How Much $$ Have You Spent On Your Betta?

In another thread I made the comment that I couldn't think of another thing of similar value that had given me as much joy as my $5 betta. I thought that was a pretty good deal and a cheap source of joy until I started adding up the real cost. After the tank, gravel, plants, ornaments, heater(s), light, food, gravel vacuum, moss balls, etc., etc. I was in for around $100. I had to laugh at myself spending $100 to keep a $5 fish.

How much money have you spent on your betta?

 

I've had quite a few, with different levels of care, throughout my life. My very very first, the standard veiltail in a bowl, when I was six, was named Fintastic (I've since improved in my naming expertise). I'd expect we spent no more than $25 on Fintastic. Next up was a blue boy in a community tank, his name was Sonata. I have no idea how much we spent specifically on him, probably the $5-10 to purchase him.

Then, we took a break from betta keeping and I went on a student exchange. There, I became enamored with fish as a whole, but especially bettas. When I came back, I got a large community and a ten gallon with a veiltail betta named Sagittarius. I had the benefit of getting almost everything for Saggy (as he was affectionately nicknamed) second-hand, so I'd guess no more than $35 total for him.

Then, I got Beata for the community tank, and she was $15. I used Saggy's old food, so no extra cost there.

But then, as I started working and spending my own money, the hemorrhaging of funds began. I got Leo. Total, with all of the supplies, plants, food, etc... probably $75? Then came along Aries. I'd say since I mostly used stuff I already had, I'd go with $20. Then, Libra went into my hospital tank as he was a rescue. So, his cost - $10 ish for medication and other such things.

My dorm betta, Cicero, has undoubtedly cost me the most. I think I added it up once, and it was around $200 for him, the five gallon tank, the substrate, the plants, the hides, the filters, etc.

So to add this up, you'd get about $400, which sounds like a lot, but also is probably a bit on the low side.

 

The 29gal tank was free, but the adjustable heater was 40$, then the plants around 30$ all together. Sponge filter was 8$ plus an old used HOB that somehow made it into my hands. Plus a 120$ LED light, 20$ bag of less than great sand. Plus all the female bettas, all together adding up to be 66$. So roughly 300$ including the liquid fertilizers and frozen foods.

Then there's the tank I had to set up for my baby "girl" who turned out to be a little boy. 3$ for a white/pink HM baby betta, 30$ for the little 3.4gal which needed a 12$ heater for it. Then the goose-neck lamp and the LED bulbs I bought for it, so add another 30$. The plants were cuttings from existing ones as the substrate was left overs as well. He needed treatment for some odd case of spinning so add another 7$ for meds. 80$ or so for him.

Then my child, my precious boy, Otabek the double tailed plakat. He was 18$, then the plants so another 15$ and an 8$ piece of driftwood. Add another 15ish for a glass hood. 8$ for a replacement bulb. Now I need a new heater and filter for him so add another 50$ because no way am I going to buy cheap equipment again. So 120$ or so for his little set up.

 

I don't remember exactly how much Shy Guy was, but he was not an expensive fish; maybe $7? I went into the hobby from a childhood of keeping bettas in bowls, and then in 1-gallon tanks, so I was prepared to spend maybe $30.
Little did I know that I would walk away spending over $70 for a 5 gallon tank including filter, lighting, decor, etc.

 

I'm not sure how much I've spent on each individual betta, but since March of last year, at least part, often a large part, of every paycheck has been devoted in some way shape or form to my five babies so... a lot. Most of my fish are rescues, however, so not a lot of money was spent purchasing the fish themselves.

 

My first betta cost me $5.
5 gallon tank $10
lid probably $15
gravel and decor probably $15
Poor guy didn't have a filter or a heater but he did have his tank emptied and cleaned every 2 weeks so, you know, that's pretty awful as well.

Since then I've bought bigger tanks and heaters and filters and lights and more bettas. We have 3 bettas in our house and have put them in existing tanks but I can't say they aren't costing because at some point I've spent money on the tank. If I were to buy the fish in my avatar now, and I had nothing for it, this is what I'd buy:

I spent more on the bettas than any other fish, he cost $20
10 gallon tank with lid $15
Light $30
Sponge filter, air pump and tube $15
Flourite substrate $15
Plants $20 (let's be honest, it'll be more than that though)
Heater $10, I've been very happy with all of the preset heaters I've had
Timers, extension cords, strip plugs $30 (rough estimate, yes they are in my house but if I use them for the tank that means I need to by them for something else)
Ongoing costs
Food $5 plus
Chemicals $8 plus
Plant fertilizer $8 plus
I'd say $155 is a good guess. That includes a $20 fish though as well as expensive substrate and live plants. I could easily spend $5 on a fish, $7 on inexpensive gravel, and $10 on plastic plants.

I didn't add my nerite snail, I like having a snail in there, they're cute.

 

Truthfully - I have no idea. Nor do I want to actually. If I know - then it'll be more difficult for me to justify spending the money that I do

 

My only betta at the moment was free. She was beat up by a male in a failed breeding attempt. I already had a large community tank. I added her hoping it would work out. A year or so later, it has. So it cost me nothing extra since I was already set up. I got the joy of watching her heal and enjoy a 6 foot tank.

