How did you get addicted to bettas? Post your stories here!

[aokashi]

What got you into bettas? Why do you keep fish? How far has the addiction escalated? I thought it would be interesting to hear how everyone began in this queer hobby :)

So here is my story.

My first betta was "blue". Just your run of the mill royal blue Vt with fins curled from being kept in hard water. I didn't want a responsibility back then, especially not one that would survive up to a few years. But what can I do? it was a gift.
I had a tall 1/2 gallon Jar, in which I kept an anubias and the betta went in there. I began reading up on the species and became fascinate with their myriad of needs. I felt more knowledgeable already. I bought him a 1g mini bow, more plants and better food.
Blue is still alive today, various things happened an he was adopted out to an art firm in NYC.
Today, I have Just one betta - Kuro. He still has some growing to do. I feel closer to Kuro, probably because I raised him from a baby. He is like a mischieveous child. Sometimes I certainly feel like some how sticking my hands in the tank and give him a slap reserved for naughty kids.

Having an aquarium- especially a planted on, is my stress relief. being the absurd college student I am. taking the maximum amount of credits allowed, taking care of my mini aquarium and singular fish, somehow drains the stress away.

I really don't intend to keep more than one betta. though I must admit t'a temptig everytime I see a lethargic baby betta at petco, or an emaciated crowntail with faded colors just pleading for me to bring him back to his full brilliance.

But then i remind myself sadly that I have no more room, and no one else to adopt it out to once recovered. and I always walk away, empty handed.

[xShainax]

Hm...Well, my friend bought me a blue VT named Antoine for Christmas who I had for a month before he died from lack of knowing any better since he was in a 2 gallon bowl. When he died, I went to Petsmart where I bought a blue/turquoise/red CT and named him Lucifer. After that I was bit by the betta bug and after going to Petsmart tonight, I am up to 7 males.

[Pilot00]

My father wanted us to reestablish our aquarium and one day he brought home Piou inside a coffee cup. Well, all it took was one stare. Piou is good at staring....

[BlackberryBetta]

Well.....I first saw this forum and it
Got me interested. 2 Christmases ago a bought a little tiny bowl and a very ...ah-hem..unimpressive female betta. She wasn't pretty but I loved her anyways. Being part of this forum I soon realized that a little bowl wasn't enough and moved her to a little bigger tank and another after that. I was still new at it and I guess the stress of always moving finally took its toll on her. She passed away that summer. Since then I have had a few bettas. But my fish keep kicking the bucket and I have no idea why. I want another one though!!! Right now I am reading books and browsing the forum because I don't want to mess this up! :) I always try to pull myself away from bettas and remind myself of all that has gone on with my bettas, but I can't seem to pull myself away from them! Gotta love bettas!

[fleetfish]

It all started with a $20 bill inside a birthday card from my brother, and a little royal blue VT that lived in and with everything under the sun - goldfish, just to name one. He lived for a good three years, and then everything changed when I said to myself "oh, just one more won't hurt a bit!"

One more turned into maybe around 100+ over the years - I've been keeping bettas for over a decade! Which is very, VERY hard to believe because I've just realized it now! O_o

[Friendlyfishies]

My addiciton has only just begun :)

[Jupiter]

I had moved in to my aunt and uncle's house in Ottawa and I was feeling a bit homesick. I missed my cat a lot.

I decided to get another pet, they said an aquarium was fine as they had one themselves and gave me a spare 10 gal they had.

I originally wanted an axolotl, but since I couldn't find any i decided to try bettas again since I knew I could keep them in a 10 gal. Back then I didn't really know anything about them (as a kid I had a few, but I followed Petsmart advice, so...yeah), so I joined this site. :)

I decided to jump in head first and start a sorority...my first two bettas were sisters, a lavender girl named Bambi and a blue-purple named Lolita. It just kinda went downhill from there, lol.

Bambi was one of the sweetest girls I ever had, I still miss her a lot.

[aokashi]

aw such sweet stories. Of those who were once with us, and still influences us now.

@BlackberryBetta- I'm sure you will find that perfect betta for you. some petstore bettas just were never in the best of health anyway

[aqua001]

I got Aqua when the LPS person was talking about all the fish they had and my dad asked what a good beginner fish was. The person said bettas. So we went to look and I was a bit shocked with my dad just getting a pet for me, because he is not an animal person at all. Well I randomly pointed to a cup, not even caring about what was inside. When I saw, I wasn't all that pleased. Inside sat a dull blue betta. I named him Aqua and just got ready to have him die in a few days. He lived in his half gal and happily built bubblenests all day long. I did some research and noticed that he might want a bigger tank. I didn't have very much money and bought him a one gal, ignoring the fact that he would be better of with a heater. I got very very attached to him and dreaded the day he would die. When my super rich grandparents came, they noticed my love of fish and got me a ten gallon with a heater, filter and anything else I wanted. Aqua and I were so happy. Me and my dad constructed a divider and got another betta, a CT named Rainbow. After that, I was completely hooked and wanted more and more bettas. LOL


End of story. :)

[DragonFish]

Aww, what neat stories everyone!! :)

Mine starts with a 50 gallon tank my dad brought home from his office about five years ago. After a few years of mostly uneducated, but enjoyable keeping of various tetras and live-bearers and learning, sadly from experience, how aggressive Gouramis(my second favorite species to bettas still)are my dad gave me the 50 gallon during one of our moves a little over three years ago to put in my room and suggested I do some research on aquariums and fish keeping in the hopes that perhaps I could get a job doing something with it.
I found the Tropical Fish Keeping forum and was instantly hooked.

My first betta I picked up not long after I started doing more research into fish keeping. I'd heard they could be in community tanks, and when I went into our local craft store and found all the little bowls of bettas on one of the endcaps I decided on a whim to get one.
He was a lovely teal-blue Veil I named Sasuke....and immediately I noticed that he was a little different then my other fish. He'd watch me a little more then the others, he was much more curious about what I was doing, he was much more....personable then my other fish. Quickly I formed a bond with him, and after another few months of learning and research and bouncing him from tank to tank he took up residence in a 10 gallon I purchased and divided for my 18th birthday.
From there it was ALL downhill.....my second male was a Cambodian CT I named Supernova, and then I set up my old 20 long tank that I used to keep Hermit Crabs in and made a Sorority.....then I came across a little copper marble delta boy I had to have, my mom ended up winning a lovely teal/red DT from a little contest at our LFS......I brought home a little rescue CT boy and a 5 gallon....I remembered I had ANOTHER 10 gallon old Hermit Crab tank in the garage I could set up....had a few more impulse buys, learned Kritter Keepers made excellent little tanks....tried breeding once....

And then here I am, 3 years later, with 10 lovely boys, currently 6 tanks, and completely and utterly fish crazy. xD My poor dad, had no idea what he was getting into getting me into this hobby.....