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I came home from work today and my roomate was watching this show. I happened to walk in just when Mary Ellen had a guest explaining how to make "Fish-Bowl Plants" using a small vase and a betta (or a chinese fighting fish, as they called it). As the segment went on I became more and more appalled at what I was seeing. It quickly became apparent that neither the host nor her guest nor the shows producers knew or bothered to research the slightest about the care and keeping of fish in general and of bettas specifically:

Beta fish are the most appropriate type of fish for this project because they feed off the plants' root system and need very little space.

She actually said that you could leave the betta in the vase for weeks because it would feed off of the roots of the plant. She mentioned nothing about the regular water changes that would be required. And, when it came time to to add the fish to its' new "home", it was just dumped right in without any mention of acclimatization.

If you are so-inclined, there is contact info for the guest here:

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_containers_pots/article/0,1785,HGTV_3562_1396447,00.html

HGTV viewer services:

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/about_us/text/0,1783,HGTV_3080_4964,00.html

or

865-694-7879 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m ET

Thanks, Rob

Ugh... my mother went through four bettas before giving up on this idea. You can find kits for this kind of thing in craft and hobby stores that come with the vase and a perforated cup to put the plant into, and no, it doesn't come with any kind of instructions for proper fish keeping.

Hoping that there must be a word for everything I mean...

Glad that hasn't taken off over here yet.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

I am sick of seeing these vases in stores, I've sent them a complaint about it. ]

I saw your directions for keeping fish bowl planters and was appalled. This is a very cruel practice as your directions and advice would lead to a short life for the betta, which should live for at least 3 years if kept properly.

"Beta fish (figure A) are the most appropriate type of fish for this project because they feed off the plants' root system and need very little space."

This is simply untrue and keeping Betta splendens in a container such as this will result in death by starvation, poisoning from noxious waste or suffocation in a very short time. Betta splendens are carnivores, they feed off of insects in the wild and will never eat any part of a live plant unless they are starving to death. If you do happen to see them picking at the roots of the plant it's because they are very hungry and looking for something palatable to eat, they do not eat live plant matter. If you plan to keep Betta splendens you need to feed them with the appropriate foods.

Betta splendens are labyrinth fish, which means they need to breathe atmospheric oxygen to survive. They have a specialized organ that allows them to breathe air from the surface and enables them to live in low oxygen environments. If they can't reach the surface for any reason, for example because there is a big plant and decorative marbles in the way, they will eventually suffocate and die.

It is very inhumane to keep betta splendens in a small container such as a vase. First of all, even though they can survive in small spaces, it would be very much like keeping a kitten in a closet, not a good environment for the fish. At the very least I usually recommend 1-2 gallons of water to keep a single betta but more is definitely better. There is more to this than just space requirements. All fish produce nitrogenous wastes (Ammonia) which will build up to toxic and lethal levels in a small container such as a vase very quickly. Even in a larger container of about 1-2 gallons the fish keeper has to perform large water changes (50-100%) weekly to keep water quality good so the betta will not be poisoned by ammonia, succumb to illness and die. If you don't do water changes, the fish will be swimming around in its own waste, ammonia will quickly build up and start burning the betta's sensitive tissues, especially the gills, the immune system is weakened and the betta will get sick. You run into a vicious cycle with ammonia if it isn't removed in some way because it causes wounds and lesions which become infected really easily since the fish is unable to fight pathogens with a weakened immune system. Rotting plant matter will also contribute ammonia unless it is promptly removed and the water changed frequently. The fish in the picture on the HGTV website is already showing signs of ammonia poisoning and starvation, it is emaciated and the fins are eroded. Without proper care I can't see a fish living in a setup like this for more than a month.

The HGTV website also didn't mention anything about conditioning the water for the container to get rid of chlorine and chloramine wich will also poison the fish if it isn't removed.

It is very disheartening to see a popular network promoting cruelty to animals. Fish are living creatures and should be treated as such, not as disposable fashion accessories. Care of any living creature calls for some responsibility on the behalf of the keeper to provide ideal living conditions and a long and healthy life.

Thank you for your time
(my name)

Feel free to copy paste and send it, maybe we can get their attention.