# The One You Left Behind...



## Seki (Jul 10, 2012)

Anyone ever think about that fish? The one you ALMOST got, but then ended up getting a different one? For me, it was a MASSIVE red crowntail male with green iridescence. He was the biggest betta I've ever seen, and he was sooooo lively, flaring at everything and everyone. His fins were gorgeous and long... I had my eye on him until I saw little Drago in his cup and the little guy practically begged me to take him home with me. So I left the red crowntail... but I can't stop thinking about him! If I had a second tank, you can bet he'd be swimming around in there, flaring at his heater and whatnot. Sadly, I just don't have the money to spend on another whole aquarium setup...

So, what about you guys? Anybody still think of the fish they *didn't* get?


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## Shamber (Jul 28, 2012)

I was at the store yesterday, about to get my first betta. It was between Stephano and this beautiful pearly white with green, pink, and light blue fins. It was sooooo hard to choose! But I saw Stephano in his cup flaring and swimming around super fast, and I knew he was mine. So I left the little white one and went with my handsome blue, red, and turquoise Stephano!


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## Seki (Jul 10, 2012)

The choices are always so difficult, aren't they? I wish I could take ALL of them home and get them out of their hideous little cups and into nice, big aquariums where they could live happily and swim to their little hearts' content! You better believe I'm saving up for another aquarium kit... unless I can wheedle one out of my family for my birthday!


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## reggie oaks (Jul 22, 2012)

Recently, I wen't to the local petshop looking for a red wagtail platy [One of my favorite because it brings color to any tank] When I began my search, didn't help but stopping to look a beautiful group of what turn out to be peppermint platies. I end of with a female Ppmt platy instead of my "first" choice.


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## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

Oh my god, perfect thread right now.
Well, the other day I went shopping to get supplies for my new tank, and I checked out the bettas. They just redid it where the cups are now suspended and the fish are separated from each other. And ALL the fish were healthy. 

Well, I saw TWO stunning fish, but one of them is still in my mind. Now keep in mind, I'm looking for fish #2 soon too. 

Well, he was a crown tail. And after taking off the lid, I saw his colors. 
A white body with red, blue, and purple accents. He also had white dumbo ears. I mean, I was in AWE. Gorgeous fish, and I wish I had him with me now


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## mursey (May 9, 2012)

There was a very cool black betta with a little yellow (I guess he was labeled Mustard Gas) at a nice planted aquarium store.

There was a white and blue spotted veiltail I saw the day before a 10 day trip I was taking, and when I came back he wasn't there of course.

There were several of my favorite color (white with coppery and steel-blue spots, marble I guess?) at Petco but my mom always talked me out of those.
We really don't have the same taste, PLUS she won't admit it but she needs glasses to see small things therefore if it doesn't look flashy but has a really cute face or detail, she can't see it so she thinks the fish I like are "boring little sardines" when to me they have great little details on their markings or face.


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## Seki (Jul 10, 2012)

Gah, guys, another one I couldn't get today!! He was sooooo gorgeous, though! White doubletail halfmoon with marbling... Ahhh, I wanted him so badly, but my friend was with me and made a very intelligent argument... I had nowhere to put the fish if I got him. Alright, I admit, I really don't have the money or space for another tank and all the accessories to go with it, but... He was so daggone pretty!

On another note, I didn't know Petsmart sold female bettas! O_O


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## lelei (Apr 30, 2012)

Very interesting this is coming up, a friend of mine just recently got a beautiful HM turq male, and when she first showed him to me he was that beautiful irredescent white with blue in the fins, and green and pink sparking all through, omg goregous..

and I wanted one just like him, and was planning on getting one, I saw one, and thought oooh, I want him, then I saw a gorgeous CT mustard gas, and I was in love, then I saw a beautiful green male PK..omg, I was like really how can I choose, so I said I will wait until I can really afford it, and walked away..now after not getting the ones I wanted, I got the ones that needed me.. 

