BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Fish Supporting Private Breeder -vs- the Mass Retailer

Strange topic, I know. But honestly, I'm tired of seeing the big corporations treating animals very poorly. I would like to start a thread where betta breeders could post and maybe draw a little business away from places like Wal Mart or PetCo.

It's difficult to find a breeder that sells bettas at reasonable prices, especially locally.. shipping seems to be really expensive on the sites I have found. If anyone knows of good sites to check, please post.

I know that it'd be impossible to draw all fish business away from large retailers, but it'd almost be nice if they discontinued their sale of animals if they can't treat them properly - as live creatures instead of another piece of profitable merchandise!

A good friend of mine purchases her fish from: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/categ.cfm?pcatid=830

and she swears by this site. She said the fish were in excellent condition and lasted to full expectations!

There are loads of places where you can get fishes, including bettas, other than the Big Bad Guys. There is the American Anabantoid Association for one. Do a Google for them. You'll learn more than you ever thought possible about Bettas from them. Also, most areas have fish clubs. Search for Aquarium Society or Aquarium Club. One of the big features of local club is the fish sales table...along with speakers, book and magazine sales, and good friendships with other fish folk.
Best fishes,
Mary Sweeney
Fishhead

i am all for places like wal-mart discontinuing to carry fish in general, however, Crimson was rescued from there and if i had the choice of getting him over another fish at a private breeder that i know will be taken care of untill an appropriate home can be found for him, i would have taken crimson.

The fish world is full of private breeders! They just tend to hang out with other fish lovers. Many shops get their more exotic stock from hobbyist breeders. Do a web search for "betta" and you will find some home-grown bettas. Join a fish club in your area and you'll be surprised at what shows up at the auctions and shows. It's an economical way to acquire equipment and very healthy fishes.
The mass merchandisers are here to stay...for the forseeable future, anyway, and there's not too much we can, or would probably want to do about it. I was surprised, after years of distrusting the chain pet shops, to find that some rare, misidentified catfish that I picked up a couple of weeks ago, are still healthy---no ich or other maladies to be seen. I didn't think it possible, so it was a nice surprise. They don't carry female bettas, though, so my beautiful metallic blue male continues to blow bubbles in vain.

I can agree with buying from LiveAquaria.com. I've bought some wonderful,healthy fish from them. They are the vets of Drs. Foster and Smith. Wonderful stock and aquarium supplies. Their pet care articles at www.peteducation.com is awesome material, too. Enjoy. web page [color:"blue"] [/color] [color:"blue"] [/color]

Thanks for your post. The bettas that you will obtain from private breeders are usually of breeding and/or show quality and are therefore Half Moons, Deltas, Super Deltas or Crowntails. A high-quality fish does cost more than pet quality. The veil tail bettas cannot be shown anymore in betta shows; therefore, you find them at pet shops. The shipping has to be done overnight with FedEx or Express Mail which costs about $18.00+. Then the fish are packed in double bags in a sytrofoam box put inside of a cardboard box. Hope this answers the question about shipping. [imageBellaOnline ALERT: Raw URLs are not allowed in these forums for security reasons. Please use UBB code. If you don't know how to do UBB code just post here for help - we will help out!

wow, that is a beautiful betta, betta fan! The one in your avatar picture is lovely too. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I agree, that is a beautiful betta!

I see buying fish from the big pet stores sort of like getting a pet at the pound. Private breeders cater to enthusiasts, so generally their fish will end up with someone who knows about them and treats them like a pet. Walmart sells fish as disposable toys, to be cheaply replaced when they expire. I would rather buy a betta from walmart and see it live and thrive in a happy home, than buy a similar fish who was perfectly well off before I found them. Of course, all my fish are rescue bettas and feeder goldfish. I just couldn't walk past their sad faces. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />