# how much would you pay for your dream betta?



## HatsuneMiku (Jul 29, 2011)

this girl cost $500.00 USD O_O !!!
http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettashm&1319909746

and this boy cost $500.00 USD O_O!!
http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettashm&1319909743


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

Why 500? I have seen other beautiful solid white bettas. Is there something special I don't see?


I paid a little over 50 for Dionysus..and he was my dream betta.  If I were breeding, the number would be far higher, but for now that is the highest I can see myself spending on a betta


http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwbettasct&1319890364 

Though I do love this boy, and I know with shipping he would be far more expensive. I would maybe pay that much. Maybe. I would absolutely get him if there was a transshipper in DFW, so I could just drive by and not pay shipping


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## copperarabian (Apr 27, 2011)

My first dream fish was Alucard, I paid $45 for him, sadly he died of dropsy 










I would probably only spend about $15-$25 now


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## Banicks (Aug 20, 2011)

There was one up for US$2000 a week ago or so. Something shifty on that one.

I think those two are very beautiful, almost a platinum white. But $500? I guess you would definitely have to be a breeder!


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Aquastar always charges heaps for his bettas even though most of what I've seen have had problems with finnage and scales. 

Personally, I will and have paid up to $100.00 for my dream betta. I wouldn't go any higher than that simply because it's my money down the drain if something goes wrong.


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## vilmarisv (Apr 17, 2010)

Same here... I wouldn't spend more than 100 on my dream betta, even if for breeding. 
I would only pay $100 *to breeders I know*. I've had very expensive fish die on me because of unhealthy rearing, they might look perfect in pictures but end up being weak and sickly. The only pair I ever imported cost me over $100, never spawned and died on me rather quickly.
I've always wanted a platinum white but I'm leery about importing another fish and loosing it soon after. PLus, I don't see myself breeding whites... I like the excitement that a pair with colors bring into the fry's.


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## HatsuneMiku (Jul 29, 2011)

purplemuffin said:


> Why 500? I have seen other beautiful solid white bettas. Is there something special I don't see?


i don't see it either .. since he also has another pure white male up for $35 ..

maybe they are special breeder ones .. or they might be his show ones that have won prizes .. *shurgs* .. but $500 is just insane

@banicks .. holy wut $2000 !!! .. that must be a type-o .. and he forgot the . between so it should have been $20.00 LOL


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## laughing (Mar 12, 2011)

I think it's a sham. Normally breeders have other accounts or people they know that bid up to that amount trying to push other people to bid that high. So if someone really did pay that, it was probably because the breeder (or friend) pushed them up that high and the bidder really wanted it and thought the breeder/friend was a competitive breeder which pushed them more..

I agree, 100$ limit. They're still a fragile animal, it's not worth losing that much. It's the same with all my live plants... I just paid $7 for one and seriously thought it over because plants don't do well being transfered sometimes, so I was worried I'd pay that much and it die instantly!


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## Banicks (Aug 20, 2011)

Nah it stayed up there and sold I think.

I reckon it was payoff for something shifty.


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

Aquastar bothers me. I would never buy his fish. They are overpriced. The scales on both of those fish, especially the female look messed up and I've seen him sell many "x-factor" and deformed fish. Like I said...He bugs me. 

I'd spend about $220 on a dream giant pair. Although, I got pretty close paying only $65. I check AB multiple times a day in the hmpk section so I can compare prices, look at colors, check out new fish, and mostly..Look for giants!


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## cajunamy (Apr 28, 2011)

Aquastar has nice fish - but you have to look for them.

The reason he is charging so much is b/c supposedly these are 'pearl' whites, a strain he created that is still very new. They are supposedly similar to pearl white Angelfish - personally I don't really see it.

They are beautiful though.

I'd spend up to $100 on a dream fish. But I don't really have a set picture in my mind of that fish.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Probably not much since i would not order off aquabid, at least not until i leave alaska. Besides, my walmart actually has some AB quality (color wise) looking fish when they 1st get in shipments.


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## Leeniex (Aug 14, 2011)

I would pay alot,, but not to ship it. If I could go to the store and just buy, I would go up as high as I had to.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

That $500 male was pretty, but that much for a fish that doesn't even have perfect conformation? Nu-uh. I got my dream fish in a petshop for $11.50 (discounted from $26.50). He's not perfect, but he's darn pretty. 
I think I'd pay up to $50 for a perfect betta, $100 if I was going to produce amazing babies from him.


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## Nickpearson1985 (Oct 26, 2011)

I would pay $150 for a pair of black fire CTPK.... Looked literally EVERYWHERE and have not even seen a single male or female. Anyone have even one of these they wanna sell off? Or any black fire in general?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

It would depend on how much money I had. If I won the lottery then money would be no object.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

I would personally go up for $100 for a betta, with shipping. I payed $80 for my Carnage, who passed days after I got him. I would personally never buy from the same place again. But I am sure a local breeder may have something I like, or I can get in on a shipment from Thailand from her. But this is only if I was breeding. I'm quite content with my $6 pet store veiltails, or my $35 HM's from the breeder.

Aquastar... I wonder how many of those deformed fish he actually sells?


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## HatsuneMiku (Jul 29, 2011)

cajunamy said:


> Aquastar has nice fish - but you have to look for them.
> 
> The reason he is charging so much is b/c supposedly these are 'pearl' whites, a strain he created that is still very new. They are supposedly similar to pearl white Angelfish - personally I don't really see it.


 .. he created a new strain ? .. i don't know much about breeding .. as i've never done it .. what does that mean ?

@pitluvs
and i always see aquastar with nice pictures of paper white bettas .. how do i tell if his fish deformed? .. they look so pretty to me @[email protected] .. please tell me what i'm missing or not noticing .. that i should be noticing D=

@greentea
i haven't kept up much with aquabid sellers .. i just look at pictures .. why does that seller bug you ? .. is there certain things you look for in a breeder that i should be looking out for too ?


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

HatsuneMiku said:


> .. he created a new strain ? .. i don't know much about breeding .. as i've never done it .. what does that mean ?
> 
> @pitluvs
> and i always see aquastar with nice pictures of paper white bettas .. how do i tell if his fish deformed? .. they look so pretty to me @[email protected] .. please tell me what i'm missing or not noticing .. that i should be noticing D=
> ...


I mean the white whatever angel Bettas he sells... it's a deformity of the scales. Personally it looks like someone stuck a beehive to the side of a Betta. Others may not say deformed, but I see nothing interesting about his new "strain" other than knowing who would pay for freaking much for that kinda Betta?

As for his other normal fish, I hear great things about Aquastars fish  Just not these white ones lol


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Oooh, I know what you are talking about. He somehow made their scales similar to how angelfish look. Their scales look kinda...funky. I don't like them. 

If I could find my dream fish locally and NOT have to worry about it shipping here and becomming a betta popcicle, I would maybe go to 35. If I could find a large male to breed with my large female, I may go up to 50, but again, only if it was local and since the only place that currently has bettas is walmart..i don't see that happening. Petco hasn't had bettas in like a month  I suppose it's better for the fish, not so good for me. I know they carry KING males but they are so drab looking.


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## HatsuneMiku (Jul 29, 2011)

ooooOOooooOo !! i get it now guys .. x_x .. i don't see the difference on the scales .. both the 35 one and the 500 one looked the same to me .. but .. i understand why they were priced that way .. even if i can't tell the difference .. 

you guys are on average saying $100 ish .. is that before or after shipping cost? if looking at aquabid? ..

locally i haven't paid more then 7.99 for a betta ... as petco is the only one that has different prices for each tail type .. and i never buy at petco they are the worst here .. and i'd rather support my LFS .. even when i have to drive out 30 mins to get to my favorite ones


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

For me, I'm talking about after shipping costs. Dionysus was 35 plus shipping, making him more like 50-60 dollars. So the 50-60 dollar range is about what I'd pay


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## Bambi (Sep 11, 2011)

I agree with what was said earlier about aquastar selling deformed and/or blind fish, i tend to not even look at their fish anymore.