I ended up with 2 more rescues, and if I had gotten either one, I wouldn't have the room for the rescues, but I still wish I could of gotten the MGCT!!! (but everything happens for a reason)


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## fleetfish (Jun 29, 2010)

I thought I left one behind a few weeks ago, in an empty, shelterless ten gallon tank. I kept seeing her, and telling myself no, not today! but "today" happened, and she's safe now. I swear she was waiting for me. She's stressed, pale, and has some rot on her dorsal. But she's eating and healthy. I'm so glad I didn't pass her by. 

And Brunhilda decided to pass away last night ... so I was girl -less ... :-(


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## lelei (Apr 30, 2012)

Oh, no I am soo sorry for your loss..so nice you got the other one, home and safe, she was waiting for you


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## Seki (Jul 10, 2012)

I love hearing the stories of the fishy people ALMOST got!

lelei - that fish sounds GORGEOUS! But as sad as you are not to have him, I'm sure it was all for a reason. Those rescues might not have made it without you!

fleetfish - I'm so sorry about Brunhilda, but it seems like this new little fishy was just waiting for you! You made her life a WHOLE lot better!


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## fleetfish (Jun 29, 2010)

Sometimes that's how it works.... this new girl is what I needed. I hope I can give her everything in my power to make her as beautiful as the first day I saw her. I also picked up a red VT boy, who was among the multitudes of red bettas. I wanted to give him a chance and let him not rot in his cup. I didn't want him to be forgotten.


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## Bettanewbie60 (Jun 26, 2012)

Seki said:


> Gah, guys, another one I couldn't get today!! He was sooooo gorgeous, though! White doubletail halfmoon with marbling... Ahhh, I wanted him so badly, but my friend was with me and made a very intelligent argument... I had nowhere to put the fish if I got him. Alright, I admit, I really don't have the money or space for another tank and all the accessories to go with it, but... He was so daggone pretty!
> 
> On another note, I didn't know Petsmart sold female bettas! O_O


I have this same issue every time I see the bettas, no matter where I am. I have to be practical, (voice in my betta head says, no ya don't). I already have 5 and at the end of June when I got my first one I didn't even know what a betta fish was!


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## mursey (May 9, 2012)

Seki said:


> Gah, guys, another one I couldn't get today!! He was sooooo gorgeous, though! White doubletail halfmoon with marbling... Ahhh, I wanted him so badly, but my friend was with me and made a very intelligent argument... I had nowhere to put the fish if I got him. Alright, I admit, I really don't have the money or space for another tank and all the accessories to go with it, but... He was so daggone pretty!
> 
> On another note, I didn't know Petsmart sold female bettas! O_O



That might be because they stick the females on another shelf that is less visible than the males. . at mine the females are in the aisle next to betta heaters but the males are on many shelves at the end of an aisle where more foot traffic is. 

----------------------

I am still thinking about the dragon doubletail plakats I saw at Petco last time. I have no room and I hope to move soon so I really need to curb my betta-buying.


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## nel3 (May 29, 2011)

there was one fish that i thought of after not getting it due to lack of space. i can only say its a silver VT that or a mix of black and light blue. totally unique but 1 too many for me atm.


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## Jrf456 (Jun 23, 2011)

I have one story  Great post idea by the way.

*ONE TIME *(emphasis on one time because my mom would never do this xD) my mom took me to two Petsmarts, a Petco, a Pet Supermarket, two Walmart's and two lfs's to find another betta for my birthday. Now that I have so many, she only lets me get one on birthdays or Christmas. Well, at Petsmart, there was this gorgeous burnt orange plakat with dragon scaling. He was sooo cute, but I left him cause I thought I might have just been settling. That day I got my gorgeous pink male VT from Walmart!

About two weeks later, when I went back to the Petsmart with my mom to get dog and cat food, he was STILL THERE. He was healthy, and his water was still blue (My local Petsmart takes excellent care of the bettas.) I didn't get him :c Mom wouldn't let me. I hope whatever happened to him that he's safe and alive in a nice 3g somewhere.


