Where do you get your bettas . . .

[Jake]

Just curious where people get their bettas.

Petco is better than PetSmart (as far as bettas go) but that is not saying very much. Even the LFS doesn't seem to 1) treat them right or 2) have any healthy, pretty stock. I mean, if I want some RAMS, I have multiple choices depending on what I want and where I am, but it doesn't seem to be the same for bettas.

[Flapjack]

I got my blue male crowntail from petco and he is awesome

[Jake]

I actually have some female's from petco in my community tank. Love the added color and personality they bring. I have a white with dark red finnage, a crowntail dark with purple finnage, and a veiltail light blue with metalic blue/purple finnage!

I am becoming a huge betta fan, hence why I asked the question . . .

If you think about it, you can go and pick up some Blue Rams from like DNA and start breeding them if you like. Or some guppies from PetCo/PetSmart. I do not believe the same can be said for bettas, so I am curious.

:tease:

[OOwl]

A couple of years ago I got a purple halfmoon butterfly that was stunning (and he still is). He owns the ten-gallon he lives in (with some glowlight tetras). He came from a PetCo over in Dallas somewhere (was just passing by).

My only other betta is a blue calico delta tail. He came from a store in Waco (not sure where, scary part of town, independent store). I've never seen another betta this color. I need to post a picture so someone into bettas can tell me what he is. He lives in an 18g with a bunch of neons.

I used to want to order a betta on Aquabid but I never have. By the time you pay all those transshipper fees, it's just too much of an expense, especially for the non-breeder.

[greeneyed]

Aquatic Wonderland
3305 West Division Street
Arlington, TX 76012
(817) 860-3474
www.aquaticwonderland.com (http://maps.google.com/local_url?q=http://www.aquaticwonderland.com/&dq=&ie=UTF8&hl=en&source=embed&msa=0&msid=102306772497722170391.000440e8c6f94cf4c3653&ll=32.976412,-97.097168&spn=1.105955,1.757812&z=9&oi=miw&sa=X&ct=miw_link&cd=1&cad=homepage,cid:3397212495249907057&ei=QXw_S9_rF46YyATRxuhO&s=ANYYN7lmAR-HB6z36Z9inhzndvV5aFdhFQ)

[ilicurtisili]

i got mine from a hobby shop in euless off main street. the lady in there breeds show bettas. she got 3rd place recently for one of them. here is their site. these are the best bettas you will find around here.

http://www.allaboutfunhobbies.com/

[bhughes]

I have got mine from Petsmart, petco, walmart. All done well. I went to a betta show and bought a couple they never seemed to do as well. :confuzeld:
Breedings alot of work, babies must be feed live food. We have people here that know more than I. Search the threads it should help you and then maybe contact a breeder. I thought about breeding them but found out there was more to it then I thought. Good luck

[Bettabreeder]

i get mine from aquabid, most coming from thailand. like ive stated before, you can get amazing deals and great quality fish, even after the shipping charges. best bet, if you really want the best, i mean the best you can possibly get in the way that you want it, go search on aquabid, and pay the shipping charges. you would not regret it. there are many breeders on there from Thailand and US on there to choose from.. for example...http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettashm&1297267210 for this price and quality of fish, im pretty sure the seller will include a free sibling female for free!..just ask thats all it takes...they are so eager to sell you their fishes!!!

[Jake]

After reading everyone's reply, bettabreeders in particular, my response is that I am shocked that we don't have a LFS that has a nicer setup.

I mean, seriously, its only been 2 weeks, but I adore the female bettas in my community tank. They have great personality! We have the shy one, "guppy friend" (she hangs with the guppies) and "runs with cories" (she literally runs around the tank with the cories!). And they are so individualized that everyone in the family got to pick one that they loved and it has included the family in my hobby.

With the above being said, and seeing all the betta bowls and such I see at the stores, I'm confused why an LFS doesn't take the opportunity to market the female bettas as a community fish. Have a large tank setup (say a 55G?), planted down the center, with female bettas, maybe some neons, tetras, cories, etc. Then have the males attached inside the tank in the breeder containers like you see on aquabid. Everything inside is for sale! You get to market the stores small tank setup service, plants, fish, and then you corner the market (so to speak) on bettas. By from a local breeder or two.

I'm not a small business owner, but that sounds cool to me.

[OOwl]

I looked into getting a betta from Aquabid, but after all the transhipper and box/re-ship/handling fees were considered, I would have been paying close to $100 for the fish I wanted (I did actually end up buying a Platinum from a breeder in California, and that fish with shipping was $50). I just couldn't justify that since I'm just a hobbyist, not a breeder. I would be more than happy to buy a betta from a local breeder if there was one that had the type I like and want to keep, but it seems many are into the short-tailed type, and I prefer the halfmoon butterfly type. Anyway, glad you're enjoying your bettas. I have two, just pets. I don't want to breed or show or sell, so, for me, just getting the odd one I find attractive at the LFS is where I'll probably keep going. Hopefully more breeders will start marketing their bettas on here, and if I have a spot to put one, I just might get one.

