"They live forever" -TapTapBettaCup-

[ChoclateBetta]

This guy feels the same way.

[Katy]

That is an amazing picture! I suddenly have the urge to go buy a betta that screams to be named fluffy...

[ChoclateBetta]

Thanks it shows his curosity.

[hannah16]

Originally Posted by Katy

That is an amazing picture! I suddenly have the urge to go buy a betta that screams to be named fluffy...

Haha! Fluffy! It's like naming a cat, Gil. Cute and ironic.

[Viva]

I've seen a lot of people say that about bettas...mostly the people who have never owned one. The people who were suckered in to buying a betta and putting it in a bowl will tell you that they only live for like a week, and they still don't realize it was due to their own neglect. I tell ya, for the "most intelligent" creature on the planet, a lot of us sure know nothing about anything.

Originally Posted by Kithy

Lemme tell you this.

Even if those 17 fish had died in their little plastic cups, do you really think a big chain is going to stop selling them? No. They won't.

May as well give one fish a good home for a few days than suffering in a tiny cup.

I agree with both sides of the argument. Yes, if NO ONE bought any more bettas from pet stores and ONLY bought them from breeders, the pet stores would be making no revenue off of bettas. But the chances that EVERYONE will stop buying bettas from pet stores is close to nil. Its like when vegetarians say that not eating meat will result in less cruelty to livestock...no. Now the animal is dead and theres no one around to eat it so its just going to be made into cat food or worse, thrown away.

I would love to buy fish from breeders, but the $35 to ship a 10 or 20 dollar fish is just another extra expense most people wouldn't want to pay...I mean thats more than 3 hours of work for me at my current, low-paying job :D

[LetsGetKraken]

My sister believed all the crazy stuff..."they live in puddles", "they live forever", "change the water once a week"(in a tiny half gallon tank), etc. She bought a betta for my niece, and wondered why it was so lethargic and sickly after four months.
When I took him in, I didn't believe he was a betta. He was the color of a pale goldfish and his fins were almost nonexistent. It hasn't even been a month and he's feisty, crimson, and beautiful.

Bettas are definitely not indestructible, but it is amazing how resilient they can be.

[ChoclateBetta]

If they die on the shelf or dont get bought it does not matter to the buisness. The one certain thing is that there will always be a new Betta on that shelf. My Petco is great with Bettas. They move in the Cup watch you and are already Perked up.

[Kithy]

I think if your end goal is to have a line of beautifully bred, healthy, show fish then going to a breeder might be a good idea. That's not saying you can't get that kind of quality of fish from a pet store but your odds are definitely better from a breeder.

For me, I've no desire to breed :3 So when I am fully ready to get my future betta, I will go and find the saddest little thing at Walmart and do everything in my power to give him a good life.

I'm a romantic, what can I say xP

[ChoclateBetta]

My Petco has greay Bettas. I haveseen a few that looked very similar to people like Mos Bettas. And other top Breeders.

[Katy]

LOL I have a couple of cats already but I suddenly have the urge to adopt a 3rd and name it Gill...

I love Kithy's post... I sooo respect betta breeders and will venture to that if I desire a pure line, but for now, I love my unhealthy LPS bettas and strive to do all I can to bring them back to good health.