# When you buy a betta....



## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

What do you look for in a betta? most people go for the colors. 

Personally I like to go for ones that are more active and even flare :lol: I got two new ones today!!! Both in quarentine, but both active and eating on the first day :shock:

My previously bought one, Admiral has finally become more active after a week or so of having him. When I got him I noticed his back was a bit misshapen so they gave me him for 3$ - he is not very brightly colored, and does not have the full fins... And he does not come up to the glass to me just yet... and he is a bit of a push over (he is in the balloon molly fry tank :lol: )


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

I've always looked for color when I was younger. Haven't had betta's for years though. When I convinced the old bf that we needed one, I let him pick it out (then I checked it for signs of illness, and activity). Matt picked the biggest betta the store had -_- (boys, eye roll) and he was from a fresh shipment, active, flaring. Had spunk since the day we got him. 

Since I'm itching to get another, I'll look at the fancy ones. Checking colors and obviously health. I've only ever had VT, but color combo's on CT are appealing to me lately


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

That's true  My friend got an albino cross and it is genetically blind >< All well. She loves him and cares for him 

I always check for illnesses lol. Any fish I get... There was one I wanted before, but he was getting fin rot...poor thing was in with the rosy barbs


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

I would want to save any fin rot fishies :< Just because I know they might not be sold. But I'm so new to bettas and this is my first ever case myself that I wouldn't know about it.. Maybe when I learn more!!


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

I try looking for healthy pretty ones. Owo


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## Micho (Aug 22, 2011)

I looked for an active and a pretty one too. Pretty much it, didn't want to bring home a sick one. >: He would've died on me real quick.


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

I tend to go for whatever betta 'calls' to me....as silly as it sounds xD
I suppose I tend to lean more towards the unusual though; the more unique the betta the more interested I am in it....but still, it has to 'call' to me. 
I do have a soft spot for Cellophanes however.....but I've always had a thing for white/albino-like animals(probably because it drives my mom nuts; the hates the red eyes), so thats probably why.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I look at colour first and foremost, and the betta's expression. A few of mine have ugly heads and dippy toplines, and it always annoys me.

I prefer whites and white/blue based marbles. Tail type isn't as important, but I will never own another crowntail, as two of mine died of some wasting disease, while the other passed from a tumor. 

Surprisingly enough, most of my bettas are colours I don't really like. My mum likes blues with a red wash, so I always have to 'rescue' one of those to make her happy. 

However, someday I would like to create a line of white/blue marble dragon veiltails.


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## Irishdancer (Apr 5, 2011)

I don't really know, I just get emotionally attached to some fish over others. All three of the ones I've bought were fairly healthy, but last time I was at the pet store, there was one very sick boy that I would have bought if my Mom wasn't there to say no. He had two big bulges in his belly and was floating sideways, but I could tell he was a fighter because he was trying so hard to swim. Poor guy. :-(


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## MaggieLynn (Jun 24, 2011)

I go by tail type and color, also by size and if there is any tail biting or sbd or fin rot. I also look to see which are active. I also agree with what dragon fish said, about how they just call to you, on wednesday i saw a pretty marble hmpk that i feel in love with went today to get him and ended up with a halfmoon boy, he just called me its hard to explain. Ill spend a good 10-15 minutes looking at bettas even more if i have to. Although major has a small case of sbd which i knew before i bought him >.< oh well he is otherwise healthy besides that. my weakness is crown tails.


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## Amphibianite (Aug 6, 2011)

I am with the others. They just call to me. I will stand there and look at every betta. I will set aside the ones I like, and then when I look at them I just feel I know who I am going to get. I will often decide which tail type I am after that day and what main colors I want, but if someone yells at me to get them I have to.
Just the other day I went in to get my other red VT to be a twin to one of my guys. I picked him up, but while I was there I say this extreme multicolor VT with some curl fin... I just knew I was going to get him, I knew that day before I set out that I would end up with another. I wasn't planing on it but I knew I would. 

