Getting rid of a fish?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A year ago, we bought our DD a betta fish for her birthday. It started out in a bowl, then we bought a 3 gallon tank with a heater and filter and what have you. It was a fun hobby and everyone got a kick out of the fish. Now, it’s a year later and nobody cares about the fish. All the feeding and maintainence of the water levels and changes falls on me, and I’m kind of over it too. To make matters worse, it has some sort of issue with its eyes clouding over. My husband has told me to just flush it, the kids couldn’t care less if I did, but it doesn’t feel right. I’ve taken care of this damn fish for a year, and it feels personal. I don’t want to just flush it! That’s not even right! I listed it on our Listserve but disclosed that it may be sick with something or blind or who knows, so of course nobody wants it.

Am I overthinking this? Should I flush the thing and be done with it?

The eyes clouding over is most likely an infection possibly fungal, but more likely bacterial. The root cause will be stress and poor water conditions. Sure, you don't care about the poor thing, but it is a living creature and as such needs to be treated with kindness. If you insist on killing it, do it quickly. Otherwise take a couple of photos & a water sample to an aquarium shop and they will help you figure out how to treat it. It will be much easier to give away if it is not sick.

[Anonymous]

I get it that it is a pain. We received a Beta fish as a party favor (bad idea), and it lasted 8 years! In addition to being cruel to the fish, I wouldn't want my kids to get the message that it is OK to kill a living thing just because we lost interest and it is too much trouble.

The pet store may have drops that can clear up the eye thing. You can compromise between a bowl and a huge tank with filter,etc. Something bigger than a bowl but smaller than a 3 gallon tank with some features to entertain the fish would make it easier for you.

If that doesn't work, try the give away suggestions above or pet store.

[Anonymous]

I'm not a huge animal advocate and don't even own a pet right now, but man.... You need to look after the fish.

You're the one who did the irresponsible thing by giving someone a life to take care of (don't they tell people to please never give animals as gifts???) and since your daughter doesn't want to look after it anymore, it's on you.

If she had insisted on getting it, I'd make her do it to teach her some responsiblity. But in your case, it seems like you're the one who needs to be taught responsibility.

I'd love to get a puppy for a year, and then not have to deal with it when it's not so fun and new and cute anymore. But yeah, no. So I don't.

And as someone else said, I really hope no more animals find their way into your home.

[Anonymous]

You all are a tough bunch.

I’ve been taking care of the fish. I check the water daily. I do routine water changes. I’ve painstakingly helped clear up fin rot once, and nursed a torn fin another time. Please stop with the criticism and accusations. I’m the only one taking care of the thing! I think we’ve given it a pretty damn good life, better than a small cup of tap water at the pet store. I’m bonded with this stupid fish. As I said in my OP, I don’t have the heart to flush it. But I also hope it isn’t blind and/or suffering. Treatments aren’t helping the eye situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You all are a tough bunch.

I’ve been taking care of the fish. I check the water daily. I do routine water changes. I’ve painstakingly helped clear up fin rot once, and nursed a torn fin another time. Please stop with the criticism and accusations. I’m the only one taking care of the thing! I think we’ve given it a pretty damn good life, better than a small cup of tap water at the pet store. I’m bonded with this stupid fish. As I said in my OP, I don’t have the heart to flush it. But I also hope it isn’t blind and/or suffering. Treatments aren’t helping the eye situation.

Just curious, were you the only one to choose to get it in the first place? Or was it a family decision?

If it was a family decision then you have a right to be annoyed and you should insist that they help you. As in, there's a chart on the wall, and if the person hasn't done their chores then they don't get dinner. Or whatever.

If it was you though, then I'm not sure what you expect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You all are a tough bunch.

I’ve been taking care of the fish. I check the water daily. I do routine water changes. I’ve painstakingly helped clear up fin rot once, and nursed a torn fin another time. Please stop with the criticism and accusations. I’m the only one taking care of the thing! I think we’ve given it a pretty damn good life, better than a small cup of tap water at the pet store. I’m bonded with this stupid fish. As I said in my OP, I don’t have the heart to flush it. But I also hope it isn’t blind and/or suffering. Treatments aren’t helping the eye situation.

Beta fish are more delicate than people realize, multiple infections in less than a year would really point to an issue with water conditions. If you don't want to address the problem, I don't know what to tell you. Nobody will take your sick fish and fix it for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You all are a tough bunch.

I’ve been taking care of the fish. I check the water daily. I do routine water changes. I’ve painstakingly helped clear up fin rot once, and nursed a torn fin another time. Please stop with the criticism and accusations. I’m the only one taking care of the thing! I think we’ve given it a pretty damn good life, better than a small cup of tap water at the pet store. I’m bonded with this stupid fish. As I said in my OP, I don’t have the heart to flush it. But I also hope it isn’t blind and/or suffering. Treatments aren’t helping the eye situation.