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

I've got a recent story of the one I left behind. About 4 weeks ago I found a beautiful halfmoon half giant at Petco. About two weeks ago I went back and saw a full giant! He look so pathetic in that little cup; his colors were all washed out, and his fins were clamped. The poor bugger couldn't turn around. I would have gotten him, but that little voice in my head called reason (out you!!) reminded me that I was getting ready to leave the country for two weeks. I still think about him sometimes. I wonder if he is still there. I'm almost afraid to go check. I have a habit of buying bettas when I'm down.


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## Seki (Jul 10, 2012)

Aw, you guys have found some gorgeous bettas! It's sad when we have to leave them behind, but we can only hope someone awesome adopted them and put them into their own ten gallon tanks. I have to imagine the fish I left behind were adopted and are now being spoiled with yummy treats and perfectly conditioned and heated water... and owners who adore them and show them off and brag about them to everyone (like I do with my Drago... who is freaking adorable~).

That orange betta sounds so gorgeous, and the halfmoon giant? -swoons-


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

I had to leave behind what looked like an unwell giant female in my LFS, that bothered me a lot.. 

They take absolutely crap care of the bettas, so I hate going to their livestock section.. I've sworn how many times to never buy fish there again, but 4/4 of our current splendens are from that store. I'm not a pity-buyer, nor will I ever again buy a sick fish... but not helping the occasional healthy fish to stay healthy is really hard.. 

Anyway, the day I bought Cleo there was another little red female in the cup beside her- a tiny little spade tail, absolutely adorable. Daughter wanted us to get that one, but I had a good feeling about Cleo (who is the house superstar now..) -- we to this day wonder what happened to her. That store is great at killing fish slowly in nasty little cups. But with her unusual tail, we hope she caught somebody's eye.


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## mursey (May 9, 2012)

Ok let's face it. For people like us, there is a "One you left behind" almost every time we go somewhere that has a decent selection of bettas.

Actually, even when there is a crappy selection. Because for me, I can't decide between a really cool looking betta, or a totally sad little underdog betta that has "nothing special" on the outside, but you know would be so cute when healthy.

Am I right?


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## LittleWatty (May 13, 2012)

I definitely think about some of the boys I didn't get... One of the ones I have now used to be one of the too. I passed on my silver plakat several times before I finally caved and picked him up.

About a month ago, there was this tiny little CT male, colored red and blue. He was too standard for me, so I passed him by. For the next few weeks, every time I stopped in, I would check on him. And each time his color got paler and paler. I thought about getting him this last time I went to Petco if he was still there, but he wasn't... I can only imagine that he passed on, or that he was lucky enough to get someone dedicated to bettas to pick him up.

This last time, when I picked up my butterfly VT, I saw a couple boys I wanted to take. Two of them had really nasty fungal infections, and I would have loved to try and save them. By the next day, one of them was long dead. Probably died the day before. The other looked 10x worse than he did the day before. Then there was a black (possibly Orchid) CT that looked recoverable. The next day, he was half dead. I wish wish wish I could have done something for them, but I'm pushing it with 5 boys, no way I could have taken any of those others home.


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## ktlelia (Jun 27, 2012)

There's this white and purple big beautiful guy in this...-sigh- tractor supply shop...yes that's right you heard me correctly...they have this tiny pet area...
but anyway, I've been visiting him after work for a week. I don't have the area to give him right now...because I'm moving in a week...but I want him SO bad. If he's there still once I'm settled...he's MINE.
He's so hyper and big too. Like he was going to walk out of that bowl and take my purse. I dunno what type he really is honestly because I'm slightly dumb at fingering out betta types, but he was massive, shorter fins but male, very shiny, and his tails look sorta like a butterfly/rose thing. I dunno. They were beautiful.