So I guess it boils down to a mix, I know what I am looking for, I look for the healthiest guy who is flaring and seems happy and healthy, but I get the one who calls out to me the most.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Sometimes I look for the one that needs the most TLC, but doesnt look like it will croak at any minute. Actuallly, most of the time I do that. However, if choosing based only off looks, I go by tail type and color. I like the ones with big tales like HM's. I usually pass on the CT's cause they remind me of spiders and I'm not a fan of males with the short tales. I try to aviod red and blue ones because most of mine are that color.

Or sometimes i just see one and it has "the look".

They have to be alert though and not have any actual illness besides fin rot or ammonia burns. I dont really want to try and cure some disease.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Yeah, when I went in there were about 20 or so bowls with bettas... Some were not very active, and others just had that ugly face (sorry, but the face has to be decent  fins have no say before that haha). I had really really wanted a female so I got a female who is so pretty =D Though she never flares... she is too gentle. Should see my Spartan flare FOR her (that's right, not at, but for) it's kind of funny lol
I like the bettas whose colors are unusual. Anyone can own an orange betta... but no one can own one like my Crayola =D Has anyone seen a GREEN betta?? There's one I would die to have


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Tikibirds, I just read your signature.

You named a fish Sushi?? haha awesome...


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

I saw a green betta with multicolor fins o3o
I have no idea why I didnt get him x.x


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Lucky...lol. Whenever I can get up to the city I aim to find me a green betta =D male or female whichever lol. My friend saw one and did not get her D:


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## dragonflie (Aug 5, 2011)

They choose me.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Dragonflie, yeah I got one betta I felt bad for, so I got him. I don't like him -.- no offense to Admiral lol. My other bettas (even my newest members) like to investigate, watch me, follow me, all that jazz... He just... freaks out and sits in his plant -.- His back is slightly bent (birth defect)... damn humanity...lol


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## LaLaLeyla (Aug 17, 2011)

Well it was more of a turquoise green ish : P


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Lol for me any green would have been awesome =D for one, I love that color and for two I have never ever in my life seen a green betta


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## harrypotter (Aug 9, 2011)

I chose mine based on color to be honest, it was my first fish and I didn't dare rescue a sick one, I would not have the knowledge.


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## Littlebittyfish (Jan 5, 2011)

I usually go for the sick sad looking bettas..besides the last 2 I got...They were both pretty healthy when I got them.


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## Foxell (Mar 13, 2011)

I do like to look at the ones I think are the most attractive, but I usually end up with the best personality. It's usually hard to tell personalities when they're in tiny little cups, but if you watch them for long enough you can some-what tell :] I got Takeshi [most recent betta] because he was so laid back, and he definitely is! He's a bit of a goofball, and even though he wasn't the brightest, most colorful betta there, I'm glad I chose him because he's a silly boy and very fun to watch.


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## LittleBettas (Jul 23, 2011)

I go for the ones near death.... eitherwith SBD, finrot, or who have some other default (one was put in the cup with another betta and chewed up, an other is SO tiny, has been a the store for awhile and in a filthy cup, also acts lethargic)

I've had two bettas pass away (rip Wildfire and Chance) but I have 10 bettas who most people would have passed up as dead
(3 bettas... the newbies, I bought from cajunamy on this forum)

Its really all about what you can handle, I jut got two new bettas today, one with SEVERE BD and bloat and the other is TINY, roughly he sizeof my 4 month old babies... he acts lethargic, was in a dirty cup andha been there for awhile there were two other bettas there with SBD... I chose the ones worse off


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Oh wow, LittleBettas. Yeah I got my Admiral because I felt bad for him... He is not the prettiest really, but he also has no personality. He is only 5 months mind you, so hopefully he gets better as he gets older  I know my Spartan did, once he hit two years old ><


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## copperarabian (Apr 27, 2011)

I look for a color that interest me, then let him flare so I can see his fins


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Haha I try seeing if they would flare  I feel if the male's flare, they've got the spunk! Even ones who don't but hold their fins (if they can, especially in cramped bowls or cups) rather than let them droop like they are sick  however some sick fish I'll get... that way I know they can be taken care of.