[Coppermoon]

Aquabid/Private Breeder...look for the American Flag (means they ONLY ship in America). You don't have to pay a transshipper. I paid $45 for a beautiful Male and 2 Females. There might be a Betta Club near you that would be happy to get rid of fish...most of the time for free!!! Now FYI they may have "issues" like missing Ventrals or slight deformities....or they are just older fish and not breed-able any longer.

[OOwl]

Coppermoon, I'm familiar with the flag icons on Aquabid (that's how I got my Platinum that I had); however, the American breeders are generally fish that can be acquired by going to a local show or contacting local breeders. To buy a fish from abroad, requires about a $100 investment, which is fine if that's your hobby and you're buying quality breeding stock to start your own line of bettas, but it's a bit on the high side for someone like me that just wants to keep one or two pretty pet bettas. So, your suggestion of contacting local show breeders to acquire a slightly less than perfect fish is a better option for me. Since I'm trying to keep my fish load low, I'll look into that the next time I find myself needing a betta.

[Basement Bettas]

AquaBid is a good place as are American breeders. If you are interested in showing and raising to the IBC standard, you need to get to know the American breeders that are winning and the Asian breeders that are producing the traits you want and develop a relatioship with them so you get the quality you need.. especially at $80 to get one here.

When I import I always bite the bullet and get several. It is more money in fish, but 4 will ship in that same $40 box from the transhipper to me. Befriend a another bettaholic and see if you can both get fish and split the transhipping fees.

Keep an eye on the IBC web site and see if a show is within driving distance and spend an afternoon hanging around other betta people. They always have an auction and you can get some high quality bettas, often at pet shop prices.

Pet shops are great if you just want a pet. Unfortunately, many of the imported fish carry internal parasites and the stress often makes them succumb quickly. Many times you feel sorry for them and bring them home to rescue them and they just never come around. Velvet is another nasty they can bring home to you. But I have seen some very beautiful bettas at the lfs that would make taking a chance on them worth it.

I often have nice fish that I won't breed or show and won't sell on AB. If your willing to pay the postage to get one, there are times I have fish I can give you.

[hungdang]

IMO, petco only have low quality Halfmoon, if you got a good one there, its just lucky. there is keller farm in US 377 high way selling the same quality fish but there fishes are much healthier and cheaper. If you want high quality bettas, look on ebay, there are a lot of good quality halfmoon betta import from Thailand. Or try Aquatic Wonderland in Arlington, I think they got some good imported quality fish.

hungdang added 4 Minutes and 21 Seconds later...

AquaBid is a good place as are American breeders. If you are interested in showing and raising to the IBC standard, you need to get to know the American breeders that are winning and the Asian breeders that are producing the traits you want and develop a relatioship with them so you get the quality you need.. especially at $80 to get one here.

When I import I always bite the bullet and get several. It is more money in fish, but 4 will ship in that same $40 box from the transhipper to me. Befriend a another bettaholic and see if you can both get fish and split the transhipping fees.

Keep an eye on the IBC web site and see if a show is within driving distance and spend an afternoon hanging around other betta people. They always have an auction and you can get some high quality bettas, often at pet shop prices.

Pet shops are great if you just want a pet. Unfortunately, many of the imported fish carry internal parasites and the stress often makes them succumb quickly. Many times you feel sorry for them and bring them home to rescue them and they just never come around. Velvet is another nasty they can bring home to you. But I have seen some very beautiful bettas at the lfs that would make taking a chance on them worth it.

I often have nice fish that I won't breed or show and won't sell on AB. If your willing to pay the postage to get one, there are times I have fish I can give you.
aquabid still have a lot of imported fish and there are a lot of scam, you must pay with paypal so you can refund it !

[OOwl]

You show betta people remind me of the show-dog people I used to run with. roflmao Petco Bettas may be "inferior" as show specimens but they're FINE as PETS. My purple halfmoon I got there almost three years ago is healthy and still alive. I have medications to treat for any illnesses a new fish (betta or otherwise) exhibit on QT, but he never needed any. Seriously, people that just want pretty pets really don't need to spend $100 to get one from Thailand to have a nice-looking fish. However, when my pet-store bettas leave this earth, I'll look up a local breeder source for my next PET betta.

