# Betta from Thailand



## Weegie (Oct 9, 2016)

Is it really worth the trouble to order a Betta from a breeder in Thailand? I know that i have to pay for the fish and their shipping to the US. Is there another shipping charge from the middleman/woman to me?


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## Vrisnem (Jan 25, 2016)

Absolutely worth it in my opinion. I'm in the UK and getting hold of anything besides the basic red/blue veil tail is really quite a struggle. I've also found them do be generally unhealthy in comparison to fish bought from a breeder. 

Yes, there will be another charge. You will need to pay the transhipper too - this will be their fee per fish, the cost of the courier to send the fish to you, and they may charge for a heat pack as well.

I don't regret a single penny on the fish I've received from breeders. More variety and healthier stock.


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## BlackMoon (Nov 26, 2014)

I've done it a couple times without issue. Just note that sometimes the stress of shipping can change their entire color, especially if it has the Marble gene.


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## haley3k1 (Dec 20, 2015)

I've ordered from Thailand quite a few times now and have yet to regret it. In my area I've seen koi males, an armageddon veiltail, some copper boys, and some nice gold males. I've never seen any females other than red or blue and never seen any exemplary marble bettas. Definitely never seen any quality giant bettas. If you're after a certain color that could easily be found at a store, there's no point in buying online. But if you're after something more specific, often times buying online is the only thing that can satisfy you. For example, never have I ever found any giants in stores that weren't just brown with maybe slight/unnoticeable streaks of blue. But online I can find almost any kind of giant I want! So if you're looking for a specific look or gene, online is the place to go. If you don't care so much about what the betta looks like and just want to get to know the betta's personality, in store is the place to go. Also if you want a gene or color that isn't too uncommon you can usually find them in pet stores too. Most recently Petco and Petsmart have been introducing koi and mustard gas (referred to as "paradise" in pet stores) in their stores which in the past have been hard to find. I recommend going to all nearby stores that sell fish to see what they have before buying online. Sometimes a store can surprise you with their stock, but of course sometimes they just don't have what you're looking for.

As far as buying overseas goes, you'll have 2 payments to make. You send the first seller money for the fish and shipping. You pay the Thailand seller what ever you win the bid at and then usually $5 for shipping, sometimes $7 for giants. If you bid on aquabid and end up winning a fish, email the seller to know what the price of shipping is. Once you know shipping costs you can add the 2 together and send the whole amount to the seller at once, usually via paypal. Be sure to tell the seller which transhipper you want to use. A transhipper is necessary because they have a license to be able to pick up an animal from out of the country. If you don't have that license, the airport won't let you pick up that fish. It's a way for them to control invasive species, poachers, and owners who won't take good care of their animals. Then you have to pay the transhipper. This is where it can get rather expensive. A transhipper can cost anywhere from $40 to $60 on average, but of course it depends on many factors. Transhippers will also combine shipping so if you're thinking about getting multiple fish you'll save money by doing it at once. Contact the transhipper you want to use for a quote. I recommend Julie Tran or Koo Yang. Linda Olson is fairly popular but I've heard a ton of bad reviews on her so do your research before choosing. Most transhippers receive the fish on Sunday and will ship them to you on Monday. If you give them prompt payment you'll receive the fish on Monday or Tuesday.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

I prefer going with Martias Pham in Texas, he has gorgeous fish and without all the hassle! You can find him on Facebook, search for Texas Betta Aquariadise

The issue with Thailand fish is that they're almost all raised on 1 tsp of AQ salt per gallon or _more_. This is typically our medicinal dose that we recommend here. Too long exposure of this amount or higher can lead to some serious health issues. Many Thailand purchases don't make it to a year with the new owner except for a few lucky ones. Those who do not keep their fish in some level of salt (I recommend 1 tsp per 5 gallons as a preventative measure; safe for the kidneys and the fish) will have a much harder time keeping Thailand fish. It is difficult for the fish to switch processes from high salt to very low salt, this can cause osmotic stress and can, in time, cause some very serious issues for the fish which can lead to an early death.

I personally will not buy another fish from Thailand and I usually suggest Martias when people do want a high quality fish without all the hassle. He doesn't showcase all his fish since he has so many and he works other jobs but he is super happy to show off anything he has that may match your request! He doesn't have it all but he has a wide array of HMPK and OHMPK as well as HM's and a few CT's occasionally. He's working on gold lines right now for the OHMPK :-D


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## Adelais (Sep 25, 2012)

If you purchase fish within the United states or within the same state you live, do you still have to pay for a transhipper? Or do you only pay for the fish and then the cost of shipping? Just curious because I live in Texas and am considering buying my next Betta from Martias Pham.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

No transhipper involved! Fish comes straight from Martias directly to your door! He usually does $20 a fish and $10 shipping typically. Occasionally a really nice show fish will go 30+

Transhipper is only used when the fish is imported.


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## Weegie (Oct 9, 2016)

He told ,e that he is posting some fancy HMPK this weekend


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## Adelais (Sep 25, 2012)

Awesome! Makes them WAY more affordable. I'll have to keep an eye out for the HMPK this weekend!


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