# Starting my Sorority



## Mandy Pandy (Mar 17, 2012)

Well I've done the research and have a nicely cycled 20 gallon long rather heavily planted running in my den... now all it needs are some lovely ladies. So today I went to two Petcos, two Petsmarts, and two Walmarts. First was a trip to the furthest Petco with my husband. He did nothing but moan about how much they were so that was the only store he went with me to. 

















This little girl didn't want to cooperate so this is the best shot I got of her. 

Then I dropped the husband off and went to the first Walmart which was a bust so I proceeded directly to the first Petsmart.



















Then it was off to the next Petco where I picked out three more little darlings!



























Two more at the next Petsmart!



















And lastly I decided to go to Walmart. By this time I was getting pretty tired and I almost didn't go. Honestly I wish I had gone there first! They must have just gotten a shipment in because they had some really really beautiful girls! It was hard to choose just one as I only had room in my sorority for one more. (Going to have a total of 11 and already have my grown baby betta girl, Belle in the big tank.)









Unfortunately she wouldn't cooperate for the camera but trust me... she's awesome. Black with bright green and red on her fins... so awesome. I've always wanted a betta this color and I find her at Walmart of all places. 











Here's a shot of all of them in their cups.










And now they're all in a very random assortment of containers while I wait the two weeks to make sure they're healthy.


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## LeoTheLakerBetta (Oct 12, 2012)

Wow they look great! Great job! I hope they stay warm during their two week QT?


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## carbonxxkidd (Oct 30, 2012)

I love that black and white marble girl! They are all beautiful, though. Good luck! 

Makes me want to go shopping for females, but I don't really need any more :X


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## Hershey (Sep 28, 2012)

Wow! That's a lot of girls. Good luck to you!


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## Mandy Pandy (Mar 17, 2012)

My kitchen is really warm. I have a thermometer in one and or reads 76. Not the warmest but it could be worse.

In the picture the marble looks black but she's really a dark green and the tips are all cellophane like. She's my husband's favorite


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Wow. Congratulations on your new sorority! I am looking forward to pics of the tank!


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## Mandy Pandy (Mar 17, 2012)

I'm so sad... my favorite committed suicide while I was at dinner... I guess I may be going back to get one of her sisters at Walmart tomorrow... I feel awful. T__T


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## BettaPirate (Nov 20, 2012)

oh no, which one was your favorite? I really like what I can see of the little lady who wouldn't let you get a good picture, she's got a cute tail


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## Mandy Pandy (Mar 17, 2012)

The black one with the green and red fins.. My Walmart baby that I was so excited about. They had two others that were similar so I'll prolly get one of those tomorrow. I feel just dreadful though...


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## Mandy Pandy (Mar 17, 2012)

I like the second girl a lot too. She's all pink and shimmery.


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## LeoTheLakerBetta (Oct 12, 2012)

Did she jump out? Aww I'm so sorry for your loss. Don't feel bad though; these things happen and the best thing to do is move on with more knowledge than before.  
One of my ladies jumped out while I was feeding them and she would've taken the full 4 ft drop but lucky for her and me she hit the stand first so it broke her fall by a lot. I quickly scooped her with a cup; I just couldn't pick her up bare-handed lol


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## Mandy Pandy (Mar 17, 2012)

Yeah she did. Everyone has makeshift tops over their containers now. Loose of course so they can still get air. When I go back to Walmart in a bit I may have to get both black girls. I dunno if I can choose between them.. 12 is ok for a sorority right? Or should I really have an odd number? I remember reading somewhere odd numbers are best.


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## Mandy Pandy (Mar 17, 2012)

Stocking wise, Aquadvisor says with 12 girls I would be 99% stocked and 103% if I go to the next odd number of 13. They will be sharing a tank with 2 bristle nose plecos and a mystery snail that are already there. Now, the tank is super heavily planted so I was wondering if I could squeak by with being slightly overstocked and under filtered. (I have a Hagen Fluval C2 that is apparently not the strongest filter in the world. I may be able to add another filter in the future but not for at least a month or so after the expense of buying the girls.) What says you?


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## Mandy Pandy (Mar 17, 2012)

Ah well.. there was only one of the black girls there today so I guess that made my decision for me. Here's a picture of the new girly as well as some better pictures of a few of the others that I took during water changes today.









The crowntail marble girl









The lucky lady that gets to be kept in the critter keeper









The pretty pink girl that wouldn't let me get a clear shot of her yesterday.









The girl I think looks copper, she's almost see through too!









And my new girl still in her blue water. I'll try to get a better shot tomorrow when I'm doing her water change. The container she's currently in isn't the clearest.


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## blu the betta (Dec 31, 2012)

the red one was my favorite too. im sorry for your loss.


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## bettaisbetter (Jan 25, 2013)

Good luck with your sorority! All your girls are so pretty.


