# Petco vs Petsmart bettas?



## SQUIRT1216 (Dec 16, 2012)

So I live in a college town where i only have petsmart near me. I heard Petco carry much better pool of bettas but the closest one is 60 miles away. I would make a drive but i dont want to drive 2 hours back and forth and be disappointed. Anyone have both in their town and want to share their opinions?

Thanks.

P.S kinda a complete different question, but is this really a veiltail? He's pretty but his tail is rounded
http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettasvt&1357566478


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## jinxhex (Jan 1, 2013)

I've gotten all of my Bettas from my local Petco, but when I go to the local PetSmart, I usually just glance at the Betta area when I'm waiting in line, and the ones at Petco usually appear larger, healthier, and more vibrant to me. I think it really just depends on where you're located, a little bit of luck, and personal preference. I've heard the best places to get any kind of fish are the Ma & Pa shops, but I don't have any of those around!


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## BettaPirate (Nov 20, 2012)

If I dive north the petco is horrible and petsmart has way better fish but if I drive south the petco has great fish and knowledgeable staff so it is hard to say


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## SQUIRT1216 (Dec 16, 2012)

Ok, I will make a drive sometime this weekend. Finger cross, high hope haha. At least there is a fish store and another petsmart near by so hopefully it wont be too bad


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

I like petco's selection much better but I dont like their prices at all.

I'm in the same situation as you, the closes petco is about 40 miles away, and petsmart is like 5 away, I only ever go to petco if I go out that way and I rarely get a fish because I dont want to pay that much for a pet-store betta.


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## TheCheese909 (Aug 11, 2011)

It depends, really. I've gotten a few really nice Bettas from PetSmart, but I've also gotten some amazing looking ones from PetCo.. 

PetCo does sell higher end Bettas, they seem to get them from great breeders and PetSmart is now breeding their own fish, including their Bettas and they honestly don't seem to know as much about the different types. I often find PetSmart to have mixes of HM and DT labeled as HMs. Since PetSmart is breeding their own you can often find quite young ones there too, under a year but not in their fry stage any more, unlike PetCo who usually has either fry or 1 year+.

My PetSmart gets their Bettas in on I believe Friday or Thursday, while PetCo gets theirs in Wednesday. You may want to call your nearest PetCo before diving out and see what day they get their shipment of Bettas in. You don't want to drive out and have them only have about 4 VTs left or something. 

Also, it varies between PetCo to PetCo, my local store has about 8 different types of males while the one in a neighboring town has double that as well as higher end Bettas in color and posture.


Here is a handful of photos of Bettas I have gotten from each store:


Petsmart boy (got real lucky with him! they never turn out this great):

From this:









To this:









PetCo boy:

From this:









To this:
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/181363_416935718378399_161640836_n.jpg (img may stretch screen, so i left with just a link)


PetSmart:









PetCo:









PetSmart (Delta labeled as a HM):









PetCo:









PetSmart (i love this guy so much lol, he's grown the most):











Now none of these guys are super amazingly amazing like PetCo can get in, but they are uhm, yes, "higher quality" Bettas and they keep getting better and better ones in. They are also much more expensive, so remember to bring your money with you, you can end up buying a $24 Betta. But you never know what you might find, or who may find you. Currently I only have 4 Bettas, two are from PetCo and two are from PetSmart.


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## SQUIRT1216 (Dec 16, 2012)

Holy cow to the first one, that's what you call ugly duckling to a freaking phoenix.... can't seem to pick up my jaw

And i don't think ive ever found amazing ones from petsmart like you did, i guess college kids not really that into bettas (yea, the town is 50,000 people and 30,000 of them are students lol). Even though i go there like almost 3 times a week. The lady who works there probably judge me a lot for just browsing and not buying.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Basically it really just depends on where you are specifically. Just check your Petco AND Petsmart for at least a couple of weeks and see which bettas seem healthier


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## hannah16 (Mar 3, 2011)

Call before you go to PetCo because honestly, if you go there when they don't have anything in stock, you'll be disappointed. Ask when they are expecting there next shipment and go the day after to ensure they're all on the shelf.

