Killing Me...

[RobynR]

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post a link so I won't, but I was browsing Craigslist to see about some of the supplies I want for getting my aquarium set back up. I ran across an ad from someone near me who's getting out of breeding bettas and is selling her bettas (imported from Thailand) for $15 and under. She posted some pictures, and they're the gorgeous types I drool over on Aquabid but know I'll never really buy (at least not until my disposable income increases significantly).
 
What's killing me is that I don't have my tank fully set up yet, including a malfunctioning heater I need to send in for a replacement. Plus my husband wants to wait until after the new year to actually get a fish because he's concerned about problems if we travel at all over Christmas. So, looks like I'm going to miss out on this one.

  I figured I'd get some sympathy here. Here's hoping another opportunity will come up when I'm actually ready for it.

 

[Chad]

Betta are great fish to have for a vacation as they are not big eaters. Also, it's possible you can get some cycled filter material from the person selling the betta so set up can be immediate. Just a thought.

 

[AlitaConejita]

Oh man! I sympathize.

This person isn't in Massachusetts, is (s)he? (Cause if they are, I'm going shopping! ... Just 1)

 

[RobynR]

Sorry Alita, Texas. I don't know if she'd consider shipping, but if you search for bettas under the pets listing in Austin, you'll find it and you could always ask.
 
tcamos, I might try to talk him into it, although I've still got the heater issue -- I'm sure it'll take a week or two to get the replacement. It's not cold enough here in Texas that we're actually using the heater yet (we heat it to 68). I think it's about 75 in the house right now, and that's with a cold front hitting last night. Lately it's been in the 80s. Still, there would be some temperature fluctuations throughout the day. Would that be healthy? If I could work around the heater problem, this really would be a great opportunity. I thought I could even ask if she has any supplies she's getting rid of, like food and dechlorinator, and save some money on those. If she also had some mature media for me we could have a fish settled in and everything stable well before we'd be going out of town. Asking the kids to wait till January is pretty tough; they're only 5 and 3 and a few months is an eternity at that age.
 
Something I've been wondering: would these guys be likely to be healthier and hardier than your standard Petsmart type bettas, or the other way around? I had two bettas that came in a plastic cup from chain pet stores, and neither lived more than a year. I don't think I did anything wrong (cycled tank, good temperature, regular water changes, good food and not too much, etc.), although it's a possibility. I wondered if maybe I'd have better luck with higher-quality stock. That could be a major selling point for my husband, if so.

 

[Chad]

You can only determine health once you examine the fish. PetCo fish can be quite healthy depending on when you get them and from which store. Only close examination for fin issues, parasites, and wounds can really make you satisfied.

 

[RCA]

Just a thought, if they are giving up breeding they may also have heaters for sale.  If it was me I would do everything possible to get hold of some of them.  If it is not too far from you I would go and look and speak to them about options for heater/media etc.  Good Luck, hope to hear you soon have new Bettas

 

[RobynR]

I sent an e-mail to ask about the bettas and whether she's also selling off any equipment or supplies. No response yet, so we'll see. I'd still have to convince my husband, but if the deal was good enough and she could help me get the cycle going I think he might agree to it. The 5-year-old told him very politely last night that after Christmas is too long to wait and the end of October would be better. I pointed out that if I can get some media from the seller and get a cycle started immediately, then everything should be stabilized well before we'd be going out of town. He's concerned that something will go wrong while we're gone and the pet sitter won't realize it or know what to do about it. It's a possibility, but I think if we get things established now and I portion out the food for when we're gone, the chances are minimal.
 
With some experimentation, the heater set at 76 seems to hold things steady at 82, so it looks like it's not stuck on but calibrated incorrectly. I'm watching it to make sure it really does stay steady, but so far so good.