Occasionally you'll see some over priced fish,some are bid up from people with no intention to pay.
Personally i'm iffy spending more then $15, but i can see myself spending $50 on a nice pair.


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## betta dude (May 22, 2011)

i would get a lime green and purple halfmoon and i would pay all the moeny i had for it but sadly they dont exist


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## bettarainbow (Apr 15, 2011)

The most expensive betta i paid for was for 2 pairs super black dragon hm and each pair cost me $100 without shipping fee.
Then i bought 4 pairs of giant red dragon hmplakat for $200 each pair and i bought 2 giant half moon pair for $300 each pair. 
I have plenty of betta fry from those giant pairs but none of them look like their parents, they are all regular size which was very sad.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

my dream betta..... i haven't gotten yet. but, Sniper's costing me $16, and that's his price plus shipping.

the whites from Aquastar have wonky scales. no offense to him, i adore his bettas, but he overprices deformed fish. i adore looking at his auctions, because he breeds some AMAZING bettas(i LOVE his salamanders... he had a salamander dragon female with a fin deformity that i adored. it wasn't a bad deformity, mind you. strange ray branching. i LOVED her color, and have never seen one like hers since....), but i hate seeing him overprice fish that shouldn't be sold at such prices...


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## vilmarisv (Apr 17, 2010)

As they say: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"
If you're looking to buy a fish for "decoration" or as a pet you might not mind slight deformities, unbalanced fins, or bad color patterns.
For those breeding (if you know what you're doing and what to look for) then it's might be "crazy" to consider a fish like that. 
Personally, I wouldn't breed a fish just because it's "pretty". I want to improve a line and not take a step in the wrong direction. 
I've been looking for a "decor" fish for a few weeks which I will put in my living room to match but I'm so used to looking at form and finnage that it's very hard for me just to pick any red fish because that's the color I want. 
I will probably not get one in the end... I'm starting a spawn next month and I'll have plenty of great quality fish to choose from!


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

I would encourage those of you lusting after AB fish to just communicate with the sellers, I will have gotten 5 dragon hmpk giants for 125 dollars before shipping. They are often passionate about their fish and if someone shows an interest, they are often willing to offer discounts, especially if you notice the fish has been there for a few weeks! Just a thought  I am amazed at the generosity of many of the Thai breeders, even with all of the flooding and tragedy going on there right now.


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

i didn't go through Aquabid to get none of my fish.  i messaged Chard right here on bettafish, and got a slight discount!


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

I wouldn't spend more that $20 on a betta. And quite frankly, I haven't spent more than $7. I like colors, I don't really care what the fins do, as long as they look sort of straight and they aren't so heavy that he chews them off *glares at Smaug*. I think that my blue boy Kamehameha is colored a more stunning blue/green than just about any betta I have ever seen. Now if I could only get a picture to prove that...


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

I wouldnt spend more than 100 on a quality HMPK...I am in love with Betta Territories Joeps HMPKs! Id pay top dollar for one of them!! amazing fish.

Theres a betta for sale on a nz trading site, the buy now is 100 but I really dont think its worth that at all. Its form is weak, finnage is terrible. The only thing going for it is its coulor, black lace...Which is kinda common...


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I think it's all a matter of perspective. For instance, in my city, the betta trade is cruddy as can be, and my halfmoon should have cost $26.50 - that's for a bog-standard, petshop fish. Veiltails are generally $10 and crowntails around $15. Deltas, for reasons unknown to me, are usually $30+. So, for a well-bred, perfectly formed halfmoon with amazing colours that I would have no hope of getting here and that I wanted to breed and get perfect fry from, I would happily pay top dollar.

It's like if someone offered me an ADF or a healthy, well-bred dumbo rat and I had a chance to breed. I would be the only breeder of that creature/quality for a long way. I'd spend money for that privelege, regardless of the financial return.


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

True. But again, that is for a breeder! I think the people wanting pet-only animals are the ones saying they won't pay much  When I breed--I don't care the cost, I want the best and healthiest!


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## tpocicat (Aug 8, 2011)

When I'm looking for breeding, I want the best I can afford. I LOVE HM marbles because of the wide variety of spawn. I will pay up to $100 if the breeder is someone I trust.