[hungdang]

You show betta people remind me of the show-dog people I used to run with. roflmao Petco Bettas may be "inferior" as show specimens but they're FINE as PETS. My purple halfmoon I got there almost three years ago is healthy and still alive. I have medications to treat for any illnesses a new fish (betta or otherwise) exhibit on QT, but he never needed any. Seriously, people that just want pretty pets really don't need to spend $100 to get one from Thailand to have a nice-looking fish. However, when my pet-store bettas leave this earth, I'll look up a local breeder source for my next PET betta.
with $100 I could get a giant half moon betta, not for the normal! and maybe you just got lucky with that fish, I've come to some petco around me and see a lot of fish with with the mark "half moon" are just super delta !

[Basement Bettas]

The problem with pet shop bettas is not their pedigree or faults but living conditions. Most are mass produced overseas and then shipped. The shipping stresses them and they are stuck in tiny cups where they live in filth. Some breeders keep fish in medicated water so they succumb to what they are exposed to here.. those that don't medicate you often get disease along with the betta. My concern was getting healthy stock.. whatever the quality.. I have yet to see a betta that was not beautiful.. even if it did not meet a show standard. Bettas are the puppy mills of fishdom.

[Coppermoon]

Coppermoon, I'm familiar with the flag icons on Aquabid (that's how I got my Platinum that I had); however, the American breeders are generally fish that can be acquired by going to a local show or contacting local breeders. To buy a fish from abroad, requires about a $100 investment, which is fine if that's your hobby and you're buying quality breeding stock to start your own line of bettas, but it's a bit on the high side for someone like me that just wants to keep one or two pretty pet bettas. So, your suggestion of contacting local show breeders to acquire a slightly less than perfect fish is a better option for me. Since I'm trying to keep my fish load low, I'll look into that the next time I find myself needing a betta.

Like Basement Betta said...most of the fish will be really nice fish from breeders. Most will cull the BAD issues early on...I haven't gotten to that point...I still waste my time growing them out. Most breeders give good fish away that don't carry the traits they are looking for...

I didn't mean for it to sound like we breeders ONLY give away bad fish...that is soooo not true :D. Most fish are great quality but either don't place or don't sell on AB, or are just not what we want to breed.

If we are not close (I gave 9 fish away to a friend in another state) then we just charge shipping.

Coppermoon added 8 Minutes and 32 Seconds later...

You show betta people remind me of the show-dog people I used to run with. roflmao Petco Bettas may be "inferior" as show specimens but they're FINE as PETS. My purple halfmoon I got there almost three years ago is healthy and still alive. I have medications to treat for any illnesses a new fish (betta or otherwise) exhibit on QT, but he never needed any. Seriously, people that just want pretty pets really don't need to spend $100 to get one from Thailand to have a nice-looking fish. However, when my pet-store bettas leave this earth, I'll look up a local breeder source for my next PET betta.

I totally agree with you. Pet Store fish are great pets. I think we all started out with veil tails, moved to crown tails, and on to HM. My first "show fish" came from a HM petorama male and a superdelta Petsmart female. One of my babies placed 3rd out of I think it was 19 fish.

I imported 2 fish after my line died and in 3 months spent $300 on imported fish and have nothing to show for it. Had missing ventrals, screwy scales...lol...breeder/show nightmare...so I totally understand about the money it costs.

I breed Plakats also and most petstores won't take them because they are not long finned and flashy, so I will always have free fish come July :D.

Coppermoon added 10 Minutes and 56 Seconds later...

with $100 I could get a giant half moon betta, not for the normal! and maybe you just got lucky with that fish, I've come to some petco around me and see a lot of fish with with the mark "half moon" are just super delta !

I can't remember the petstore in Arlington...off of Little Street I think...anyway...went in there with a friend and she bought 3 HM males that we BOTH swore were SuperDelta...after a week at her house and with exercise, they all WERE HM. I really felt bad because my friend and I argued with the owner that they were not HM :(.....oops LOL

Coppermoon added 14 Minutes and 43 Seconds later...

The problem with pet shop bettas is not their pedigree or faults but living conditions. Most are mass produced overseas and then shipped. The shipping stresses them and they are stuck in tiny cups where they live in filth. Some breeders keep fish in medicated water so they succumb to what they are exposed to here.. those that don't medicate you often get disease along with the betta. My concern was getting healthy stock.. whatever the quality.. I have yet to see a betta that was not beautiful.. even if it did not meet a show standard. Bettas are the puppy mills of fishdom.

