Underrated community fish

[Endlerama]

Poll - Most Underrated FW Community Fish

Here's one I've been pondering, and was wondering how others felt about it. What would you say is THE community FW fish that is most:

a) Hardy
b) Colorful
c) Available
d) Affordable
e) Compatible, and
f) makes a good "pet" fish...

but is most Under-rated in the hobby.

I really think that the answer is the Female Betta. They survive well under harsh conditions, they come in most any shade of the rainbow and are very pretty and vibrant, they can be found at most better LFS's, they only run a couple bucks each, they don't bother each other or a wide range of tankmates, and they are among the most interactive fish you can buy, readily greeting you as you approach the community tank.

Yet, despite all of this, you don't see an awful lot praising or promoting them.

Anyone else got some thoughts?

 

[goldfries]

Re: Poll - Most Underrated FW Community Fish

Originally posted by Endlerama
I really think that the answer is the Female Betta. They survive well under harsh conditions, they come in most any shade of the rainbow and are very pretty and vibrant, they can be found at most better LFS's, they only run a couple bucks each, they don't bother each other or a wide range of tankmates, and they are among the most interactive fish you can buy, readily greeting you as you approach the community tank.

Yet, despite all of this, you don't see an awful lot praising or promoting them.

Anyone else got some thoughts?

yes i don't mind sharing you my thoughts. i had bought a bunch of them but they died when my tank got some sickness quite some time back.

but anyways, yes they're beautiful and i don't mind getting them. problem is that it's rare to see any nice female bettas over here.

mine were pearl white and bright blue, scissor-tailed (but the tail gets pointed as they age, and don't look that nice later).

the female bettas here are mostly dark..........really dark red/blue/purple and are mostly used to feed LHs, that's what the LFS claimed.

in fact i was hunting high and low for a female bettas to mate with my male and when i really did get, the female killed my nice male.

but anyways, other than what was my story, i truly agree on your point of view. however the COLORFUL and AVAILABLE part is really hard to achieve, despite living in a country where Bettas come from.

Female bettas are rare as they're used to feed LH, ugly and no one wants to buy. so what better way to use them. not much is used for mating as male bettas are not in demand now. i still like bettas, but most people don't fancy them anymore.

 

[pinballqueen]

Insightful! They are almost as pretty as their men... I thought they could be as foul-tempered as a male around breeding time, or am I incorrect?

Also, I have a hard time finding them in my area, so they aren't quite as available or affordable as they might be for some....the cheapest I've found has been over $5, more expensive than their male counterparts...

 

[goldfries]

Originally posted by pinballqueen
Insightful! They are almost as pretty as their men... I thought they could be as foul-tempered as a male around breeding time, or am I incorrect?

LOL. did you not read my post on how the female killed the male?
i got my male for RM16(approx 4 USD, very nice in fin, color and personality.) while the female was RM1(erm......0.25 USD)

Originally posted by pinballqueen
Also, I have a hard time finding them in my area, so they aren't quite as available or affordable as they might be for some....the cheapest I've found has been over $5, more expensive than their male counterparts...

LOL. over here the cheap veiltail males can be bought at RM2 (0.5 USD) while females at RM1 (0.25 USD). Crowntails usually go for about 8 - 12 RM (2 - 3 USD).

 

[Endlerama]

Originally posted by pinballqueen
I thought they could be as foul-tempered as a male around breeding time, or am I incorrect?

Actually, I've never really seen any of the ones I've owned show any sort of ill temper, all of which have been quite good in disposition. My first one showed me so much appreciation when I rescued her from her male "suitor" that she would brighten up as soon as she saw me entering the room.

Here, I've been able to find female Bettas off and on, even at Petco once. They've only been about $2 when I could find them. As to their colors, they tend to fluctuate, varying from horizontal bars to solid to vertical bars, depending on their mood, and often changing shades several times in a day.

Oh, and they're one of the few community FW fishes that you'll find in GREEN!

 

[goldfries]

i'd get a green one if i can find one.

vertical bars = ready to mate, check the tubes.
horizontal bars = stressed.

well the one that showed violence was a really cheap looking female. the nice ones are really well-behaved, but strangely not that hardy.

 

[JamisonBWolsh]

Originally posted by Endlerama

Oh, and they're one of the few community FW fishes that you'll find in GREEN!

The Female Boeseman Rainbow is Green for the most part...

 

[goldfries]

or you can have the green tiger barb.

 

[Darkangel]

Most of the female Betta's sold around here are in actual fact short finned males. You have to look very closely for tubes and stripes. That is also why many of them look so tattered. Next time you see a tank of female bettas whatch it closely if you have the time and you will notice how different the males and females are.

 

[goldfries]

i had some short-tailed males too, they're beautiful.