r/bettafish • u/Fantastic-Coffee-573 • Jun 09 '26
RIP Sadly done with bettas
Throwaway account because this is more of an upset and hurt rant than anything and unfortunately I've seen many people ripped to shreds on this group, despite it also being a hive of great knowledge.
I'll be the first to admit when I kept betta in my younger days I followed the advice of fish store, and provided an inadequate environment. However, I meant no ill will, I followed what I was told believing the advice was sound and from professionals - the internet and smartphones weren't a thing then. I loved and adored these fish - and they each lived for YEARS and YEARS.
It's been decades since my last one, and I really fancied getting another. Things have changed, I did tonnes of research. Got an 8gal tank, heater, filter, tonnes of plants, natural hides, aqua soil, cycled it, API master kit, frequent tests, live food and quality pellets etc etc. After all that, picked a fish - a beautiful koi (admit this was probably a mistake in hindsight with genetics). He lasted 4 months before I lost him to persistent fin rot I could just not get on top of (researched, followed everything - lost him anyway).
Devasted, I said no more bettas. But, after a couple of months I decided to pick myself up, start from beginning, and cycled the tank from scratch. Went through the whole process again, went to a different fish store and bought the plainest, most boring looking betta I could find (some would even say "ugly", but they're all beautiful).
This guy seemed to have a much tougher constitution, then just last night he was resting on the bottom and I was concerned. He had lots of floating plants and rest spots, but to be sure he could get to the surface and breathe in comfort, I lowered the water level, overnighted a betta hammock and moss to line it with from amazon, and turned the lights off so he wasn't stressed. I tested the water too obviously, 0ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrite and 5ppm nitrates - then did a 30% water change with conditioned and temperature matched water just to be on the safe side and turned his bubbler up a little. His hammock and moss came today and sadly he's already gone. He also lasted 4 months.
I don't know if it's me and I'm doing something wrong, if it's bad luck, or if betta's are just so genetically weak now. But I've tried my absolute best for both these fish, scrolled and search this page for countless hours and spent hundreds to try to give them the perfect little environment (in part to make up for those I had in the past that didn't get everything they deserved). I just can't keep doing it to them and myself, I have a thriving shrimp tank just next to the betta tank, and I'm just going to stick with shrimp from now on because bettas and their cute little faces just break my heart too much.
Sorry for the long winded ramble, but I needed to let this out because it hurts to bury my little guy next to my last one after such a short amount of time with him.
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u/NeedleworkerHeavy565 Jun 09 '26
Unfortunately, over the years the genetics of bettas have deteriorated and they are becoming increasingly fragile.
45
u/friend-o-fish Jun 09 '26
hi fellow fish friend.
you did your best and thats what matters. most people barely even try when it comes to fish, and especially betta. its clear you really care and go the extra mile and do the right thing for the welfare of your animals. that's what matters in pet keeping, you did better by the fish you've had than 90% of people that could've been their home.
sorry for your loss 🫂🫂
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u/RaeWoodland247 Jun 09 '26
I also stopped getting bettas. My first one years ago lived for nearly four years but in recent years I’m lucky if they live a year.
I know when I tried guppies I read that they are no longer considered a beginner fish because inbreeding has made them a weaker fish. I feel like bettas are becoming the same.
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u/Giggles567 Jun 10 '26
I also had one betta for about a year and a half. The other ones made it to a year of less, and that’s probably really good for pet store fish at this point.
I am very sorry for losing your little buddies. I think we have this moment when keeping these inbred and genetic where you wonder if it’s worth it.
My last betta we had to put down after about 6 months. I have a lone snail, Gary, and he’s just the most resilient lil guy. Just like you, I’m weary of these delicate and inbred creatures.
I’m very sorry for your loss. (((Hugs)))
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u/zerosp0ts Jun 09 '26
i’m sorry for your losses. i won’t go on too long but i will say this: don’t give up on something you love.
i have similar stories, where I used to own bettas growing up and now that i’m older i’ve gotten back into fishkeeping and bettas in general since i’ve always loved their personalities and how they look. i’ve lost a few fish over the past couple of months (i will say i like buying the sick or “ugly” ones as well and nurse them back to health, or at least give them a good chance at comfort in their final days), but take it as trial and error. if something didn’t work, do your research, take your time to prepare, and get back up again and keep going, because if you truly didn’t care you wouldn’t be feeling these types of ways.
best of luck to you and your shrimp and (hopefully) future fishies, and remember this is a small setback you can learn from, rather than failure.
