Wow! Bettas sure are expensive where you guys live

[FlareBettaGuy]

I heard that the average betta is around 4 dollars US. Then how come I can get one for a buck? I don't live in the US anymore, but I may be going back soon.
So for the money to buy one betta, I can get like....four! But the food and the container plus the gravel, plants, cave, etc., etc., also cost money though.

 

[White Whale]

The cheapest I've seen so far is $2.99 at my local Petland Discount.

 

[aernympha]

count ur luckys stars!, in britain they are around £6.95..... but there are less bettas here and we don't keep them in jars and thats about $8 i think, near enuf

 

[Where the river goes]

The lowest price I've seen was $2.99 at a lfs I won't consider buying a betta from. They're kept in clear plastic drinking cups w/no lid

Wal-Mart, Petco, and Petsmart sell them for $3.49, but Petsmart by far has he healthiest looking bettas.

 

[Jo]

Mine cost me about £4, but although he's special to me he is just your standard Betta really (sorry Huey!)

But they are pretty rare over here yes...

 

[wuvmybetta]

They average about 3- 4 bucks as everybody said..I hardly ever pay for mine though, all I have to say is "look at this betta,he's almost dead! I think you should just give him/her to me" and the checker/clerk always does !
I have a pair of plakats that cost,get this....80.00 for the pair

 

[aernympha]

lol wuvmybetta i might try that one dya muhahahhaha

 

[Sondan]

Wuv I want to see a picture of those Placats. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE !! $80 Whoa now that is a TON of money.
Signed,
Sondan

 

[wuvmybetta]

Wuv I want to see a picture of those Placats. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE !! $80 Whoa now that is a TON of money.
Signed,
Sondan

I'll go post a pic
They're really not much to look at ,they're orange and have champion bloodlines so the price tag was really just for the rarity of them (and the $80 didn't include shipping the little buggers that was another 25.00) , they're very young ,only about 5 months old & hopefully I can get some fry out of them

 

[Inchworm]

They're really not much to look at ,they're orange and have champion bloodlines so the price tag was really just for the rarity of them (and the $80 didn't include shipping the little buggers that was another 25.00) , they're very young ,only about 5 months old & hopefully I can get some fry out of them

Hi wuvmybetta,

I've seen some really expensive bettas on the net and wondered about what they call "championship blood lines." Do they come with pedigree papers, like dogs do?

 

[wuvmybetta]

ya know....I kinda thought they would too, I was uncertain,but they didn't
I got them from bettatalk....I'm keeping my eyes peeled for another pair so I can see if there's more of a "love connection" if they have others to choose from

 

[Inchworm]

wuvmybetta,

I thought that might have been a dumb question. Thanks for taking it seriously.

But it does seem to me that buying such expensive fish and trying to raise them for sale could be a problem without some kind of proof of their bloodlines. I haven't tried bettas yet, but I've raised gouramis and know they're not the easiest fish to raise. Getting them past their labrynth development can be a bit tricky. I suspect bettas are the same.

I'd just hate to have to see fry from expensive lineages sold as $3 retail fish.

 

[Sondan]

On the pedigree papers you guys....I know that the IBC keeps records on who wins what shows. With these wins people earn points and such which determines the champions at the end of the year. I don't think this is much different then say dogs shows is it? Also the two IBC breeders I know try and keep pretty close tabs on who they by certain breeding stock from. So you can say yes after so many winning shows you have a good bloodline.
Signed,
Sondan

 

[SurrogateFishMom]

Someone mentioned that in their hometown the best bettas were at Petsmart. I have to say that the treatment, age, and health of the bettas at our local Petsmart were worlds above that at the Petco, where half of them have fin rot, fungus or lie on their sides at the bottom of the cups. I even saw a dead one dried up on the paper underneath the rack their cups sit on. I was not impressed!!! Didn't they wonder where the guy living in the cup must have gone??? So anyone who lives in Seattle, avoid the northend Petco, and hit the Petsmart, because the bettas are younger, livelier and healthier! One thing I really liked about the Petsmart was that they treated all new shipments of bettas with mild antibacterials to prevent them from carrying disease to other tanks and to help them through the transition... their cups were filled with a clean blue water... no chunky debris like the ones at Petco....

Then again, if you are like Wuvmybetta, you could rescue the Petco ones--although I think in the long run this just encourages the shops to keep stocking the poor babies and to not worry about taking good care of them!

Oh, bettas here are all around $3 to 3.50. But what is a dollar here or there??? It's the rest of the stuff and the time that really cost!!

 

[wuvmybetta]

although I think in the long run this just encourages the shops to keep stocking the poor babies and to not worry about taking good care of them!

that's so true , I've often thought about that. But....I finally stopped taking them home from my Wal-mart and began harassing the fish dept every time I went in there, I make it a habit to swing by the betta cups and check to see whats going on, and I'm happy to say...instead of dead floating bettas,today I found sparkling clean cups