Bettas Deserve Better
I first became involved in betta rescue in 2004, when a neighbour's child offered me a betta that his teacher didn't want any more at the end of the school year. (Click here to read Jellybean's story.)
Until I met Jellybean, I had had a vague sense that the tiny bowls that bettas are usually kept in were too small. In researching extensively as I nursed him back to health, I learned why small tanks are harmful in so many ways—not just because they limit the fish's movement, but because they are impossible to maintain at a steady, warm temperature, and because they rapidly become contaminated by the fish's wastes. A fish in a small bowl is being slowly poisoned to death, and the uneven, usually too cold, temperature just weakens the immune system more.
I designed these products to raise awareness about these misunderstood fish.
The front of the shirt, and most of the other products, show a sad betta lying at the bottom of a tiny bowl, with the words, "Bettas deserve better... Give them room to swim!"
The backs of most of the shirts, and the inside of the card, read,
Bettas need...
Clean, filtered water.
A heater (set to 80°F).
A tank large enough to be heated safely (5 gallons or more).Fish have feelings.
Every pet deserves proper care, no matter how small it is or how cheaply you bought it.
All of my profits from this part of the shop will be used for my betta rescuing efforts. I currently have one betta, Red Licorice, and one tank waiting for a betta (I do not buy bettas because I do not wish to support stores who mistreat them). With your help, I hope to save many more.
