks now. Each betta is housed in a small tupperware container with only an inch or two of water. Many of the fish are dead now. The containiners have instructions for weekly water changes seeming to indicate that it is just fine to keep the beta in 4 to 6 ounces of water for an indefinite period of time. People take them home and think that if they move them to a couple cups of water that it is like the Ritz for them. Then there are always those who buy a few just to see them fight. I just hate it, I am wondering if animal right activists have been involved in this Betta mistreatment. I have purchsed a few as I feel just terrible for them, but I am afraid that this just encourages the current practices of display and distribution.

I know this is a bit off topic, but has been bothering me for several years now and the dying Bettas at Walmart just has me really upset.

Although alot of people tend to agree with you on that,I'm going to get the subject back on topic.We are not here to bash any Store names,in fact,it's not allowed because of legal ramifications. Annette,I'm with you on this. Andrea,I think I would also walk in with the biggest fish tank/Container,etc. that I could afford to donate,and just make the teacher aware that the new size will help her out by being bigger-needing water changes less often-or sizable enough so that the children can actually watch it swim in the new amount of room it has,etc..I'm sure you can play it by ear & can come up with something .If she gets ignorant/rude about it,-knowing me,I'd probably go into a "How would you like to swim in a cup?" I know that you of course are trying to avoid that ,but I'm at a point in my life where I feel I'm paying tax dollars for you to have a job,etc...... If worse came to worse,and you feel as if it's not going well,then I would offer my services to help out. Actually,I was on my Son's PTA /PTO for years,and I was also head of Volunteer's for the Teacher's /Student's .and most teacher's loved the help of the parents. Keep us posted on what you decide to do! Good Luck!

Beth, many, many people on this forum have the same issues with the same company you mentioned, and a few others as well.

Just to elaborate on what Devs mentioned, there is a rule on the board that forbids discussion of animal cruelty. Even so, it was a regular, even weekly, event to find a thread discussing similar issues as you raised. Due to possible legal ramifcations (as Devs mentioned) and other reasons it was decided to strictly enforce this rule. This only happened a few weeks before you joined, you can find Ranchugirls pinned thread in Goldfish Discussion if you'd like to get more background information.

donate a bigger cantainer to the class room!

oops, already mentioned... Im a ditz....

Thanks for your help guys.

I am having trouble finding her teacher since I posted. Typical. She comes in after I drop off my daughter and has been sick. I heard her lip blew up with an infection. Very weird!! So I will let you guys know if I see her again. If she's not there today, I will change the water. It is still horrid and I wonder if he has been fed. I think I will be slow and diplomatic and offer the regular water changes if I do see her. I plan to say that I have noticed how overwhelmed she is an I would like to help out. (She told me she had to leave the room to cry recently). Then I can bring in a blue topped tank for July 4th or something. The only problem with this is I promised myself and my hubby that I would avoid the LFS for a month. We have everything we could possibly need and I have been Miss Spendypants there lately. I would have to break that promise to do this. Animals seem to be my weakness lately.

then try a craft store or toy store.. they have many things there that often work for betta containers... (Im surprized... and Im SUPER picky about my guys habitats!)

Thanks!! That sounds like a great idea!

Do you have any second -hand stores in Texas? We have these Red/White/Blue Thrift Stores. They sometimes have great used glass container's,and sometimes if you're early enough,a fish tank once in a while!

"But honey, I didn't break my promise - I haven't stepped foot into a pet store in ages. Oh, where I got that class container from? Thats from a crafts store for a special project in our daughter's class room!"

Yep, I can see it now!

The fish is gone. They promoted the teacher.

Ranchugirl- Whatever it takes to save a fish, right. Maybe someday I will be a politician.

ah. thats a shame she went. all i can say is good on you for trying hun.

I waited too long. If I had moved faster maybe I could have had a fish.

Andrea, don't feel bad. If you're gonna be a politician you need to learn you can't save everyone, all of the time (that goes for fish as well).

That's definitely true. My hubby tells me that a lot. Believe it or not I am a ton better than 10 years ago! But I was referring to the half truth of telling my husband I would stay away from the LFS and then going to a craft store to buy fish stuff. Seems a lot like a politician to me. It would have been a very shady activity on my part. I am grateful I didn't do it, but sad that I could have probably had the fish for myself. He was very beautiful!