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

purplemuffin said:


> True. But again, that is for a breeder! I think the people wanting pet-only animals are the ones saying they won't pay much  When I breed--I don't care the cost, I want the best and healthiest!


Exactly. I don't want to pay even $50 for a pet-only fish. Why should I?

However I spent over $1000 on a dog that was show quality and I was intending to breed. Now I am on the "Don't Buy While Shelter Pets Die" bus and never bred her (she is spayed). However, she is one of the best dogs I have ever owned and is being trained for therapy work. It is different with fish, of course. I support good breeders of them.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Let me word mine differently lol I would pay $100 total for a Betta that would compliment my dream line of breeding. Single Betta, I would pay more for a pair. But as for pets, which I mostly have, I would pay about $50 total with shipping  I don't buy from AB though, only local breeder. The only time I would pay so much is if she was putting in an order from Thailand, and I got in on it (which would mean an extra $20 to ship to me from her).


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Kytkattin said:


> Exactly. I don't want to pay even $50 for a pet-only fish. Why should I?
> 
> However I spent over $1000 on a dog that was show quality and I was intending to breed. Now I am on the "Don't Buy While Shelter Pets Die" bus and never bred her (she is spayed). However, she is one of the best dogs I have ever owned and is being trained for therapy work. It is different with fish, of course. I support good breeders of them.


Thank You. Seriously. From one rescuer of dogs to another, thank you for choosing not to breed *hearts*


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

I kind of have mixed feelings on the breeding thing... I don't see so much of a point for it now, but I understand that at some point, a dog was bred to be useful. So I can also understand why people want to keep those lines going, since they truly are a part of history, and in some cases are actually still useful for work. (Thinking of mostly shepherding breeds, like those in Africa that are bred to literally live with sheep). However, most "breeders" don't even know what history is; they are breeding what sells, because their dog is "cute", oops!, "I want to show my kids the miracle of life", etc. 
So we are left with millions of unwanted critters for absolutely no good reason.

In a perfect world we would need breeders because there wouldn't be enough unwanted animals to go around. So I kind of respect the true high end breeders. They don't make any money on the litters they raise, and that truly love the breed for whatever reason (probably something Freud could have had a field day on!). For instance, one day my boyfriend wants a Borzoi. Obviously we would turn to a rescue first, but since it is a rare breed, they are sometimes hard to come by. Or maybe we will just go with greyhounds. Whatever, we aren't looking right now. 

And breeding cats... Well they are just vermin. Literally. How many times I have hauled cats to be spayed/neutered... And my mom calls me and tells me we have strays with kittens yet again... Will it ever end? No. I don't even like cats and I have probably aided in getting over 50 spayed/neutered. Don't even ask how many actually live with me now.


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

So.. cats are definitely NOT vermin. They are more easily made feral and have litters just like dogs but they are not vermin. There are many breeds of cats that have historical significance.


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

Yeah, but they are one of the most dangerous invasive species out there. It's very important to own them responsibly. I see too many people with outdoor cats, especially in areas with endangered animals. The average housecat allowed outdoors can kill 1000 prey items in a year. When that includes endangered animals..Yikes! :shock:

They just can live in almost any conditions, and don't always eat what they kill, meaning a lot goes to waste, sadly.

I say this, and I love cats!


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

in nz one pet cat managed to almost wipe out an entire species of native bird by himself, feral cats later became a problem on the island and finished off the remaining few, now that bird is extinct thanks to the cat...
They are a huge problem over here since all our native species are birds and small creatures that fit perfectly into a cats mouth.
Although they are my favourite animal, they are also very dangerous pests.


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

I remember that story. That was so awful to find out. 

