ThailandBettafish.com has a lot of really bad reviews, with people either receiving fish dead on arrival with the sellers going quiet afterwards, or receiving a totally different fish from what they ordered. I was considering ordering from them myself some time ago, but decided to steer clear.

It is possible to order fish online and get some fantastic specimens, but I would research the sellers beforehand and see what their buyers are saying. I bought wilds from FranksBettas and had a really great experience, though it's worth noting that getting fish transshipped to you costs a bit. Depending on your location, you may also have to travel to the transshipper to pick up the fish, instead of having them delivered at home.

I haven't bought fancy bettas online, so I don't know which seller to recommend there. You can look into smaller/independent fish stores in your area, which may be able to order fish from a specific breeder for you. You can also check out transshippers in your area and ask who they work with most frequently. Aquabid.com is usually recommended for finding breeders, though be sure to research them before committing. You may even be lucky and have local breeders in your area that work with high quality stock.

I hope you find a great seller and the perfect fish Would be awesome if you shared your experience!

 

Hi,

I understand your feelings, and I have been where you are many times. I take it very hard every time I lose a betta.

I don't know where you are in the US, but PNW bettas (Oregon) and Prism bettas (Illinois) both have pretty good reps. If you are looking into wilds, bwaquatics in California are also good. For care with shipping, Dan's Fish (Wyoming) is great.

I always recommend trying to find a local aquarium club to see if there are any betta breeders near you. If you live in a city that might hold fish shows, you can always attend one of those and buy fish from there, directly from breeders. Shipping can be an issue, no matter how good the shipper is. The less stress on the fish in shipping, the better.

You are right in that buying from big box stores can be an issue because their bettas are usually mass bred and can have genetic issues. Getting one to live past two to two and a half years is kind of rare, in my experience. But I would also recommend that you take a good hard look at your set up, water change regimen, source water parameters, etc., to see if the issue might lie with something that is going on there. Maybe your source water ph, (kh and gh) aren't what they need to be for a betta, and might be causing osmotic issues, which will lead to a shortened life. Maybe you have been getting red bettas, and there isn't enough beta carotene in their diets, and that might lead to a short life span. Feeding food that does not provide the best nutrition might be an issue. Anything that causes stress can lead to immune system issues. There's so many things that can cause short life spans, so it's good to see if there is something that you can do on your end that will help...something that you weren't even aware of. And I am speaking from experience having lost my share of fin babies due to water issues that I was not aware of at the time.

I hope this helps!

 

Hi,

I understand your feelings, and I have been where you are many times. I take it very hard every time I lose a betta.

I don't know where you are in the US, but PNW bettas (Oregon) and Prism bettas (Illinois) both have pretty good reps. If you are looking into wilds, bwaquatics in California are also good. For care with shipping, Dan's Fish (Wyoming) is great.

I always recommend trying to find a local aquarium club to see if there are any betta breeders near you. If you live in a city that might hold fish shows, you can always attend one of those and buy fish from there, directly from breeders. Shipping can be an issue, no matter how good the shipper is. The less stress on the fish in shipping, the better.

You are right in that buying from big box stores can be an issue because their bettas are usually mass bred and can have genetic issues. Getting one to live past two to two and a half years is kind of rare, in my experience. But I would also recommend that you take a good hard look at your set up, water change regimen, source water parameters, etc., to see if the issue might lie with something that is going on there. Maybe your source water ph, (kh and gh) aren't what they need to be for a betta, and might be causing osmotic issues, which will lead to a shortened life. Maybe you have been getting red bettas, and there isn't enough beta carotene in their diets, and that might lead to a short life span. Feeding food that does not provide the best nutrition might be an issue. Anything that causes stress can lead to immune system issues. There's so many things that can cause short life spans, so it's good to see if there is something that you can do on your end that will help...something that you weren't even aware of. And I am speaking from experience having lost my share of fin babies due to water issues that I was not aware of at the time.

I hope this helps!






For reliable breeders, PNW Bettas, Prism Bettas, Bwaquatics, pldt router ip address and Dan's Fish are great options, and checking local clubs or fish shows might help too.

Also, make sure to review your aquarium setup. Water parameters, diet, and stress can all affect your betta’s health and lifespan.

 

I dunno how much help will this be, but in my area there's a local betta shop that apparently can ship bettas to the US. I dunno how much experience the owner has with exporting fish, or if the journey itself is practical, but he does offer the option. His bettas ain't the cheapest, but all show grade. Occasionally he breeds them himself, but most are selected from Thai farms i believe.

The website is justbetta.com

 

Coast Gem USA in San Diego, Tucky's Bettas in Bakersfield, CA, Prism Bettas all have good reps.

 

Try CoastGemusa. They have good fish and will honor any warranty issue. They're not always quick on the uptake but they are honest.

 

Very much recommend Mimic Bettas!

 

If you are anywhere near North Georgia I breed Mirkwoods

 

Thank you all for you input. I'm taking the plunge again today and going local, again. Btw, I live in Duluth, Minnesota. Also, I have been taught by some of the nicest most wonderful peeps on here with my first betta, who lived 2 1/2 years thanks to capJack and others (I only remember his name off hand as we talked about the vitachem extensively) but everyone has been so much help. I may or may not come home with a fish but I'm getting some supplies and going to look at what is available and hope i can find one that looks well enough.

 

I tend to go for the sick ones and try to heal them and give them a decent life in a 2.5 gal or a sorority tank for females. I have good results but I run dedicated hospital tanks for healing specific conditions. Pet store bettas are just like any other mass bred for profit animal, they are prone to disease, parasites, poor genetics, etc… keeping any of them alive is a testament to the power of life. But healing one you know is on the way out brings special satisfaction.