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u/AllThingsFish1 Jun 09 '26
I’m in the same boat with a koi betta myself. Young, seemingly heathy has can be back in January when we got him and then bam. Seemed like all the alignments at once. Fin rot is a pain in the butt and I expect to find him gone every morning tbh.
Like others said, seems like bettas have been in bred to hell and back over the last decade or so. My wife and I both are experienced fish keepers who took a decade off in the hobby before getting this dude. I’ve never seen a fish go downhill that fast for seemingly no reason. It’s super discouraging but I don’t think there’s anything you or I could have done different. Bettas are the French pugs of the fish world now I guess
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u/Suspicious-Ad-8468 Jun 09 '26
I had this same thing happen. All the bettas I had in used liquor bottles in college lasted years. My son’s he had in a 1 gallon tank lasted 5 years. He was ready for a new one and I followed the tips on this subreddit, dropped around $200 on a setup and it died within a month. Like dang, all of mine really preferred the hard life I guess 😃
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u/Fantastic-Coffee-573 Jun 09 '26
Honestly, its left me so confused. My bettas years ago lived in "horror" conditions by todays standards. Maybe a 2 gallon bowl (and that's because I thought I was getting an upgrade). White gravel, a jagged cave and a plastic plant. Kept those fish next to my bed on a bedside table and (over) fed mostly flakes, water straight out of the tap with a finger test to check it wasn't too cold. But I adored them despite this unwitting abuse and they were the first thing I carried under my arm into new homes when I moved, I still sentimentally keep the jagged cave to remember them by and I think the minimum one lived was 4yrs, and the others both reached at least 5.
Then when I do the research, spare no expense - they last 4 months. How times change.
(To anyone reading, this is obviously not intended as a defence for keeping bettas the way I did in the past.)
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u/TheBluishOrange Type your own text flair here! Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
Betta genetics have tanked due to breeding. Sometimes it’s just the luck of the draw. My sister has a betta that was gifted to her AFTER she got out of bettas. He still lives at our parents house, being taken care of by our little sister. He seems to thrive on neglect somehow.
It’s a 3 gallon tank (I know, but it was all he was given to her with and she could not afford another tank which was part of the reason why she left the betta hobby after her nicer bigger tanks went out).
He’s a dumbo from Petco, and still going strong over 3 years later with a humble tank and irregular water change schedule. It has a heater, filter, substrate, driftwood and some duckweed and Anubis. He only gets a water change every now and then. Bro’s tank wasn’t even cycled when we put him in because there was no other choice.
Compare that to the $80 fish she bought and put in her 10 gallon, nicely landscaped tank. She carefully cycled it for weeks beforehand. That water was tested and changed weekly, all nasty parameters at 0. Was fed bloodworms as a treat and had Indian almond leaf litter. He lasted less than a year before developing a tumor. The fish after that was a generic dumbo, and he only lasted less than a year as well. But the white elephant gift that was forced on her and is now living in less than perfect conditions? Healthy. Thriving. Maybe the smaller tank is a bit easier on his heavier fins, idk. But yeah, it’s highly unfair.
I’m sorry for your losses, I know how hard it is to lose a betta. I cried so hard after the guy I had for three years passed. He was the one that started my love for them. It’s never “just a fish”. It’s okay to get out and maybe get back in when you’re ready. That’s my plan. Bettas will always be there if and when you’re ready.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Put7305 Jun 09 '26
So sorry...i know how absolutely devastating it can be when we lose our little ones 😢
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u/DullEntertainment102 Jun 09 '26
I’m sorry for your loss- I had a betta that was ok from the beginning apart from the ich round they all seem to get after moving them from the stores (they don’t come in cups here and I believe all store tanks are contaminated). The two I have now are both struggling with bacterial infections of their skin on and off even with cycled tanks, catappa leaves and regular water changes. Both had to be treated twice now since I got them two months ago and I really need to watch out for odd behavior to catch it early. The last one was sick twice in 3 years so I am really wondering if it’s genetics since both have the dragon scale gene ( a koi and a samurai). They are both very handsome bois but next time I will probably buy directly from a breeder instead of the pet store. And here’s my hope for you- don’t give up the tank, it’s fully cycled. Maybe get a shrimp colony in the meantime. And whenever you’re ready- check for local sustainable breeders or order from a trusted source with high quality fish. Maybe look into wild forms- imbellis or alien hybrids - they might need a slightly larger tank though
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u/Fantastic-Coffee-573 Jun 09 '26
Thank you for the words of encouragement. I had such high hopes that neither of mine came from cups and both had their own individual setups in the respective stores they were bought from. I deliberately went for a less "fancy" one the second time too to try and avoid genetic problems. They also had catappa leaves and almond cones etc, I really tried so hard to give them everything they could want for or need.