Personally, I've got most of my bettas from Petco, I prefer the quality they offer. You drop a good buck, but normally it's worth it. Personally, I've only got two bettas from Petsmart recently, one is a baby HM, the other is a slightly older HMPKEE, one pectoral didn't develop fully though, but I can't complain, I only paid $6 for him on sale.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

My local petco has a bigger variety tailwise but they are in much worse shape :evil:. When I was in Alaska, walmart had some that could rival the ones on Aquabid! But unless you were there on delivery day, they ended up in poor condition prety quick


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

TheCheese909 said:


> It depends, really. I've gotten a few really nice Bettas from PetSmart, but I've also gotten some amazing looking ones from PetCo..
> 
> PetCo does sell higher end Bettas, they seem to get them from great breeders and PetSmart is now breeding their own fish, including their Bettas and they honestly don't seem to know as much about the different types. I often find PetSmart to have mixes of HM and DT labeled as HMs. Since PetSmart is breeding their own you can often find quite young ones there too, under a year but not in their fry stage any more, unlike PetCo who usually has either fry or 1 year+.
> 
> ...



wow how gorgeous the first one is, its jaw dropping. I supposedly have a VT male ....he's not as pretty as yours but he's still a cutie...


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## carbonxxkidd (Oct 30, 2012)

You really just need to look around. When I got my two boys from Petsmart, ALL their bettas looked really healthy at the time. I got them in November, and now all their bettas look sad and sickly. That goes for all 3 Petsmarts I've gone to in my area. I think a lot of the problem is it's freezing outside and their store isn't properly heated? I've gotten all but one of my sorority girls from Petco and all of them looked healthy and were active in their cups. I've gone to 4 different Petcos and with the exception of one that only had like 3 bettas in the store, they have all impressed me with the quality of their fish. Based on that alone, I'm kind of prefering Petco at this point, but I still look at Petsmart every time I go there! It's kind of hit and miss, just like Walmart - one day all the bettas will look great (probably the first day they arrive in the store, but you know) and the next they'll all be sick/dying.

Don't be afraid to sit and watch the fish for a while to see how they act, how they respond to other fish and to you. All of my fish seemed curious about me and their neighbors, had nice fins and overall looked happy (minus being in a cup). Petsmart and Petco both have return policies on their fish too, Petsmart is 14 days and Petco is 30, so if there's a problem you are able to bring it back.

Also, +1 on calling ahead to see when they get their shipments in!


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

I don't buy many PetCo/Petsmart fish, I never buy a Petsuppliesplus betta. Theirs are always dead/dying, and beyond my skills of rehabilitation.

However, I've seen some nice fish in both stores, (which are all 30+ miles from me either way I go, except PSP which is 11). I bought my blue Marble HM at a Petsmart, and my two baby girls are PetCo bettas. I see more variety in PetCo, by a landslide.

If you're going to make a trip like that, you should also visit some mom & pop places on your way there and back. If you go on the way up, and find something you like, you can either save yourself the rest of the trip, or keep that one in mind while you check PetCo. That way, you might have some ideas in case you don't find one that catches your eye at PetCo, and you can pick it up on the way back. Generally, those smaller stores have healthier bettas, even if they don't have as much variety to choose from.


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## LeoTheLakerBetta (Oct 12, 2012)

Petco's prices are usually absurd but I do find a better selection with them. Petsmart does have some nice looking fellas but I've only seen them in the bigger Petsmart. We have 3 Petsmarts within a 20 or so mile radius which is sad I guess but only the2 farther ones away have a good choice. But most of my sorority girls came from Petsmart because they sometimes have a great choice.


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## RoMay (Nov 28, 2012)

True petco has a lot of variety when it comes to types of bettas, but when it comes to beauty I think they are both tied. THere was a nice male betta that I wish I could have gotten yesturday from petsmart. But seriously I wouldn't count where ever you choose to go to think the color betta you get is going to stay that way. While Jabi (from pets mart) remains white and red, Kaoru (from oetci) has made big changes. A lot of bettas from what I seen changed colors on people,

Guess what I am saying is don't get a betta because it's a betta get a betta because you feel you can't walk away from it. You should feel a connection with your bugger.


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## rubinthebetta (Oct 9, 2012)

Skyewillow said:


> I never buy a Petsuppliesplus betta. Theirs are always dead/dying, and beyond my skills of rehabilitation.


Really? Dirk was from PSP and he was perfectly healthy. Then again, I got him in Connecticut so the PSP you mentioned is probably not the same PSP Dirk was from.


