Villain origin story

[JuliaAndFish co.]

So, I have been obsessing about owning a pair betta smaragdina for the past 5 or 6 months, I have researched and found out everything I possibly could have about them and I was extremely hyped. I have a fishtank in my bedroom all set up and going for them since before the holidays, it is planted and stocked, and now the ONLY THING LEFT IS TO ACTUALLY GET THE BETTAS. However, they are out of stock absolutely everywhere as a pair, and in a different thread I announced that I have indeed found a seller in Glasgow on eBay who sells these wonderful fish. PROBLEM IS, I was fully sure that they actually posted to Ireland, and I was about to actually order them when I discovered that the INDEED DO NOT DO NOT POST TO IRELAND! So as every person in their right mind should, I had a major mental breakdown. I have checked every website in Europe and Asia and America and EVERYWHERE to check if they have any, and many of the places either do not send to Ireland, or they do through a TRANSHIPPER, and I most CERTAINLY do not have that kind of money to spend on just a fish... I have no idea what to do and I really want my dream to come true, but so far nothing is going my way and I am slowly becoming discouraged... Does anyone have any ideas on what I could maybe do?

 

[GaryE]

It can take years to get a species you want. I have been known to check sellers before I travel.

Are you sure you couldn't get them from the continent? Since the Brexit thing, the British have been in their own little corner, but Ireland is still out in the wide world of fish, and the Dutch and German sellers are famous for variety. You might need a little work with google translate.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Or you could pull a GaryE and take a fish-catching trip.

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[Colin_T]

Wait 4 or 5 months and they will be available again. Most wild Bettas are seasonal and only turn up for 2-3 months a year. Outside of that time they are non-existent and the only way you can get them is through a breeder.

If you do get some, try to 3 or 4 pairs. If you only get 1pr and something happens to one of the fish, you are stuffed for at least 12 months. If you get several prs and something happens to one of them, you still have the other fish to work with.

As a general rule, when working with rare or hard to get fish, try to get 10-20 fish and keep them in different tanks so there is less chance of losing them all before you can breed them.

 

[JuliaAndFish co.]

It can take years to get a species you want. I have been known to check sellers before I travel.

Are you sure you couldn't get them from the continent? Since the Brexit thing, the British have been in their own little corner, but Ireland is still out in the wide world of fish, and the Dutch and German sellers are famous for variety. You might need a little work with google translate.

Yeah I've been on German and French websites too.

 

[JuliaAndFish co.]

Wait 4 or 5 months and they will be available again. Most wild Bettas are seasonal and only turn up for 2-3 months a year. Outside of that time they are non-existent and the only way you can get them is through a breeder.

If you do get some, try to 3 or 4 pairs. If you only get 1pr and something happens to one of the fish, you are stuffed for at least 12 months. If you get several prs and something happens to one of them, you still have the other fish to work with.

As a general rule, when working with rare or hard to get fish, try to get 10-20 fish and keep them in different tanks so there is less chance of losing them all before you can breed them.

Oohh ok I will thanks for the advice!

 

[JuliaAndFish co.]

I was thinking from the very start to get more than one pair, because if it does end up coming from Germany or Europe it will probably be in rough shape, and what matters most to me is for it to actually survive.

 

[GaryE]

Can I ask - why smaragdina?

 

[JuliaAndFish co.]

I just find that they are so beautiful and elegant, their character and care is special and they are just breathtaking to see when they are cared for properly. When I saw their lustrous, shiny, colourful fins and gleaming bodies I just knew, this was the fish for me. I have researched many wild betta species, but this one just couldn't get out of my head.
Ps. I also just really like green, and they are mostly green so..

 

[Magnum Man]

was curious... E-bay USA popped up ( I haven't bought fish on E-bay, & not likely to, but they had a nice picture, and only males listed

 

[JuliaAndFish co.]

Aaahhhhhhh he's so beautiful.... its making me so sad that I don't have one now waaaaa

 

[Magnum Man]

that he is... I didn't know what they looked like... sorry, post was not intended to make you miserable

 

[JuliaAndFish co.]

Ahhh no its fine I was jokinggg, I am not miserable I am just obsessively looking up websites that could have them, knowing very well that I will have to wait a long time before I'll actually find one, none of this is you fault!

 

[JuliaAndFish co.]

I am typing this while laughing because my swordtail is non stop trying to eat the same piece of some plant root after i fed them bloodworm!

 

[GaryE]

Thanks for giving me the background. I was curious. There are so many beautiful wild Bettas that it's always interesting to see what attracts people to each.

I know this is cruel, but I used to keep the guitar smaragdina. You need to make friends with a forester who works in Laos sometimes. That's how I got mine. I'm not a Betta person, but I couldn't resist.

Now, if you really like them a lot, you may want to get a breeding set up lined up. Fish like those are very VERY hard to find, and you may not find them twice. A lot of my killies get bred because I know if I don't breed them, I can't simply run down to the pet store and get more.

In the past, not hard to breed (even though I failed at breeding them) Bettas like that sometimes show up on Czech lists. There are some companies that employ hobbyist breeders who specialize in odd stuff and sell centrally. I have only ever been in one Irish pet store, and it was tiny. But a good shop may be able to order them even out of season, if they come from a breeder.