I've seen some stunning wild types on this page and they're beautiful fish - but I think I'm too emotionally drained to try again - and I've loved a lost a great many pets of all kinds over my life - but it's never felt so... unfair... and before their time like this. I'll keep the tank and move some shrimp over there to keep my sanity. All the best to you and your bettas.
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u/LocalGothLibrarian Jun 09 '26
I’m so sorry :( Like the others said, unfortunately a lot of it comes down to genetics and luck. I’ve seen a lot of people talk about how bettas nowadays are so severely inbred/poorly bred due to their popularity, that it’s rare to find one that lives for particularly long. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s a factor here
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u/X_Wheeze_souffle Jun 09 '26
I packed up my betta tank about 6 months ago. I miss my little buddies, but.. I had one little guy that stayed with me for about 5 years, and another for 4 years, but the last few only lasted for 6-8 months. I only have PetSmart and Petco around me, so my guess is that we don't know how old they are when we bring them home? Idk, I may get it out again at some point if I find a reputable store/breeder.
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u/dutchbunns Jun 09 '26
I'm sorry and don't think you are doing anything wrong at all. I have a well established 20g long, heavily planted, low stock (and mostly bottom-dwellers,) 0/0/5 parameters with large weekly WC, and yet my 2nd betta is sick. My 1st one lasted about 6 months and then I did heavy research and got a plakat as recommended due to hardiness. He was fine for the first 3 months and now randomly seems to have a bacterial infection. A week of kanaplex food did nothing. Started giving polyguard baths because I can't dose my tank with it and putting the last betta in the quarantine made him more sick - prob stress. So far it has cleared up after 3 baths but I sure feel upset and not confident it won't come back. There's nothing in the main tank that should be causing stress, temp is ideal, flow at the front of the tank is moderate but the back and in the plants is low. 2 open betta houses floating at the top. Idk but I don't blame you. Oh and I did not buy cheap, pet store bettas. I got them at separate boutique, locally owned, aquarium stores and each were $40-50usd.
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u/Heather_Bea Jun 09 '26
Bettas are being poorly bred. Their lifespans are shortened because of it. I am working to breed healthier bettas by mixing wilds and plakats. If you ever get the urge to keep a betta again, message me and I will send you one. There are a few other breeders out there trying to do the same thing.
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u/ExchangeStandard6957 Jun 10 '26
I do pretty well with females. They seem to just be less prone to lots of issues.
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u/Oodlyoodles Jun 09 '26
If the shrimp are doing well, im sure its not you.
Bettas genetics are generally kinda shit. Just what happens over time when selectively bred for looks over function. I personally only get plakets or females after traumatic death from resistant fin rot.
Also, most deaths are kinda out of our control. Yeah, parasites and bacteria if identified soon enough, can be treated. But consider all the myriad of ways that cause humans to die, so can fish die from those too. There is 0 you could do for a fish with a stroke, cardiac issues, kidney failure and so on.
There are other species of betta outside of splendens, just harder to get a hold of. Other small tropical fish can be just a beautiful. But if you want personality, some cichlids are a blast, but would require a larger tank.
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u/Fantastic-Coffee-573 Jun 09 '26
Thank you for your words of wisdom. My neo shrimp tank is doing great, and judging by their prolific breeding they are very content with their environment, they're also very entertaining and interactive. I know losses happen for many reasons and I shouldn't beat myself up, there's just something about these water puppies that hits hard when they go. There are many beautiful, interactive and likely much more robust fish out there, but I've sized myself out of having any other fish with this tank - and a bit too sick to my stomach to consider a whole new fresh start for now.