 

My only betta at the moment was free. She was beat up by a male in a failed breeding attempt. I already had a large community tank. I added her hoping it would work out. A year or so later, it has. So it cost me nothing extra since I was already set up. I got the joy of watching her heal and enjoy a 6 foot tank.

Wow, a 6' tank. How many bettas are in there? Is it bettas only?

 

To much... if I only count Keshet’s set up(the rest really took over another tank or was a cheaper set up) his current one would be around $86 not counting plants or substrate(that came from other purchases I made for other tanks) add around $20 for his previous tank and that should be about I minus food. But I don’t really count the food as now all my fish share the same schedule and food, so no real extra cost now.
The most expensive set up I’ve had a betta in would be over around $180 and an extra $40 for the betta, but that was also spread out a lot because I had previous bettas in the tank and now it’s a community.

 

It's not on betta fish, but I had spent almost £75 on keeping a 2.5 g tank.. (terrible idea I know)

Now I have a 10 gallon tank (including lights, heater, filter, gravel, plants, deco etc) totalling to about £7.50, so that is an absolute WIN in my opinion!!! I plan on splashing some cash on some more plants, co2 for said plants and some green neon tetra, but for now I have a fully functioning and thriving guppy tank for less than £10!!!

 

I guess the least I've spent on a fish is the one I just put in my son's room. I had everything but the sponge part of the sponge filter, the plants and the fish.
Fish $10
Sponge filter $5
Plants $5

Everything else I had.

 

The whole consumer tropical fish business runs on the fact that the fish themselves are very, very cheap, plus the average buyer has no clue what it takes to keep a fish alive or how much that costs.

Also he has no clue that there's a huge difference between what it takes to keep one alive vs making one really happy and healthy.

 

Wow, a 6' tank. How many bettas are in there? Is it bettas only?

That would be a large sorority. But,no its a community tank. I was just lucky she was accepted buy the community and she don't mind company.

 

I had the tank, filter, lights but I have about $200 in plants and what ever 14×$3 is for the bettas.

 

I’m not sure I really want to do this... but let’s start with Star-Lord’s $4 1 gallon clearance tank (tank, light, under gravel filter with pump), with a $6 bag of gravel, $3 plastic plant and $5 ornament..so $18 plus he was $15 (rang up $20 but the signage was wrong so they matched it). So $33 initially plus water conditioner and food.

Then I got a thermometer, heater, etc. so another $15. Got some other ornaments and things along the way. Upgraded to a silent pump $15.

But now we’ve upgraded. 5 gallon tank with light and filter was $50, another bag of gravel $6, bigger better heater $25, 3 pack of silk plants $10, 3 pack of marimos $10, filter rings $4, digital thermometer $7...not including food or the test kits, I spent $112 ish.

Added a second matching betta tank at 5 gallons so $50, more gravel $6, anubias $10, another heater $25, another thermometer $8 for two so $4, a smaller filter $5, quiet air pump $12, LED mushroom $8...betta was $15, so $135. “He’s only $15!” I said.

 

Oh goodness. I think my betta was probably around $8. I originally had him in a heated 1 gallon according to what Petco said (he was an impulse buy so I didn't have time to properly research), I think it was about $30 and the first heater was $13. I forget how much the substrate and his first plant were though. Then I actually did research and this is what I ended up spending:

2.6 gallon tank (I hope to get an even bigger one for him eventually): $60. Jeez, Fluval is expensive. My Aqueon 10-gallon plus filter, heater, and light was $75.
Omega One pellets: $6.50
Freeze-dried bloodworms: $7
Betta hammock: $3
Thermometer: $2
Moss balls: $8
Betta log: $7.20
Fake plants: $6
Ceramic pot: $13
Seachem Prime: $11
Gravel vac: $10
New heater to replace too-small other one: $13
New heater to replace faulty second one: $26
Moss wall + live plants to replace fake plants: $35

And then of course there's the water testing kit as well as some replacement filter media and I also got meds and aquarium salt since I'm paranoid and like to have things on hand, I don't have a car at school so going to the pet store is inconvenient and even Amazon Prime takes a few days to deliver things. All in all, well over $250 total.

 

I’m not sure I really want to do this... but let’s start with Star-Lord’s $4 1 gallon clearance tank (tank, light, under gravel filter with pump), with a $6 bag of gravel, $3 plastic plant and $5 ornament..so $18 plus he was $15 (rang up $20 but the signage was wrong so they matched it). So $33 initially plus water conditioner and food.

Then I got a thermometer, heater, etc. so another $15. Got some other ornaments and things along the way. Upgraded to a silent pump $15.

But now we’ve upgraded. 5 gallon tank with light and filter was $50, another bag of gravel $6, bigger better heater $25, 3 pack of silk plants $10, 3 pack of marimos $10, filter rings $4, digital thermometer $7...not including food or the test kits, I spent $112 ish.

Added a second matching betta tank at 5 gallons so $50, more gravel $6, anubias $10, another heater $25, another thermometer $8 for two so $4, a smaller filter $5, quiet air pump $12, LED mushroom $8...betta was $15, so $135. “He’s only $15!” I said.

Long road, with a happy ending.