Oldest Betta?

My first betta (from PetSmart) lived 5.5 years in a .25 gallon bowl that I cleaned about once a year. When he was around 4 years old I moved him to a 2 gal. Then when I learned about proper fish care I had my next betta from a LFS in a 10 gal with a filter and plants and a snail and he only lived about a year‍
What's the longest your fish have lived?

 

i had a betta named fireball that lived 4 years in the same exact situation as you

 

Currently 2 bettas just over 2 years in my house and 1 betta here for about 6 months.

 

I have not kept any bettas but I plan on keeping some in the future. My oldest fish are these 3 goldfish from a carnival who are probably at the most 2-2.5 years old and I've kept them for 1 1/2 years.

 

My current betta Yogurt will be 3 in September. I had another female live around 2 years. Most males I've had don't live that long, 9 months if I am lucky and they have all had filtered, heated, 20 gallon long aquariums. Yogurt lives in an unheated, no filter (it has a ton of plants) 3 gallon cube, and she's doing amazing.

 

My current betta Yogurt will be 3 in September. I had another female live around 2 years. Most males I've had don't live that long, 9 months if I am lucky and they have all had filtered, heated, 20 gallon long aquariums. Yogurt lives in an unheated, no filter (it has a ton of plants) 3 gallon cube, and she's doing amazing.

How did you get the name yogurt?

 

How did you get the name yogurt?

She was red, white and blue when I got her, and they are called Siamese fighting fish, which is now Thailand, and red, white and blue are the colors of the Thai flag. I know there's an actress named Yoghurt in Thailand, so I thought it was a cool name. Of course I spelled it in differently, but I am guessing the pronunciation is the same haha.

 

My current goldfish are 7 and 6 years old. Bettas keep dying on me pretty early, the longest I’ve had one was two years

 

This happens. I too have similar experience. When I just started this hobby I knew pretty much nothing and kept a betta in a 1g bowl with nothing but a dwarf lilly plant though I did water change every week. The plant thrived, the betta lived too for 2 years. But another betta died within a year in a 2.5g tank that had filter, several live plants and everything. Both the bowl and the fish tank were bought around the same time with a gap of only few weeks when I knew too little. Later I bought a 5g tank, but after setting it I found it to be 3.3g. It's a hand-made tank made by joining 5 pieces of glass together with glue. These kinds of tanks are common in India. The LFS made them and sells them and are very popular than company made tanks. So one has to be capable of judging the size just by looking or one has to measure the sides to know the size. I always measure now before buying a tank instead of trusting the LFS.

This tank too has everything and a betta is living here for 6 months now. I am excited that I ordered LFS to make 7.25g tank and the betta will be rehomed there in less than a week.

This kind of thing happens. Sometimes fish survives in poor conditions but dies in proper conditions. Though 2.5g is not ideal, still a betta survived 2 years in 1g with no filter where another one lived less than a year in a 2.5g with filter.

Maybe that's why the myth has been generated regarding betta that they live better in small tanks and larger tanks are bad for them.

When I was coming out of the fish store 2 days ago ordering the 7.25g fish tank, I heard the LFS guy trying to sell a baby hybrid of flowerhorn and parrot to a guy who asked whether it will live in his tank. He said his tank is only 6 inch in width, didn't mention the length but said the length is not much either. Even if the length was 10 feet, that fish can't be kept in a tank of 6" width. The LFS guy said yes, the fish will stay there. They grow like the tank they are provided. Thankfully, as the guy said he already had 2 baby cichlids in the tank, he was told not to buy it as the hybrid can fight with them. Like otherwise it was okay. I forgot the name of the cichlid he said but I remember as I heard the name I knew that those 2 cichlids grow bigger than 6" too. Like it was okay to keep them as they grow according the size of their tank. The LFS only advised not to buy it as that they can't be tankmates but it is okay to keep them in small tanks. I know many of you will feel that I should boycott that LFS. I feel so too but all the stores here are like this. They all give similar kind of advice. Then I can't buy anything from any LFS.

But sometimes a stunted fish lives longer in small tanks with no care but the same species dies in larger tanks with proper care. That's why all these stupid myths originate that fish require no space and all.

 

My first betta (from PetSmart) lived 5.5 years in a .25 gallon bowl that I cleaned about once a year. When he was around 4 years old I moved him to a 2 gal. Then when I learned about proper fish care I had my next betta from a LFS in a 10 gal with a filter and plants and a snail and he only lived about a year‍
What's the longest your fish have lived?

Which brand of betta pellets did you used?