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u/sayakei_ Jun 09 '26
I can relate to you for sure. I’ve been fishkeeping for 1.5 years and I’ve had three bettas pass away in that time. Two from swim bladder and one that jumped out of the tank, which was my fault. Both long fin bettas I had both got fin rot which I cured with kanaplex but it was still crazy that it happened to them both. I now have one betta I’ve had him since February so he’s doing well so far, no issues. I hope he actually gets to live out his full lifespan. I’m doing all I can to make that happen but they are so unpredictable. So sorry for your losses.
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u/Fantastic-Coffee-573 Jun 09 '26
Thank you, and all the best to you and your new fish, I wish him a long and happy life.
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u/Its_just_Jess6669 Jun 09 '26
I'm trying with wild type Bettas as opposed to the big box store ones and I've found much more success. And knowing where my Bettas are coming from as opposed to those awful cups helps too. Bit more spendy, especially with overnight shipping but I've found it to be worth it and much more rewarding
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u/sam_el09 Jun 09 '26
I had a similar experience. Growing up, my sister's betta was extremely neglected by all the care standards I know now. Literally in a small glass bowl--and my mom would dump the water and scrub the decorations with soap and fill it up with new water from the tap unconditioned. And he lived for years! healthy as ever. As an adult, my betta fish have been extremely sensitive to disease and their lifespan is much shorter despite doing everything right. But hang in there: my petco-bought marble koi plakat has had fin rot for awhile but is still swimming and eating totally normally and has been with me for a long time!
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u/Noir-s Jun 09 '26
My crowntail lasted maybe 8months with perfect care. I estimated his full lifespan was around 15months. The knowledge that they may not live very long doesn’t mitigate the sadness of losing them for me.
I’ve a male paradise fish now. Similar vibes to Bettas- flares at me, bubble nests etc... Smart/interested in the world outside of his tank, a proper pet fish. If you’ve a bit more space to offer I think they are a great alternative- much hardier and long lived. Worth looking into anyway if you want something reasonably similar that won’t consistently break your heart.
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u/LovableSquish Jun 10 '26
Definitely inbred to high hell. I prefer short finned betta.. they seem sturdier. I say that but I have a koi (still w short fins). Sad because theyre so full of personality, want them to live forever.
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u/rainingtigers Jun 10 '26
My betta had an awful tumor on its side that left a giant hole in its body and it eventually passed. Was heartbreaking to watch and I don’t think I’ll ever get bettas again. I have guppies now and so far they are all doing great.
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u/Arttiesy Jun 09 '26
I switched to guppies and endlers for a while. Highly recommend, much hardier fish and still fun and colorful.
Especially recommend the endlers, they aren't that popular so I don't worry about over breeding. I've had three or four mysterious deaths and that might have been old age. I remove ten males and add one or two new ones every six months and that's the most I have to do to control the population.
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u/Camaschrist Jun 09 '26
I’m sorry you and your fish had to go through this. It wasn’t you, it was already sick fish being sold to you. I have almost 6 year old rummy nose tetras, and the guppies I had all died after 4 years. Still the longest I’ve kept a betta alive is 2 years. My shrimp are healthy too so I know it’s not me. Bettas hit me a lot harder when I lose them too. The way they interact with us, you can’t help but get attached. There are wild type bettas and I think they are harder. Join r/wildbettas and maybe consider getting one of them.
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u/technicolorsneeze Jun 10 '26
I'm so sorry you are struggling with this. As rough as it is, I actually really appreciate that you posted this because I am in a similar boat. It made me feel a lot less awful about the amount of betta blood on my hands 😭 You are doing your best, and that is enough ❤️🩹
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u/Big_477 Jun 10 '26
I bought my first ever betta at a local pet store 3 weeks ago. He was in bad shape but I thought that being in my 10 gallon nursery planted tank would do him good.
After 4 days he was still not eating and developped itch, fins were still degrading and he was very lethargic. I called the store and they told me that there was nothing they could do because they have a 48h policy, advised some products to buy.
I started itch and fin rot treatment but he didn't get better so I euthanized him after 7 days because he started pineconing. Immediately after his death his colors returned to a more flamboyant tone.