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## Mars788 (Sep 9, 2011)

Well, I just have the one, but the day I got him I almost couldn't decide. I wanted to adopt all of them, yet at the same time I wanted to forget about fish alltogether. Having two goldfish and an algae eater die within a week has that effect. :-( 
But! Then I saw this white-ish looking guy with blue eyes. (I know he looks almost pink in his pics, but that's due to water conditioner.) Guess eyes are important to me, whether we're talking about humans or bettas, ha ha ha.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

haha totally agreed xD


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## sarahbeth1976 (Sep 30, 2011)

I got my first Betta Boy because he was the most active fish there...he also is pretty...he's a crowntail whose fins have gotten LONGER since I brought him home. Since he is my first Betta Boy, I didn't wanna take the chance of bringing home a sick one. . Maybe when I learn a bit more about there amazing creatures will I adopt someone who otherwise won't likely find a home.


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## Qishi (Sep 26, 2011)

I am definitely a sucker for bettas that have different color on their fin's edges. Like my first betta has red fins but black edges and blue stripes close to the body. I just had to get him when I saw him.


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## Rjb5584 (Sep 22, 2011)

When I got ****** and spreckers, there were a pot of traits that carried similar or equal value: color vividness and actual colors, fin types and condition, unusualness of color or color combination, and scale condition. From there it went to overall health, aggression, then personality.

When I get my next one, actual colors and color vividness are going towards the bottom, scale condition is going up, as is personality and aggression.

I thought ****** was kinda pretty, but in the store I was kinda "meh" about him--it wasn't until the clerk said "if I were you, I'd buy him. I have no clue how one that attractive got past all the employees. If you don't buy him, at the end of the day, I will," and that sealed the deal. Spreckers colors are more what I like, but ******'s vibrancy and personality outshine spreckers' by miles. I'm still amazed what a difference it makes! This coming from someone who originally wanted bettas more as a way to liven up and decorate his appartment... >.<


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## sarahbeth1976 (Sep 30, 2011)

Until I adopted Argo...I never knew how much these little souls could steal people's heart. When I was a kid, we had goldfish. But bettas are in an entirely different league. Argo interacts with me as much as does my dog. :O)I a nver withou a dog & now I'll always have a Betta.


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## Ajones108 (Jul 7, 2010)

I'm a sucker for any orange or yellow bettas. My favourite tail type is most likely half moon or CTPK.


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## hmckin20 (Jul 30, 2011)

I tend to go for fin shape and then color.. whatever is extremely unique.
But even then I wait around to see any that connect to me. Most times I pick up the pitiful ones that are sick looking to take home and nurture.


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## Campbell (Apr 12, 2009)

I always get the "ugly" (torn fins, plain color, etc.) ones. I feel like no one else would give them a good home. They're still interesting, and often times they will color up within a few weeks.


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## betaguy (Sep 15, 2011)

I failed my last guy, ide rather not go into detail. This time around i didnt care for color, gender, or tail type. I just went with the one who would provide me with the best chance at success. right now hes a happy little bugger who made his first bubble nest yesterday. Hes pretty unique too, all white, pink tail, and a freckled face. Im amazed at how attached i am and just how much i watch him do his patrols (as i call them) across his fish tank. Its not all in the looks, personality matters more to me.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

I chose Ben based on health first, color second. Since my first two died on me I needed a healthy fish to learn with. Once I saw a new shipment of healthy bettas still in cups, then I chose on color. Ben was the only one that wasn't blue like my Venom. After that, I chose based on need and who wasn't pretty enough for people who based a fish on looks. I see red vts at the LPS which I'd love to have but i'll only get one if its in need of treatment. So far they are happy and healthy.


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