# Thinking of Returning My Betta Back to Nature



## Vounn (Dec 29, 2013)

Hey guys. I'm considering lately that maybe it is time, as I see my two betta guys swimming leisurely in their respective 2-gallon planted tank, time for returning to mother nature. About one and a half mile from my home, there is a natural reserve which boast a large man-made lake with an established healthy ecosystem, where numerous aquatic lives thrive.

I have kept them for one and a half month, and now I'm thinking of letting them loose on their own at the end of March this year.

What do you guys think?:hmm:


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Quite honestly it's a terrible idea to release any pets into the wild.

You must know that bettas don't come from lakes, right?


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## Lights106 (May 16, 2013)

Awful!!! Not only from the above, but what would it do to the Eco system if he could survive?


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Not a good idea for the reasons stated above.


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## Vounn (Dec 29, 2013)

jaysee said:


> Quite honestly it's a terrible idea to release any pets into the wild.
> 
> You must know that bettas don't come from lakes, right?


They somewhat do live in lake. I've done some reasearch and most of the sources say Betta originate from the large river system in Thailand and Cambodia, from which lakes of variable sizes form. 

You might make a point though, the concern I have about the idea is the adaptability of my betta in the natural habitat.


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## beautiful Betta (Sep 19, 2013)

You do not say where you are from, but have you even considered temperater change? Betta's need warm tropical fish conditions. Also the natural betta's that live in the wild are a short finned fish, and are quite dull in colour to the pet ones today. The chances are they will not survive past a day if they are of the long finned type let alone there colour to attract predators to them.

If you are fed up of them you should look at rehoming them, put them on a local notice board free to good home, or if need be pass them on free of charge to a local good pet store even that's better than just dumping them in a lake.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

They'll most certainly be eaten. The aquarium IS their natural habitat. Those bettas don't exist in the wild like that, as was said.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Domestic bettas aren't the same as the bettas found in the waters of Thailand.


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## beautiful Betta (Sep 19, 2013)

ok I have google'd wild betta's and I think this image below is what actually exists in the wild, even in the wild types there are some variations.


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## Vounn (Dec 29, 2013)

Ok so I've concluded that I will keep them in good attention until they die of age, peacefully, for the reasons stated above by you guys. Ok so I've just learned that pet betta is not suited to live in the wild, because they have physical features that put them to disadvantages. By the way, I'm from south-east asia, in tropical climate.

Thank you so so much for your advice and warning. Luckily I consult here before making a decision that I would regret for a large part of my life. =)


P.S: @beautiful Betta, I am curious about what you comment about the fin length of wild betta and domestic ones. Is it that shorter fins help fishie escape better from the predators?

And also I think of letting my fishie go because I think maybe it'd do them justice giving them more freedom, *IF* they could live on their own. Anyway the doubt is cleared now.


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## beautiful Betta (Sep 19, 2013)

The long fins do slow our pet ones down a lot, I think you must have been typing when I posted the pic but as you can see the fins are short, and it would be fast and agile in the water unlike our pets. Our pet ones wouldn't even have the instincts the wild ones would have to danger.

Glad to hear you have reconsidered your idea. Your boys are quite happy in their tanks.


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## SeaHorse (Dec 27, 2010)

If you wish to give them more freedom then when money and time permits you can give them both bigger tanks. I have kept one in a 10 gallon alone, and I have also give one betta a 45 Gallon and he swam the entire tank. That would feel like a lake without a predator to eat them.


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

Well it is good you have changed your mind, the domesticated bettas are actualy far more aggressive than their wild kin, it is never a good idea to release any domesticated animal into the wild mosty because of the harm they could cause that eco system, I would check the local waters and see if there are wild bettas in the lake already, there jsut might be and any chance of the domesticated breeding and passing on the more aggressive trait would be very harmful to the true wilds


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## Vounn (Dec 29, 2013)

@SeaHorse Wow, I'm buying your idea you know, although that huge size sounds crazy to most of my family members who also keep betta, but in less than half gallon of water. When I first purchased a 2 gallon tank just for 1 betta, people here said I was crazy, like "It is just one little fish, why spend so much?" But in my opinion, the moment one decides to keep a pet, one has to realize the costs that follow to ensure the well-being of the pet throughout its life. So I will upgrade the tank when I get my student part time job during my holidays.

@Stone Thanks a lot for that information. Wow I have always been in the perception that wild betta should be "wilder" in their behavior to the domesticated ones. So the more aggressive trait of pet betta would disturb the wild population. Noted.


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

Also diseases that your fish might carry would be introduced to the entire lake and infect the wild fish.

Glad you changed you mind though  your fish will be much happier with you there to keep them safe from being eaten, starved or sick. The wild is a very dangerous place for any animal


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