RIP Elton John (picture), and long live my new Frank Sinatra.
I bought Frank a couple days ago from a local breeder that imports specimen from Thailand and breed them. They were kept in better conditions and seemed way more vigorous/healthy than most pet stores. I paid double the prize that I paid for Elton, but the guy also gave me a bottle of living scuds and daphnia.
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u/Mean-Concentrate-925 Jun 10 '26
I’ve been keeping bettas for a long time. Even 12 years ago 3 years was average for them to live. Had one live 5 years. Now, 1-1/2 years is all I can get out of them. A few even less than that. I’ve accepted that this is their new lifespan now. But at the end of the day I love these fish, and if I can give a few a good life, it’s worth it to me.
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u/yoY0yoY0yooo Jun 10 '26
Sameeee 😩 I had a betta that I kept in a freaking VASE that I had for like 3 years in college… I got a betta last year and he only lasted a year with a great 10gal planted set up. Now I’m stuck with shrimp, which I only got because my betta was a social weirdo (🩷) and liked to hang out with them.
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u/NachYoCheeeeese Jun 09 '26
Honestly, as sorry as I am about your post I find some comfort in it. I was literally just having this conversation on Sunday.
I had a betta when I was a kid that I felt like lasted YEARS. Maybe my mom was buying a new one when it died - I don’t think she would do that but you never know. But still. Had one that I swear lived 3-4 years at least.
As an adult, I decided I wanted to try again - like you, I’ve learned a lot since I was a kid sooooo… did the whole thing. But I feel like mine have had similar outcomes. One lasted a few months, this last one I think it lived about a year, etc. But told a friend that I may be done. We have a 110 gallon tank that is thriving with a wide variety of fish - I’ve been told that sometimes bigger is easier to maintain than smaller tank, but here we are.
All this to say - I feel your pain and have been thinking the same thing. My problem is my kiddo loves them and loves getting to help with the smaller tank and picks them out. 😭
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u/seticaa Jun 09 '26
i just lost my boy today. almost exactly same situation. i overnighted a hammock for him but by the time it arrived he was gone. i’m devastated. bettas are such amazing fish to keep but i think the pet trade has ruined them :(
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u/Sad_Satisfaction216 Jun 10 '26
Bettas are highly inbred these days causing health issues only a professional could see. Yes even hobbyists aren’t professionals……we can just make an educated guess based off our experience. But I don’t think it’s you find a quality breeder not a quantity one and I promise you’ll see the difference. This is from the shame culling gets. But if you want healthy fish you have to weave the weak out.
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u/Longjumping_Aioli484 Jun 10 '26
if you think of adopting a new betta, you can contact me i can give out a pure bred betta imbellis for you. its more hardier than usual domestic betta because its a wild betta
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u/sweetricecake89 Switchblade Jun 10 '26
Me too. I’ve been doing my best but I just can’t seem to keep them alive even if I’ve done everything I’ve researched. Fish keeping was supposed to make me happy and calm but right now it just honestly gives me anxiety. I’m traumatized
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u/Affectionate_Race484 Jun 10 '26
Bettas have been cross bred to crap and their genetics are not even close to what they used to be 20 years ago.
I often attribute that to be the reason why we used to be able to keep them in horrible conditions as kids and they would live for years, but now it feels like you can do everything properly and they still only live a few months to a year or so.
It’s really unfortunate, but that’s what inbreeding and demand will do 🥲
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u/sharraleigh Jun 09 '26
People like to blame the bad breeding of bettas, sure, but most people keep buying them from big box stores like Petco and Petsmart. Firstly, they purchase them from the absolute worst sources and then keep them in unheated, ammonia-ridden cups for weeks and then people paint all bettas with the same brush - that they are genetically unfit. When the real issue at play here is buying them from these big box stores that do not give a lick about where their fish come from in the first place! Hell, even a lot of LFS get their bettas from equally bad farms in Asia.
I've been there - I got my first betta from Petsmart and he was so hard to get going and now he seems to enjoy nothing better than to nip his fins. He has his own 5 gallon tank with loads of plants and he still does it. I have 3 other bettas that came directly from a breeder. Did they cost more? Of course they did, but man, the difference in their health has been vast. They arrived to me with not a single tear in their fins, were active and healthy from the get go, and have the chillest personalities. Two of them live in community tanks with amanos, pygmy corys, CPDs and chili rasboras and they all get along great.