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## Mandy Pandy (Mar 17, 2012)

Oh, and here's my 'baby' betta, Belle. She's already in the big tank. 

Thanks


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## shawnee (Jan 23, 2013)

no offense intend but it horros me that you would pick up walmart petco and petsmart bettas they are none for being always infected with something and ar alomst never the breed that is on thast lable but good luck


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## bettaisbetter (Jan 25, 2013)

Those 3 stores are the ones that people always go to. I bought all my bettas at Petsmart and Petco with an exception of 1 girl who was at a LFS but in an overcrowded tank. They weren't sick, they were stressed from improper care. 

Mandy Pandy, your girls look simply divine. I love Belle.


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## Mandy Pandy (Mar 17, 2012)

Well.. I'm sorry that I horrify you but those are my best options for getting fish as my local fish stores don't seem to ever carry females. These girls deserve a home just as much as any other betta. They're going to be quarantined in their own little containers for two weeks to make sure no one is sick before starting their sorority life and if any medical issues arise they will be treated as needed. My baby did her quarantine in the big tank and has been there for quite some time already. I have had no health issues with her what so ever. 

Thank you bib


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## carbonxxkidd (Oct 30, 2012)

I got all my girls at Petco and Petsmart too...there's really not another option unless you want to spend a ton of money on Aquabid or something. All my girls were healthy and I didn't even QT them...they've been in the tank for over a month now with absolutely no problems. My Walmart just started carrying females but all of them always look terrible. If I saw a black one like you got there though I might consider trying to nurse her back to health! Very pretty girls!


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## Mandy Pandy (Mar 17, 2012)

I didn't really expect to find anything at Walmart and I expected that I was going to end up back at Petco to pick up my number 11. I was super surprised to see at least four girls that I wanted to take home! There were three blacks and one that was a really really pretty blue that reminded me of denim. I still kinda want that blue girl but I think I'm gonna stick to having 11.


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## fishy314 (Nov 8, 2012)

Looking forward to seeing the girls in their tank - it's gonna be a real contender in my contest!


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## Mandy Pandy (Mar 17, 2012)

fishy314 said:


> Looking forward to seeing the girls in their tank - it's gonna be a real contender in my contest!


I can't wait either! Honestly the tank has changed a bit since I took t that picture. I've added new plants and others have moved a bit. I just added some java moss to the left piece of wood and will be taking a picture as soon a the dust settles a bit more.


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## Mandy Pandy (Mar 17, 2012)

I just trimmed a few plants in the back and replanted the tops so in another two weeks things should be much lusher. I also expect the lily in the lower right (hard to see in this pic against the log) to take off and get a lot bushier as well.


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## broncosfan84 (Apr 11, 2012)

I've been told that if your tank is heavily planted you can go with 13-15 in a 20L. The plants will take care of the ammonia.


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## Haleigh (Jan 24, 2013)

Wow. Your sorority looks awesome. Have you named the girls yet? Also, I bought my betta from Petsmart, aside from being a bit stressed at first, he hasn't had any health problems.


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## Mandy Pandy (Mar 17, 2012)

I've named a few but unfortunately I've had some loses. Two girls died from dropsy while in qt and one of my crowntails has it too.. I don't expect her to survive much longer. 

All of the other girls are doing just fine though and I've got two more to replace the ones I've lost and are now floating in their cups in the tank. One of the girls, the spade tail got roughed up a bit, big chunk of her tail missing, but she's healing nicely and it doesn't seem to bother her much. 

My little baby Belle has been renamed Vriska Bell after a vicious character in the web comic, Homestuck. She was soooo not cut out for sorority life. She flared and constantly chased everyone and was the one that ripped up my spade tail, Aradia. So now Vriska has her own 10 gallon palace that she shares with a mystery snail. ^_~


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## Shadyr (Mar 27, 2012)

One of my crowntails has chased and nipped at some of the new arrivals as they get introduced. If she persists, I put her in a floating breeder box. SHE HATES IT. It seems a few hours to a day in the box straightens her up. Till the next introduction at least X_X

Personally, I say "Go you!" for giving all those pet store girls a chance. All mine came from three chains too. I did have several not make it past their first few days, but I have 9 lovely girls in my tank now. They seem to be pretty settled in, and it's adorable in a mini-pirhana way the way they crowd up at feeding time.

PS: Your black was lovely, but that pink girl! She's sweet! (And is begging to be named Valentine)


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## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

All our bettas came from Petsmart and Walmart as well. None of them came down with any illnesses that could possibly be store-related.

I love what I'm seeing so far. It makes me really want to start my own sorority.


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## Elsewhere (Dec 30, 2012)

Wow, beautiful girls! I have personally only ever bought one Betta from a chain store, and I have her now. She seems to have either popeye or a growth on both eyes, but she's just so pretty! I always love the chain store Bettas though, they have some gorgeous fish, as you know- all of yours are just so awesome looking! Good luck with the sorority!


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