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## ellafishcrazy (Jul 24, 2012)

*Walmart....*

Yeah...You can see where this is going...I went to Walmart for the first time in years a week or so ago. My mom was busy in another section, so I decided to go and see if they kept betta in the store. I was hoping they didn't, really really badly, but they must of had at least 50. And it was awful. I felt horrible for not putting one in a 2 gallon at the store for 5 bucks, plus some gravel and a decoration, under 10 bucks, but I'm still dealing with a divided 10 for my two boys, and heaters when it gets cold, so I couldn't take him... In case you couldn't tell, one caught my attention. He wasn't brightly colored or big. He was this tiny washed out halfmoon, but he had so much life in him. He keep swimming around in that tiny little cup. I felt awful. I never wanted to go to Walmart again. I can't wait, though. Once I get things, and after winter, I'm going to Walmart and getting one for sure.:lol: And at Petsmart the other day, I saw a cute pink male halfmoon. It was the cutest thing. But I knew I couldn't take him home, and somebosy else was, for sure. He was gorgeous!


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## mursey (May 9, 2012)

ktlelia said:


> There's this white and purple big beautiful guy in this...-sigh- tractor supply shop...yes that's right you heard me correctly...they have this tiny pet area...
> but anyway, I've been visiting him after work for a week. I don't have the area to give him right now...because I'm moving in a week...but I want him SO bad. If he's there still once I'm settled...he's MINE.
> He's so hyper and big too. Like he was going to walk out of that bowl and take my purse. I dunno what type he really is honestly because I'm slightly dumb at fingering out betta types, but he was massive, shorter fins but male, very shiny, and his tails look sorta like a butterfly/rose thing. I dunno. They were beautiful.



Aw. . . if I lived near you I would take him 'til you got settled! I'm also no expert at betta types, but we all know what we like, right?


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## deso (Apr 24, 2012)

When I went to buy Modi (the fish in my avatar), in the tank next to him was the most amazing green and white butterfly halfmoon male. He was truly _green_, not blue or aqua. I don't have any regrets because Modi is so unique, but that other fish sure was spectacular!


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## lelei (Apr 30, 2012)

This is just one that I had to let pass...


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## cjz96 (Jun 10, 2012)

I went to AC Moore to look for yarn. I walked by the vases and something cought my eye. There was a vase with a plant on top of it. It's roots were in the water...with a ill blue betta in it! I was horrified! The betta had advanced fin rot and was having trouble breathing in the polluted water. I took the vase to the cashier to buy the betta when they told me the vase was not for sale. I offered them twice the amount for it...nope, they weren't going to give it up. I left the little blue betta to rot in the vase; his eyes drilling a hole through me. I can't seem to get that image out of my head. ):


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## lelei (Apr 30, 2012)

I would of ripped the flowers outvof the water toopen the top so the poor fishy culd breathe..then dmand to see a manager..and let them jnow what thee doing is cruelty to animals..and say well its broke now..so I have to buy it..


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## Koda (Jul 31, 2012)

A while ago I went to the store to buy some stuff for my Kinu's tank and of course I just had to go look at their betta while I was there. This one red halfmoon stood out to me, and I almost took him home right then, but I really had no where to keep him 
After going home without him I kept thinking about him when I realized....I had an empty 10 gallon tank!
This tank used to have a cage high rise attached to it and kept my gerbils, but they recently died (they were almost 6 years old, ancient in gerbil years). I had placed the tank out in the garage and completely forgot about it! So I cleaned it out, soaked it in hot water, scrubbed at the walls with an un-used sponge, soaked it again and again and set it up with dividers hoping to stock it with 3 betta boys. When I went back to that store hoping to get that red halfmoon, he was gone  I had hoped he at least made it into a good home, but then I saw my Drogo and Derecho there who were both gorgeous so I took them both home. Unfortunately Derecho wasn't as healthy as he looked and died as I tried nursing him back to health, but Drogo thrived and now shares the 10 gallon with a blue crowntail named Kaito.
Now I'm stuck with resisting getting one more. I had decided to keep the 10 gallon divided only 2 ways, but I'm upgrading Kinu to a bigger tank so his 2.5 will be empty. Every time I step into the pet store I have to keep reminding myself that the 2.5 is going to be my quarantine tank for new plants or possible sick fishies and can't take home another betta.