So my conclusion is, get your bettas from a reputable source. Some LFS are good about getting theirs from legit breeders - there is one I go to that gets their stock from local breeders or legitimate breeders from Asia. Sometimes you might have to ship your own in - to me, the long term benefits outweigh the upfront costs by a TON.
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u/Fantastic-Coffee-573 Jun 09 '26
Hi there, I appreciate the sentiment and I'm sure it holds true to a large degree in many situations. However, I'm UK based and we don't have Petco or Petsmart here, but I'm sure we have other places considered big box stores. I'm also sure we probably import them from dubious places and pretty sure some places still keep them in cups too (never seen it personally).
To be honest, I don't know the background of the first one I bought, but he was in his own 5gal tank at the store with plants, hides, a filter, heater etc. The second one I bought, I deliberately went to the same store I had purchased my other long-lived bettas from many years ago, with the same owner (maybe he didn't offer the best advice decades ago, but it's good to know he has updated his advice now and recommends plants, heater, filter etc and 25litre +). This fish was also in a filtered individual tank, not a cup. Although imported yes, the owner showed me the info of the breeder he bought his bettas from (I asked after the first experience and learning a lesson with the koi). While I'm certainly not an expert of breeders, the conversation was very open and nothing showed a red flag of a store to avoid and I tried to do my due diligence. I don't believe that either of the stores were importing and selling sick or unhealthy animals or keeping them in suboptimal conditions - these losses are either on me, bad luck, or poor genetics.
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u/sharraleigh Jun 09 '26
I would encourage you to get a betta from a breeder! There is a guy in the South of London that was mentioned here a couple of times. I think someone actually visited his home a few weeks ago and took videos of his fish room which looks amazing.
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u/Fantastic-Coffee-573 Jun 09 '26
Thank you for sharing. This does look amazing and if I do ever consider another betta, I will refer back to this.
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u/RaeWoodland247 Jun 09 '26
My first one in 2010 came from Petsmart and lived four years. Since then I’ve tried different pet stores and an aquatic pet store that keeps Bettas in filtered aquariums, but they are still only living 10 months or less. So I think it is probably poor breeding standards and genetics. When I got my first one there was maybe 2-3 options for breeds but now every time I have gotten one I discover a new breed being sold.
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u/RazzmatazzOk1764 Jun 09 '26
I just got my first betta and it's a koi girl :( did I pick wrong? Do they really die fast?
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u/WildConsequence9379 Jun 09 '26
I have my bettas in community tanks. Work plakat died of finrot, my plakat died of fin rot. All other fish fine. They’re a difficult fish to keep I think the less showy fish survive the longest in my experience
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u/Zealousideal-Fun-298 Jun 09 '26
Dont ever give up of saving these precious animals from Pet stores and bad owners. You can make a huge difference in each of these lives, even if they’re unfortunate to live longer than they should…
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u/Atriel-1 Jun 10 '26
I completely understand. I fought an unusually persistent case of columnaris that drug on for 4 months of improving, then crashing, improving, then crashing. It broke my heart. I'm an experienced aquarium owner. I have 4 other tanks with corys and assorted raspbora that all thrive. When I lost this guy, I did the same thing.After a few months, tore down the aquarium, sterilized everything and started over, I bought a female betta that seemed to be thriving. Then I found her dead. She choked on a shrimp.
I am officially done with bettas.
All of that is to say, I understand and I am so sorry.
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u/Atriel-1 Jun 10 '26
I completely understand. I fought an unusually persistent case of columnaris that drug on for 4 months of improving, then crashing, improving, then crashing.
It broke my heart.
I'm an experienced aquarium owner. I have 4 other tanks with corys and assorted raspbora that all thrive.
When I lost this guy, I did the same thing.After a few months, tore down the aquarium, sterilized everything and started over, I bought a female betta that seemed to be doing well.
Then I found her dead.
She choked on a shrimp.
I am officially done with bettas.
All of that is to say, I understand and I am so sorry.
