I went to the CA state fair on Friday, and my friends dragged me into those buildings with all of the stupid infomercial junk... there was lots of 'magical one-minute clean-up mops' and super cheap jewelry, and then, I saw the decorative fish vases! :angry

They were these little heart and flower-shaped death-traps, they were sooo tiny. They were like, much smaller than a pet store betta cup, not to mention they had a bunch of sparkly marbles in there. The bettas could basically sit there, on the gravel, barely or unable to turn. He had many back-up plastic cups of Bettas because the Bettas in the actual displays were dropping like flies. One in a minute heart-shaped glass was covered in white mossy stuff, had no tail, and just layed on the rocks. I lightly tapped the glass and he didn't even move. Others were just floating there. I'm sure they were BOILING too, because it was 100*+ outside and in the sunlight. The little displays were actually nice, to put a few FLOWERS in, not living feeling Bettas! and these were obviously intended to be their permanent homes. and they cost a lot ~ like $40 just for the tiny frosted glass heart, which had less water in it than a Betta cup.

Me and my friend were talking VERY loudly about how sick the whole thing was, and I told the man "I hope you make a lot of money off of torturing these fish." :bash: ... and a bunch of people heard us and walked away, but there's no hope at all for those poor Bettas. Anyway.. just another story about sickos who keep Bettas in shot glass-sized cups and think they're great!

That's just sick. I was about to go to the state fair in CA too but changed my mind, good thing I didn't go. Smaller than those dinky cups petstore sell them in? I never thought that was possible until now. That's disgusting how stupid people are...

Ugghh.. that's garbage! I'm glad those morons weren't at our state fair (WI) they'da not gotten away without some protest, I can tell you that much.

maybe just go back and leave lovely fliers on good betta care? And call an spca?

I'd call the SPCA.
There are good ones out in California which will contact the fair administration board and they can make a visit to that booth.

Here are some spca websites for you to start with:
Central California SPCA
Valley Oak SPCA
Silicone Valley Humane Society

Someone needs to put some smackdown on people like that. :cuss:

Agreed Bettamomma.

Poor bettas :(