Maybe when I can find myself a better job and can afford to move out of my dad's house I can get more aquariums and do some rescues (I've been inspired by some of the stories I see here).


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## cjz96 (Jun 10, 2012)

lelei said:


> I would of ripped the flowers outvof the water toopen the top so the poor fishy culd breathe..then dmand to see a manager..and let them jnow what thee doing is cruelty to animals..and say well its broke now..so I have to buy it..


Apparently the fish was the managers. I'm writing a complaint letter to the manager's boss. :evil:


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## Hopeseeker (Feb 6, 2012)

For about a month, now, I have seen the same male dragon plakat. He's kind of an aqua blue with mustard gas yellow fins and aqua blue tips....so was wanting to get it for my mom. She going through some medical tests, she can't set up the aquarium that I gave her. She needs to take care of herself, first. I would have taken him home, if I could for her, but all I have open is .75 gallon hospital kritter keepers. And the heaters that I currently have are pieces of junk, that don't heat properly. I have turned down his cute face for so long.


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## myfavfish (Mar 2, 2012)

my fish was hard to decide on too  i had my eye on a really pretty blue one (my betta was white at the time) but my sister pointed out Moonlight (my fish now) and he was so pretty and white and just gorgeous <3 but i wonder if the blue one i was going to get is still ok  hopefully a good owner got him


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## Joelouisvachon (Jul 13, 2012)

The one I left behind... oh, it was more than one. My local pet store doesn't have much variety though, so my picks may not sound as special as other's choices.
When I got Blu, there was no choice about it. there was just him and some red CTs. Even though Blu's a VT, my favorite color is blue, so it was him.
with Little Guy, I had a hard time. there was this huge tangerine VT with pineappling, that I just loved.


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## Bettanewbie60 (Jun 26, 2012)

I just left Petsmart where I went to get a couple more plants and decor for my current tanks..I saw the most amazing double tail HM..omgosh, his colors are incredible! I had to "talk myself down" though..I barely have the time or money for the 5 I already have...sigh. I can't stop thinking about him though. Of course the lady at Pet Supplies Plus earlier today told me that their new shipment is coming in on Wednesday lol..I thought hubby was gonna slap her..ha ha ha!


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## fleetfish (Jun 29, 2010)

When I was getting my new HM there was an absolutely gorgeous rosetail there. He had a pink body and medium splotches of not only red, but blue all though his body. His fins were huge though, and they were tattered to oblivion. I would have gotten him but I was smitten by my new little guy.


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

The "one" I left behind?? Oh please! 
I'm after seeing so many now; a chocolate VT; multiple dalmatians; some gorgeous marbles; a dragon VT; a couple mustard gas HM's; a blue cambodian... etc... The lps sells plakats for 40$ o-o So I cannot see myself buying one but I saw crimson ones. Like, not only red but blood red, solid dark crimson red. 
I'm on the fence now, I have one extra heater and 2 spare tanks. I want a dragon HMPK or even just a purdy HMPK and I also want a marble... 
gahahahahaha (insert crazy laugh)


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## Seki (Jul 10, 2012)

I'm so excited, guys, because the next time I go to the fish store, if one catches my eye, I won't have to leave him behind! I'm in the process of setting up my new 5.5 gallon, so soon enough, it will be someone's new home!

When I was there getting the 5 gallon, though, I saw an absolutely breathtaking white doubletail with marbling. I wanted him... I wanted him sooooo badly. In fact, I actually want a white betta for my new tank if I can find one! But since I still had to set up the tank and get it all cycled and everything, I had to leave the pretty guy there. SO SAD! The good thing is that I have no doubt he'll be taken home by somebody... he was WAY too pretty to last long in that store! lol


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