DCUM is hard on everyone. I admire your commitment to the fish, and I understand how irritating it is to put so much work into a beta fish! I wouldn't flush it myself, I would suck it up and keep doing it. Maybe transfer it to a new set up where you have to do less maintenance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You all are a tough bunch.

I’ve been taking care of the fish. I check the water daily. I do routine water changes. I’ve painstakingly helped clear up fin rot once, and nursed a torn fin another time. Please stop with the criticism and accusations. I’m the only one taking care of the thing! I think we’ve given it a pretty damn good life, better than a small cup of tap water at the pet store. I’m bonded with this stupid fish. As I said in my OP, I don’t have the heart to flush it. But I also hope it isn’t blind and/or suffering. Treatments aren’t helping the eye situation.

DCUM is hard on everyone. I admire your commitment to the fish, and I understand how irritating it is to put so much work into a beta fish! I wouldn't flush it myself, I would suck it up and keep doing it. Maybe transfer it to a new set up where you have to do less maintenance?

I agree that DCUM is hard on most people, but come on. An adult buys an animal with a certain lifespan, knowing it needs to be fed, looked after medically, environment cleaned, etc, for all that time, and then gives that animal to a kid. Their own kid, who they are raising to be a responsible person (or not). Adult then complains a year later when the kid doesn't want to do those things and wonders if she can give the fish a cruel death because it's inconvenient to keep looking after it. She wants credit because she's the only one in her family who even feels any sense of guilt about doing such a thing. She apparently feels no guilt, however, about raising kids with no sense of responsibility or conscience. Or for giving a gift that's really not a gift but actually a burden.

Honestly not sure what she expected.

[Anonymous]

List it on next door. It’s that simple and some fish person will probably come get it. I was gifted two goldfish, it’s been 8 years now and 4 tank upgrades. I’ve fallen for those suckers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You all are a tough bunch.

I’ve been taking care of the fish. I check the water daily. I do routine water changes. I’ve painstakingly helped clear up fin rot once, and nursed a torn fin another time. Please stop with the criticism and accusations. I’m the only one taking care of the thing! I think we’ve given it a pretty damn good life, better than a small cup of tap water at the pet store. I’m bonded with this stupid fish. As I said in my OP, I don’t have the heart to flush it. But I also hope it isn’t blind and/or suffering. Treatments aren’t helping the eye situation.

DCUM is hard on everyone. I admire your commitment to the fish, and I understand how irritating it is to put so much work into a beta fish! I wouldn't flush it myself, I would suck it up and keep doing it. Maybe transfer it to a new set up where you have to do less maintenance?

This. Why the tank for a beta?? I thought the whole point was that they were lower maintenance and could live in bowls. The one we had as kids lived for seven years in a bowl. Would he have been happier in a bigger tank? Enh, maybe. But he apparently had a perfectly long life hanging out in the bowl--certainly a fate better than being flushed!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You all are a tough bunch.

I’ve been taking care of the fish. I check the water daily. I do routine water changes. I’ve painstakingly helped clear up fin rot once, and nursed a torn fin another time. Please stop with the criticism and accusations. I’m the only one taking care of the thing! I think we’ve given it a pretty damn good life, better than a small cup of tap water at the pet store. I’m bonded with this stupid fish. As I said in my OP, I don’t have the heart to flush it. But I also hope it isn’t blind and/or suffering. Treatments aren’t helping the eye situation.

DCUM is hard on everyone. I admire your commitment to the fish, and I understand how irritating it is to put so much work into a beta fish! I wouldn't flush it myself, I would suck it up and keep doing it. Maybe transfer it to a new set up where you have to do less maintenance?

This. Why the tank for a beta?? I thought the whole point was that they were lower maintenance and could live in bowls. The one we had as kids lived for seven years in a bowl. Would he have been happier in a bigger tank? Enh, maybe. But he apparently had a perfectly long life hanging out in the bowl--certainly a fate better than being flushed!

Before we bought the fish, I asked and everyone said we needed the whole set up or the fish wouldn’t thrive.

[Anonymous]

Gosh, I can't believe you would even consider flushing a fish, that is awful! Truly an awful way for an animal to die. Your husband is heartless!
Beta fish are treated the worst out of all aquarium fish, I wish pet stores wouldn't sell them. To make it worse they are the most intelligent fish (they will watch TV), it's a very sad life for them.
If you have a decent pet store in the area (i.e. someone who cares) perhaps take the fish to them? I don't know, otherwise just change the water frequently for the poor fish and feed it. I've had a betta too as the kids wanted one and I felt like I was at least saving this fish from the miniature box the pet store has them in (although I should not have supported them by buying a betta I realize). It wasn't too much work - I understand that it's an extra chore though.

[Anonymous]

Set it free in a local pond

[Anonymous]

We put our Beta fish up for adoption on Craigslist and had like 20 emails and someone came that day. They were very happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Set it free in a local pond

Do not do this. There is no way the fish will survive. It will probably become a meal for a predator. Also, betta fish are native to the rice paddies of SE Asia and cannot survive in ponds here.