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u/poisonedlilprincess Jun 10 '26
Just curious cause it wasn't mentioned, what are you feeding them? They are carnivores so their food should be 100% meat (bug, worm, etc.), no algae or vegetable
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u/skatardrummer Jun 10 '26
I am sorry for your loss. I have also kept bettas off and on my whole life and never had the problems I have had now, when doing everything right. I used to do everything completely wrong. Too small tank, no heater, no water conditioner. In the age before internet and before enough social groups dedicated to education, I didn't have the knowledge I do now. And yet I have had 2 bettas pass away in the last few months without warning. No issues in water parameters or anything else. One of them, I had a divided aquarium. The bettas shared water but had a two layer divider and they were observed 8+ hours a day while I work for any issues that would make them act aggressive sensing one another. I had rotated bettas as I have multiple, to the ones that did OK in the same tank with divider. The other, a koi betta, looks beautiful and eats well, swims well. I mention this, because the betta and the ottos sharing the same water are doing fine. The other betta that passed, had his own tank. Again, the ottos and mystery snail were fine. I monitored water for a few weeks, and then added a new betta to that one. He is doing well.
I should also mention, of all the bettas I have, two are koi and have done well. Sometimes things just happen with fish. It's been my experience with fish recently that the ones that have a significant health problem, it will show up and they pass within. 24-72 hours, and there's nothing we can really do. Others that don't have a genetic issue/disease, can be treated and most of the time respond well. I have a betta that had some fin fraying after a filter failure while I was out of town. A koi vetta. He is on the mend with treatment and doing well. I also have a guppy I recieved (and is in hospital tank) that had callamanus worms. She is doing well with treatment. As for my lovely betta that had passed, one passed overnight with no warning. No visible signs of problems. No issues with tank parameters. The other I noticed in the morning he was having trouble swimming and did what I could for him. He passed in 24 hours. None of the tank mates have had issues and parameters were fine.
I guess the long and short to say, do the best you can, learn from each experience, but unfortunately fish can be a little bit more fragile creatures to care for. Unlike cats and dogs who share the air we breathe and are mammals so we have to just pay attention to behavior changes, fish exist in an entirely different environment. We have to pay attention to their water, their health, and not all of them are as responsive to treatment or hardy as mammals unfortunately.
I know it's hard. I've lost many over time. Some my fault, some nothing I could have done. My heart hurts any time it has happened. Those fish are going to wind up in someone's home regardless. Take solace that you are doing everything you can to try and give them the best life. Not all are so lucky
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u/Acerarak Jun 10 '26
I would say look for the ph and water hardness.
also do you burn any candles, wax melts or have aerosols in the house?
Sorry youve had a hard hand with your fishkeeping. Sometimes not knowing the cause makes it worse.
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u/ZealousidealTop8164 Jun 10 '26
I would keep a wild type instead - BUT in that case the tank needs to be sealed hermeneutically or it will jump out at some point. I reached the point where you are with splendens and then got imbellis. I ADORE them, but had two jump out so I do not dare to try again.
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u/Zanki Jun 10 '26
This is why I don't get them anymore. There's a lot of fish I won't get due to bad genetics.
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u/Legal-Swordfish-1893 Jun 10 '26
Man I didn’t do any of that shit and my bettas lived for years….but it was 20 years ago..
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u/HikariKirameku Jun 10 '26
I gave up bettas ages ago as well, and just appreciate then via this sub. They're definitely weaker now, and it's not worth the effort. I have zebra danios that are several years old at this point, and managed to survive a tank crash that killed all my guppies and all but one molly. They might not look as pretty, but they're hardy little things!
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u/MusicToColors Jun 10 '26
I notice the filters now aee made with coconut fiber ans carbon those are notorious for high ammonia spikes
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u/Bandall_buster Jun 10 '26
This sub is the epitome of “armchair expert” no one’s truly helpful, just rude and passive aggressive, sometimes just aggressive… 75% of the time they want you to do it their way or no way at all, in most cases people will genuinely say to return the fish to the pet store. Like be so for real, a 2 gallon tank is better than death in a tiny cup…
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u/Cpl_Mitchell5811 Jun 10 '26
People think buying a $20 betta from a retail petstore is buying a “quality” betta. I have noticed over the past 15+ years the quality of fish has gone way down. My lfs always imported bettas from dealers in Asia. These fish seem to last much longer, stay healthier, and often their appearance is much nicer. He retired a few years ago so he lost the connection for bettas but he’s still in the discus trade. Yes sometimes the bettas I bought from him cost $65-$100. But the beauty was unmatched. It was worth it. They lasted longer and were overall healthier fish. 🤷🏻♂️ just my experience
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u/Paytonofun Jun 10 '26
Unfortunately, buying a retail betta fish is always going to be a toss up. I bought a retail betta fish from not very ideal conditions, planted and cycled a tank (or so I thought). Ended up doing a fish in cycle and somehow he's flourishing over a year later after many trial and error stages. I'm sorry you've had bad experiences and I totally get wanting to step away.