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## SQUIRT1216 (Dec 16, 2012)

RoMay said:


> True petco has a lot of variety when it comes to types of bettas, but when it comes to beauty I think they are both tied. THere was a nice male betta that I wish I could have gotten yesturday from petsvmart. But seriously I wouldn't count where ever you choose to go to think the color betta you get is going to stay that way. While Jabi (from pets mart) remains white and red, Kaoru (from oetci) has made big changes. A lot of bettas from what I seen changed colors on people,
> 
> Guess what I am saying is don't get a betta because it's a betta get a betta because you feel you can't walk away from it. You should feel a connection with your bugger.


Yea I know what u mean about connection. I once walked away frm a beta thay really wanted. He would eye me every time I walk by that shelf. I couldnt sleep that night and came back the ve next day to get him.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Fishybitty (Dec 29, 2012)

I have bought five females before from Petsmart, and they died about after 5 months. I woke up one day and they were just dead. My cory cats were fine. I don't know what happened. My best betta was actually from Walmart. Oddly enough. I might actually check out Petco like everyone is suggesting.


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## phikhanhs (Jul 25, 2011)

i never heard petsmart breeding their own betta


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## Jupiter (Aug 30, 2009)

We don't have Petco here, and until recently (like the last year or so), Petsmart only carried very basic VTs & CTs (typical reds and blues, but sometimes you'd get lucky and find something else).

Petsmart recently started selling HMs too, so they bring in a little more variety, but from the few Petcos I've been to, they seem to have a larger collection of fin types + colours.


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## CrazyDiamond (Feb 20, 2013)

I have been to several PetSmarts but only one Petco, they are fewer and farer between where I live (Piedmont NC) I have three PetSmarts around me compared to the one Petco but I prefer to shop at the Petco to be honest. One PetSmart carries a huge quantity of bettas but last I went they were about 95% VT and the rest were CT, no HM and no females and all were red and/or blue but they had at least 30 of them, maybe 40. My favorite PetSmart where I got my boy Floyd carries all the tail types but I have never seen any PK in there but a few Kings on occasion, also both genders and a decent range of colors. Floyd was very healthy and is still full of vitality a month later he is a beautiful fish and I have been told white is a hard color to find as well. The third PetSmart is farther away so I seldom go there and their bettas are kept in a system of wooden boxes with fresh water being piped in 24/7. However the bottoms are still very dirty and littered with debris and I have noticed a much higher death rate with them than other stores, my best guess is the water, albeit fresh, is too cold. The bettas also occasionally jump out of their own little boxes and into the big tanks with the other fish where they are allowed to stay if they don't cause trouble lol They carry both genders and all tail types and also a wide range of ages from teeny baby fish to fully grown ones and a variety of colors including a few marbles, mustard gases and metallics and coppers I have had to pass up >.<

My Petco carries a smaller number of fish but they are always healthy, I have never seen a dead one in their store even if it was there for several weeks. They carry all the tail types and a wide range of colors and both genders but you have to get there right after a shipment because they get NICE fish. I just got (today) my second boy Freddie from them and he is very cool lol he is the first and only HMPK I have come across in a pet store and the first purple as well. They also carry big/elephant ear bettas and I have yet to see one of those at a PetSmart.


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## kimt (Mar 5, 2013)

The petco carries the best variety. That is where I got my EE white marble. I have noticed the EE stick around awhile. You have to be a real betta enthusiast to spend $20 on one. Petsmart usually only has VT and CT. I got my first betta, a gorgeous multicolor CT at Walmart. I think that was pure luck as I knew nothing about bettas. He was a gift for my son and he picked him out. I haven't seen a prettier CT anywhere else.


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## majesticstorm (Dec 8, 2012)

I would agree that Petco has more variety, but is also pricier. Definitely get there when they have a new shipment since that's when they're the healthiest...things start going downhill from there, hahaha.


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## PhischAndChips (Feb 8, 2013)

Petco has a wide variety. All my guys are from petco, and the one near where I live seems to take good care of their bettas. Their water is always clean.


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## Crowntails (Feb 12, 2013)

My Petsmart doesn't have much of a variety of bettas, and only has about 10 when I go. My Petco has a huge selection and as said before, tons of tail types.


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