believe me, it's not you. most breeders LOVE their fish, they do it because they enjoy it and give everything they possibly can to make their fishes lives the best they can. these fish are healthy and happy. this gives you optimal chance to have success. you obviously treat your bettas with a lot of love and caring. your responsible for them. other breeders breed for money or to have the "best" or just the right one and who knows how many other reasons and just discard the rest (possibly thats why there were 35 identical red bettas at petsmart most destined to die?) they aren't treated well, are given horrible living conditions throughout their entire lives (i have to wonder if they aren't all as young as they look, possibly undersized because of this?), shipping is terrible (can you imagine?). sometimes even good conditions just can't make up for the past. these people usually have no respect for any living creatures, not just fish. did you see all the cute bunnies in the stores for the past few weeks just for easter? how many will end up being let go outside because they are too hard to take care of. my favorite is when the parent tells the child that its better for this hand fed, indoor bunny to be in its natural habitat....or left to starve in a box outside? how about the puppies and kittens that are abandoned every year which were originally given as gifts? the overwhelming number of dalmations showing up at shelters after that #*^@ movie came out? how many goldfish get dumped in lakes or end up dying slow deaths in stagnant bowls? what about the people who dump rodents and snakes, letting them return to the wild (not!) these animals weren't raised by a good breeder. a good breeder usually has a pretty good idea if someone will be responsible for the pet, will take the pet back or help in some way because they CARE. these animals were bred in mills etc, then bought and sold annonymously (they don't care who the buyers are, the buyers don't care who they are) through chain stores and places that just don't care. raised as a decoration, sold as a decoration, died as a decoration. my beautiful english pointer was abandoned in state lands to die because she couldn't have puppies. luckily someone rescued her and we got to have 15 wonderful years together.
other animals have some rights yet fish are treated like trash. unfortunately bettas are popular and so many wrong myths are out there. this is why we must end these myths and try to do whatever we can to help. we can't save them all but we can tell and correct people. the more people know, the better they will be treated, that's why telling managers is so important. look how long the Humane Society and other organizations have been around. they still haven't solved all the problems. we need to get bettas and other fish on their list. it's beyond sad. And this is why walmart fish tend to die such a slow, terrible death.
sorry about my rant but, hugs, it's not you
SORRY, for my little rant. I can't believe how many people support Greyhound racing knowing how they are treated. I have 2 adopted ex racing Greyhounds. They are the best dogs I have ever had. I work with Greyhound rescue to save as many as possible. Feel free to email me if you want any info on Greyhounds.
you are lucky or very careing to have had a betta live that long for you, even professionals rarely have their fish survive that long.
The people I've spoken to about bettas think they rarely live longer than a year and a co-worker said bettas go crazy if put in an aquarium--"that is why you only find them sold in cups" she said. Sad for the fishes. 
