I recently got a betta fish so I will start by saying there is more than a little bit of bias in this article. Sure cats and dogs are amazing, but nine out of ten times, you're not allowed to bring them to college with you. So what are you going to do during those 3 a.m. study sessions when you have no one around to talk to? Well, if you have a betta, that's no longer a problem for you.
1. They're great listeners
Ever have that friend that you try to talk to and they just don't listen well? You'll be telling them a story and they keep interrupting you about how their problems are much worse than anything you're going through. Well, having an underwater pet means you no longer have to deal with that. They couldn't interrupt you even if they wanted to, so what's not to love?
2. They're very pretty
I'm not trying to be superficial here, but one of my favorite things to do when I'm stressed is just watch my betta (Ned) swim. He has these huge flowy fins that could mesmerize me for hours. Maybe not hours, but you get the point. Bettas come in all sorts of colors and patterns, so it's very unlikely you won't find one you like.
3. You get to take care of something
Honestly, the main reason why I got my betta is because I wanted something to take care of. It sounds kind of silly, but having something else that I'm responsible has helped me a lot recently with my mental health. Not to mention, I like to think that Ned gets really excited every time I buy him some new aquarium décor
4. You can be creative
Now I may not be the most creative person out there, but I'm totally owning the betta tank game. Ned is named after Ned Stark from HBO's "Game of Thrones" (because he's the most honorable character on the show if you're wondering why), and I've already got a miniature iron throne in the mail as the new centerpiece to his tank. You can get crazy with plants, rocks, decorations, or anything else you can think of to put in your tank. And it's all relatively inexpensive as well.
5. Your betta no longer has to live in a pet shop
Maybe this one's a little weak, but bettas usually spend their life up until "adoption day" in a tiny little bowl that is the equivalent of a Tupperware container. You can't help but take pity on them and bring them home into a nice roomy tank that they can spend the rest of their days in.
6. You can learn something from them
I don't know about you, but whenever I tackle a new project, I like to learn everything about it (mostly every scenario where things could go wrong). There are so many things about betta fish that I've learned since I got Ned. Turns out that betta fish can get sick from a lot of things if you're not careful and you should be careful about the filter and other tank accessories you may choose to buy.
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