so... I've never had a betta... am I missing something???

[Magnum Man]

my mom had one, started out in a little bowl, got her a 2.5 gallon to put it in, instead of the quart sized bowl she had it in... so I have followed the fish species a little... if I did get one, I would want to tank it with a few unusual fish, with similar habitats... I would guess the wild types would be better with a few odd fish, than the splendins... but then you lose a lot of the colors...

in essence, I'm trying to talk myself into it... I'll have the 10 gallon tanks available, after I move a bunch of fish into the 45 gallon I'm setting up right now... I also have a couple 30 gallon longs that I will set up sooner or later...

 

[Back in the fold]

You have NEVER had a Betta . You’re missing out Man . Not only is a Betta mandatory in any aquarists experience but they are beautiful fish with a rich history in the hobby . They are easy to breed if you do your homework and set them up right too . The anabantid group of fish which includes gouramis , Betta’s and Paradise Fish are unlike other groups and a well rounded tropical fish hobbyist should have at least some experience with them to add to his knowledge . Betta’s are commonly available everywhere at prices ranging from downright cheap to a King’s ransom . Maybe seeing them everywhere cooped up in those little plastic cups has made you overlook them . Go get one . Today !

 

[Magnum Man]

I have had Gourami's before, & currently have one... but never had paradise fish or betta's

 

[Back in the fold]

I have had Gourami's before, & currently have one... but never had paradise fish or betta's

I love Paradise Fish and I am actively seeking a pair to set up outside this summer .

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

I don't condone keeping Bettas in bowels.. bettas in bowls is one thing but in a bowel? Tsk tsk...

 

[Magnum Man]

fixed it... thanks...

Dan's regularly gets Paradise Fish in... they only have one variety right now... ( as one of my favorite on line sellers, they are easy to check out for me )

https://www.dansfish.com/product.detail/6380/Blue-Flame-Paradise-Gourami-(See-Note-about-Fins)-(Macropodus-opercularis)

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

I loved my bettas, so much character and truly stunning to watch

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Look into wild-type B. imbellus. Their colors are every bit as stunning as anything the selective breeders have come up with. They're intelligent, interesting personalities, tough and easy to breed too. If you get a pair, have a plan to re-home the mom when the dad turns against her.

 

[wayfareranima]

Huge betta advocate, highly recommend. Can be trained to do tricks, can survive out of water for short periods, extremely hardy, highly intelligent, big personalities.
I am biased, but they are the dogs of fish, imo.

 

[Jamie D.]

I love bettas...they have such personality, and throw such adorable tantrums if you're late with the food. Or in my Smudge's case, if you try to put up an algae shield background on the tank for part of the day to block natural sunlight - he hates it, so I'm stuck cleaning algae out of the tank every week.

Eddie, my paradise fish, is far more moody and anti-social than Smudge. And Smudge blows better bubble nests, too, but don't tell Eddie I said so or he'll sulk for days.

You won't regret getting a betta, IMO.

 

[Back in the fold]

What’s not to like ?

 

[GaryE]

You never had a fancy betta? And what, you didn't have pimples in your teens or bad fashion choices at any point in your life?

I don't like fancy fancy Bettas. Older style fancy Bettas were okay, and they can still be found. Most of them are half blind so they can't see you as anything but a lumpish shadow, and largely immobile and disfunctional from over the top finnage. They're highly overrated fish.


He now ducks and hides behind his screen.

 

[MaloK]

Exactly like that... An old style betta. Half blind, dysfunctional, Lazy as it gets. Overrated for sure... At the price I paid...

One of most intelligent fish I ever had... He understands everything and takes advantage of it...

 

[Magnum Man]

Ok… I never really had pimples either… unfortunately can’t really talk fashion sense… remember parachute pants… and my prom tux was a power blue polyester model…
So how about a few suggestions for tank mates for a wild type… although I do find some some of the dragon scale bettas pretty interesting…

 

[MaloK]

Ok… I never really had pimples either… unfortunately can’t really talk fashion sense… remember parachute pants… and my prom tux was a power blue polyester model…
So how about a few suggestions for tank mates for a wild type… although I do find some some of the dragon scale bettas pretty interesting…

Check out the Galaxy koi: