What To Look For When Buying Bettas

[athao04]

Are there certain "traits" and "qualities" you look for when you buy a betta? Or do you just base it on the color and tail type? I know you wouldn't buy a half dead betta in a cup with water that hasn't been changed in what looks like weeks, but what do you look for?

 

[K.J.]

From what I know..

1. Perkiness. Don't get one that just lies on the bottom of it's cup. Sometimes, they'll sit there until something interesting comes along, so don't let that fool you.
2. Agressive. Get one that seems agressive and offending.
3. Healthy-looking. Don't get one that looks like it has been attacked or has a serious nipping problem unless you have a mind to put it in rehab.

And on another note, try to get one at a smaller pet shop and not.. Walmart. although, all the same, color matters too.

 

[athao04]

Awesome. Thats what I mainly look for. Just wanted to know what other people look for also. And, the only fish related thing I buy from walmart would be 1g+ tanks, food, and decor. This is because 1. sometimes its cheaper and 2. its the only store that carries anything like that in my college town.

 

[Rediahs]

Yeah, if you are buying one from a pet store, buy the most active one (but not freakishly active or displaying psychotic repetitive behaviours). Buy one that, if you pick up his cup, he seems to notice you and swims against the cup at you. If he is just laying against the bottom, DON'T buy him. Sure, he could just be sleeping, but he could also be sick. If he's displaying healthy behaviour, you know he's healthy.

Check the ends of his fins for any fin rot or raggedness. If his fins are ragged or have black or white fringes, don't buy. Check his body for white spots or scales that are falling off.



But my BEST advice would be... don't buy from a pet store. Spend the money and invest in a pet from aquabid or a breeder website, or even somebody off this forum. It's going to probably run you $15-50 dollars just for shipping, but you know your fish won't have been kept in deplorable conditions, and will very likely be much, much healthier than any petstore betta.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

i find myself attracted to the ones flaring at their neighbors. all those little transparent plastic cups, packed in so tightly together--wanting to fight is the betta thing to do!

 

[wodesorel]

All of the bettas I've ever had were the sickly ones.

The blue/red/white crowntail had just come into the store - I helped the ladies unpack the boxes. He was the only one with fin rot/ammonia burn, so I took him. (Little did I know that at the end of the missing fins was a crowntail in hiding.) And when I went to another store to get a new tank the next day, there was one fancy guppy colored betta that hadn't been touched in a week - horrid water, fin rot, skinny (the rest were fine - he must have gotten shoved somewhere else)... I've had them both a month and they're doing great and seem to be really healthy.

I guess it just depends on what you're looking for. If you're breeding or just don't want to take the risk (expecially if you have other bettas!), go with a breeder or a reputable lfs. If you're just looking for a fish, rescues are great.

 

[Wisperian]

I go after the colours and tail types. I dont care if they dont freaking have a tail from nipping or anything, as long as they have awesome colours and genetics I'm looking for. I'd rather have myself by those bettas than have them rot away in the cups.

 

[OhMyDog]

I look for tail type first, then color. Then if I decide that I want to breed him/her, I just check to see if they look generally healthy. I don't care much about fin damage but just things like if it looks active, flaring, body looks okay, etc.

Occasionally I will rescue a betta if it looks deathly ill.. I always try to get it for free by complaining though.. =P I don't like supporting the larger scale pet stores.

 

[Wisperian]

Pfft. Ashley is such a copycat 8)

 

[OhMyDog]

Pfft. Ashley is such a copycat 8)

LOLOL I sure am. Na na na na boo boo! *sticks tongue out*

 

[liz2]

I have never gone out looking for bettas, they find me! Apart from my lovely Amos from Joby and Clancy who was a freebie.

 

[HendrixTheOscar]

I bought one on Tuesday, got a single white spot on his underbelly appendage, proceeded to treat him, died the next day! Great, waste of my time and money!!

Any ideas as to what went wrong?

 

[Taridan]

What are the stats of the tank you put him in?
Are you sure it was a male or could it have been a female with an oviposterior spot?
What did you use to treat it with?