How hardy are Bettas compared with other fish?

As title really.

I'm nowhere near adding a Betta yet (tank's not quite cycled) - corys will come first starting in a couple of weeks over a period of 3 to 4 weeks, but in the meantime I'm reading all I can on Bettas, and I'm just wondering if I'm up to it!

There are so many threads about sick Bettas and health problems with Bettas, are they so susceptible to illness, or is it just that when all's going well people are less likely to come here?

If I do go ahead and get a Betta, then I would like to get a 'home grown' one and not through the post. Is there anyone near Bracknell (Berks) on here who breeds Bettas?

Thanks.

I'm sure cories need a mature tank, so may be best not to add them first. I have some double tail babies but they gonna be another couple months til they'll be ready at least!

Hi
I wouldn't personally add corys to a new tank either.
I think the reason for seeing what appears to be a lot of sick betta threads, is due to each betta being an individual to the owner rather than say a guppy or neon. I would imagine that just as many other fish types get sick just as much, but either goes unnoticed due to numbers, or as the fish isn't seen as an individual the owner may not feel it necessary to post about them. If one fish in a shoal of 10 gets sick its not as noticeable as a single kept betta getting sick.
When you consider we have around 120 bettas at the moment, its inevitable that we will have a sick one or two. At present we have a female who is kept exactly the same as about 50 others, who is constantly getting sick. On her second bout of Dropsy as i type.
Its a bit like fish shops. You often hear people saying they went to a local shop and there were 3 dead fish. When you have many many fish its going to happen regardless of how well you look after them.

I keep over 18 types of cory and would say they should not be added to an uncycled or as first inhabitants - they are very sensitive to ammonia ,nitrite and even nitrate

i would wait until the tank is fully cycled then add the betta - after that keep testing the water daily
if you have 2 clear weeks of tests then add 2 corys - keep testing again and then add the others slowly

Any increase in ammonia or nitrites - do water change right away

You also want to pick the corys that will be ok at the temp you're going to be keeping your betta tank at -- some corys do better in higher temps than others



They are such cute little fish and once a tank is cycled then

My personal experience of bettas is they have been quite hardy compared to the other fish I have kept. I have five and had over a period of 6 months, only one ill and that was his lip from injury ( i think). One also cam by post and was perfectly settled within a couple of hours. Compared to guppies, otos, etc had worst experiences with these.

As to sick bettas, depends on the source. Some sell immediately after they have received the bettas who have travelled thousands of miles from places like Thailand when their immunity is particualrly weak. Others just keep theirs in appauling conditions and or cups/unfiltered and their immunity takes another hit. There are plenty of places that have healthy bettas, it is just sourcing and finding them I can personally recommend DPFishways and Betta Paradise, they post but they are well looked after!

When going into stores see how they are kept. The best types have a small tank each to themselves. Some stores keep one betta per tank with other fish but this can unduly stress them out, then again I have seen relatively healthy ones like this though it is not ideal.

As regards adding the corys, I will be looking at the pygmy varieties, and I was advised that they should go in first as it might stop the Betta being too territorial, but I certainly wouldn't add anything until the tank's fully cycled and readings OK for a couple of weeks. On the other hand, if they are very sensitive perhaps the suggestion of adding them later does make sense.

I'll look at the two Betta sellers you recommend when the time comes. I would have liked to get one locally to save the fish being posted but if they survive trips of thousands of miles I suppose a 100 is nothing!

LOL as long as they are posted properly and have recovered from previous trips then you are good to go, the two mentioned are certainly good quality as well