Considering a Betta

[Innesfan]

Distilled water costs a fortune over here in the UK. I think it's been blessed and is holy water. Expensive

Yikes! Has anyone ever explained why it's so expensive over there?

 

[kcl_jmo]

If you are looking at a 60L tank, a good budget option is the Superfish range. Aquacadabra have a good selection to choose from. I've ordered from them multiple times and had no issues so far. I myself have never had any superfish tanks, but from what I've seen, a lot of people are happy with them.

Superfish Start 70 Tropical Aquarium Kits | from Aquacadabra

Superfish's modern 70L complete setup with LED lighting, internal filter, heater and a range of accessories including water conditioner, fish food, fish net and thermometer. Available in black or white.

aquacadabra.com

This one includes a heater and an internal filter. Also, black friday is coming up soon, so you may find some better deals on tanks. Or you can try the 2nd hand market.

Yes, these had come up in my searches as a good brand. Has anyone got experience buying on the second hand market in the UK? Tips?

 

[Innesfan]

I asked my 8 year old about it as I know he is tender hearted and he was quite upset by the idea of such a short life. I have also read more now about how the inbreeding can cause visible illness before death which could be quite upsetting. I think the Betta might be out! Back to the drawing board. Thanks again for your helpful insight.

I'm wondering if tropical fish are the right choice for your situation. While there are species that can be relatively long-lived under good care, given that this is your first attempt at fish-keeping and that you will no doubt make some rookie mistakes that we all made--it's all part of the learning curve--you will most likely have fish losses. While it is true that three years is a good run for a betta--(I had one make it to 7-plus)--a three year run for many of the species you mention is common even under expert care. They are not cats, dogs or parrots.