Well said Sherol!!! I still love the veil tail..."he" will always be my favorite betta. Rover White Fin (Red butterfly male) taught me so much about breeding betta. He was such a gentle male and Juliet always came out of it unhurt. Rover gave me 10 wonderful spawns (although I ended up killing every fry :'( ). I don't down pet store quality, just the care of the individual fish themselves......now I want to go to Walmart and clean out all the betta bowls :(

OK...just noticed that every time I Quote, it adds to a previous quote that I made so all my responses are in the same post...THAT is cool!!! This is the first forum that has done that :D

[Kaley]

I know this thread is old, but I got a pretty crowntail from PetSmart a few months ago. If you're looking for show bettas, Odyssey Pets sometimes has a few, and my friend from school said that the Fish Gallery also has some.

[Squirrel]

I have gotten all my bettas from Petco in the past and have had good luck, but do not just go and say "I am going to leave with a betta." Check every fish carefully and you can find healthy and colorful ones and even some that are good for breeding

[fishyspots]

A friend and I recently imported two bettas from Thailand and they are STUNNING! Yes, it cost as much to get them here as it did to buy them but they survived a long and stressful trip with no ill effects and I'd do it again. Here's a picture of mine.

[Typical Tony]

that is uber awesome!

[ANBU]

Very nice!

[Squirrel]

Oh, I forgot, I do have one betta that I bought from petsmart, a female, that is solid white with dark eyes. I toy with the fancy that she could even be an albino. ^^ I've never seen such a healthy white male before though, the ones I have found (it is kind of my quest to find one) are all dinky. :l But your's is very purdy. :D

[bettaman]

Fishyspots' white HM is even "purdier" in person. After speaking to her, I went ahead and brought in a few bettas from Thailand also. They came today and, while stressed from the trip, they are all doing fine so far! I'll have pictures to share as soon as they get their color back!

[teknique1320]

aquabid.com

[Southern.Grace]

Can we get up a list of local breeders?

I am desperately seeking a black Crowntail. Bought one from Petco, but he sadly died after 4 days. The black bettas are quite rare, as far as petstores go, so it would be great if we could get up a list of local breeders, so we don't have to deal with shipping when there are nice fish already in DFW.

[Coppermoon]

Can we get up a list of local breeders?

I am desperately seeking a black Crowntail. Bought one from Petco, but he sadly died after 4 days. The black bettas are quite rare, as far as petstores go, so it would be great if we could get up a list of local breeders, so we don't have to deal with shipping when there are nice fish already in DFW.

I know that our (Lone Star Bettas) president breeds crowns, but Im not sure what color. Other then her, I don't know any local breeders. sorry :(

[Southern.Grace]

Coppermoon, thanks for the info. How would I get in touch with the club? A friend and I are interested in possibly breeding and showing Bettas and we would love to meet others and hear about the hobby.

[robert1]

Hopefully soon I will have talked Kim into selling most of her bettas .. We have 17 males and 55 females! So hopefully some of you will say "Robert and Kim" is who we got these from ;)

[Coppermoon]

Coppermoon, thanks for the info. How would I get in touch with the club? A friend and I are interested in possibly breeding and showing Bettas and we would love to meet others and hear about the hobby.

I am the contact person for the club so you have made contact...lol

We meet every month (baring Holidays and weather). Our next meeting is scheduled for January 21, 2012 starting at 2pm.

We meet at Joe's Pizza, Pasta, and Subs (4300 Matlock Rd, Ste 100, Arlington)...across Matlock from Fry's Electronics.

This coming meeting's subject is: Emergency Medical Kit "What you should have on hand at all times".

would love to have you!!!

PM me if you want more info, and I'll give you my cell to text or call :D

Lori

[bizzle]

For some reason my store (DeSoto Wally World) got in an unusualy larger shipment of crowntails in with the normal weekly betta/fish shipment.
None are black, deep reds and blues. Someone please come and buy some. Will be less I have to clean and feed lol. Pets isn't even my department but it seems I have become the resident fish monger.

[confirm]

import mines

[RoseTail]

After reading this make me wonder is mine fish a halfmoon or super delta that i recently brought at petsmart. But, at this moment i swear it look like super delta. I wish i can own a halfmoon at some point :/

[Coppermoon]

After reading this make me wonder is mine fish a halfmoon or super delta that i recently brought at petsmart. But, at this moment i swear it look like super delta. I wish i can own a halfmoon at some point :/

Rose Tail (love the name!!!) Lone Star Bettas' June meeting is going to be "judging" fish. I will have copies of the standards at the meeting. I'd love to have new people there. PM me and we can chat "off board" :D

Lori

[dbot]

I know Rosetail is new to the forum (so am I) so we can't PM yet. Is there anyway to post some data on this meet up on the forum?

[Coppermoon]

I know Rosetail is new to the forum (so am I) so we can't PM yet. Is there anyway to post some data on this meet up on the forum?

Oh my gosh!!! I am so sorry I forgot!!!

my email lorisgreen (at) sbcglobal (dot) net.