I've always been told about how horrible/evil I am to own snakes because they kill rodents to eat(funny, they keep barn cats for that very reason), but I know if both my snake and my cat escaped, the cat would do far more damage to the environment, and eat a heck of a lot more rodents! :shock:

Not that they aren't great pets. Owners just need to be more careful with them. They aren't so innocent ;-)


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

As someone who has done more for cats than the average person, the aforementioned 50+ spays/neuters from my own pocket obviously not enough, I can call them vermin. It is in a semi-affectionate manner, but they still are. Having dealt with the vicious, semi-feral creatures enough, you can't help but view them as such. You can't reason with them like you can dogs. They would rather die than let you have your way. I am well aware that they will probably always be in my life, and I will even say that I have loved a few of them, but those tend to be the more dog-like. And indoor cats? I swear that no one in my area has ever heard of such a thing! Preposterous! It is almost as unheard of as spaying and neutering!

Oh, and this is my response to people who say fur is murder!


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

Cute little kitty!  

Indoor cats are so much nicer anyway..so much less stress..no worries they have been hit by a car or attacked by coyotes, or worse. Yuck. No outdoor cats for me. My mom always tries that, and it just ends up with us having dead cats. What made me mad was she let my baby, my indoor kitty, go outside while I was in college. She was fat, had been indoors her whole life, and was declawed. And she never came home. I'm still so upset about that. Ugh. Moving on.
Lol I know what you mean by feral cats. One of our cats is actually..sort of mentally handicapped. Makes her sort of crazy and as if she had never been tame, poor girl. She's just so full of fear. It's precious in the moments she is able to be calm and happy. She's also our most loyal cat. You can see how much she wants to be with us, but is just too scared.


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

Well sure but that doesn't make them vermin...I'm just saying. People keep rats, snakes, actual textbook "vermin" on this board and no one insults them. I get the idea but I think some respect is a good idea since everyone here loves animals and tries to own and breed responsibly..


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## purplemuffin (Aug 12, 2010)

GreenTea said:


> Well sure but that doesn't make them vermin...I'm just saying. *People keep *rats,* snakes*, actual textbook "vermin" on this board *and no one insults them*. I get the idea but I think some respect is a good idea since everyone here loves animals and tries to own and breed responsibly..


:lol: I just had to chuckle at this! Thankfully it's true, no one has insulted snake owners on here, but boy take a step outside into the real world and it is NASTY! I've been called a devil worshipper :roll: hahaha, but no really, I totally get what you mean. I get sensitive when people call my favorite animal names, so I can understand how the word is offensive. It was a bit harsh!


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

Also sorry, but fixing a lot of cats makes you a good person, but doesn't entitle you to anything. I think it's important to remember that PEOPLE need to spay and neuter their cats so they aren't everywhere...Cats will do what they are naturally inclined to do - breed, eat everything, and destroy potential populations of animals..

Wait, that sounds a lot like people too, doesn't it? Without the human manipulation to populations naturally and unnaturally present on earth, many ills of animals and their repercussions wouldn't be an issue in the first place. It comes back to us, and it's important that we be respectful of other living things and do our best to keep, breed, and own animals responsibly.


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

Maybe I should give you my definition of vermin: animals that reproduce in crazy numbers and live on the fringe of human societies. Often dirty, sometimes disease ridden. (fleas, feline aids, leukemia, god forbid rabies) 

I have owned everything from pigs, rats, tarantulas, chickens, goats, rabbits, snakes, lizards. You name it, I have probably had it. Nothing fits my definition better than cats. I seriously do love cats, I wouldn't and couldn't have done as much for them if I didn't love them. And I am not insulting people who own them so much as the problems that people not owning them have caused for me. It is just how I view them as animals. Like I said, it is in a semi-affectionate way that I call them vermin.


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## GreenTea (Jan 31, 2011)

Well obviously you are not understanding my point at all so lets get this thread back on track and off of cats! Call cats what you'd like, but it's a problem humans created.

I'm hoping to save for Christmas and get one of Ram_91's marble giant pairs, I hope buying a pair will be less expensive than buying them individually. I can't believe how much his giants are!


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

GreenTea said:


> Well sure but that doesn't make them vermin...I'm just saying. People keep rats, snakes, actual textbook "vermin" on this board and no one insults them. I get the idea but I think some respect is a good idea since everyone here loves animals and tries to own and breed responsibly..


I laughed so hard when I read this.  I have been insulted more times than I care to remember for being a rat owner. Not here, but in person and on other forums.


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