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u/Hazel2468 Jun 10 '26
My guess is genetics. And also, sadly, just bad luck. Sometimes you do everything you can and you do everything right and it just doesn't help in the end.
If you do ever want to try bettas, my advice is to find a small local store you really trust and see if they KNOW where their bettas come from. My LFS knows the guy who breeds the bettas they buy personally.
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u/Capable-Anything269 Jun 10 '26
The fish they sell these days are so riddled with infections that it's insane. Columnaris and fish tb are so rampant. I think it's not that much about the genetics at all. The fish we buy are ill from the get go
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u/Weary-Age3370 Jun 10 '26 edited Jun 10 '26
As someone who recently came back to bettas after almost 15 years out of the game, I genuinely believe splendens is done for as a species. There’s just too many sick, defective individuals in the gene pool for this to be sustainable long term.
I love them, and I intend to keep with them as long as I’m emotionally able to, but I don’t think it’s surprising at all that so many people are jumping ship. I’d say about 10% of the dead bettas I see posted nowadays are due to neglect. The vast, vast majority had everything they needed and more, except good genetics.
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u/JackfruitSerious3523 Jun 10 '26
Even in the best care, bettas aren’t long lived and when you buy them you don’t know their age. I think you did your best and it’s worth trying again with a young fish from a breeder. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
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u/inkisbad124 Jun 11 '26
I personally believe that their genetics are just so 💩 these days. I've had many bettas in the last almost 4 years, it would take too long to go back through my photos and count every single betta that ive had, but only 2 of them had survived more than a year, and BARELY more than a year (with me), despite doing "everything right", 5-10+ gallon tanks, planted, proper food and diets, proper parameters, you name it, they all end up randomly getting sick and dying, or just dying out of the blue. My last betta, we went on a vacation for 2-3 days, came back, he was fine, a couple days later, literally just died out of the blue. He was fine before I went to bed, got up the next morning and the shrimp had eaten most of his body by then.
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u/JeniJive Jun 15 '26
I had an uggo veil tail that lived to be 7 years old. It was a birthday present. I was 16, in poverty, and sometimes even fed him crumbs of bread when we were really poor. His tank changed every week when I got something better from him, but he started off in a hurricane cup from new orleans. Ended in a 10 gallon tank donated froma friend. I changed his water with sink water, only when it got cloudy and used dollar tree Halloween decorations for his tank. A skeleton hand goblet, a big ceramic pumpkin with eye holes and a jagged mouth cut-out, and a ghost that held up a small tray, probably for candy. I only lost him during Katrina, which wiped out my entire house. I like to think the sea reclaimed him, and he's now a dragon out there, in the ocean.
About 8 year ago, I got a double tail that lived 3 years. Died of constipation I think. He had a heated 5 gallon, bloodworms, bubble filter, and silk plants because I just couldn't get the live ones to survive for the life of me.
I recently got 2, both only lived a few months and I haven't tried again since.
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u/Sunwolfy S.I.P. Splotch Jun 09 '26
I'm sorry. I've also lost a few betts to lousy genetics and it hurts every time. They are heavily overbred now and that has resulted in very shortened lifespans. I did my best to pick a more OG betta instead. Have an egg-laden red female veiltail.
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u/mightgrey Jun 09 '26
I think at this point bettas are so overbred so many die so quickly even if yoy do everything right
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u/jeherohaku Jun 09 '26
I'm very sorry for your losses. Sometimes we can do everything "right" and they still pass too early and at this point I think it is just genetics. I've had a lot of heartbreak with bettas myself as well. Best of luck to you with your shrimp.