If you are going to keep a pet, no matter what kind of animal it is, you need to learn about it and be prepared to meet its needs. Pet stores, however, operate on volume. They assume that an animal will spend little time in their care before going on to a permanent home. That can lead to adverse effects. Emma The Cabbage is studying to be a vet tech, and she's spent years learning to care for fish. Emma spotted a fish in distress at a pet shop, pale, floating, and not moving except to breathe. The store didn't even charge her for it, and Emma brought the fish home for some TLC. After a few weeks of intense care, the little fish changed from a sick nondescript minnow to a beautiful rainbow betta! It's amazing what a little knowledge and the willingness to care for a pet will do. This fish won the lottery in that aspect.