Having amassed over 3.8 million subscribers on her YouTube channel Fish4Ever YouTuber Britney Ta shares her love for fishkeeping through her content and online fish store. Ta began fishkeeping as a teenager. Being introduced to Ta by her father, “My dad, from Vietnam, grew up surrounded by thousands of bettas.
He used to catch them in the rice fields, and when I was old enough to care for one, he gave me my very first betta fish,” Ta said.
Ta started her YouTube channel when she was thirteen years old to express her love for the hobby and connect with other hobbyists who share her passion. According to Ta, fish are some of the most mistreated animals.
“Many people believe the stereotype that fish can thrive in tiny bowls and assume that as long as they’re alive, they’re healthy. While bowls can work for fish, they must be at least 5 gallons, and equipped with a proper filtration system,” Ta said.
Aside from her YouTube channel, Ta has turned her love for fishkeeping into a business, starting her online store in October of 2021 and recently about to open up her in-person store Fish4Ever Aquatics. Ta decided to start selling fish after her guppie Sushi started having babies each month. “My goal at Fish4Ever Aquatics is to ethically care for, and provide high-quality fish and help both new and experienced hobbyists in creating exceptional aquariums,” Ta said.
One of the most popular fish in the hobby are betta fish. Betta fish are freshwater fish that are native to Southeast Asia. They are popular for their energetic personalities and their bright colors.
According to The Betta Boys TikToker Adriana Portobanco, she enjoys caring for betta fish as she enjoys the transformation they undergo.
“They start pretty shy, but with time they change color, they develop different little quirks and personalities,” Portobanco said.
Portobanco enjoys fishkeeping because she can create working ecosystems. “It’s one of those hobbies that is not only fun and interactive because you can update the aquascape of your tank, but there is some science to it. I have to make sure my water parameters are safe and that I’m not disturbing my ecosystem,” Portobanco said.
Portobanco’s TikTok page, The Betta Boys, currently has over 55,000 followers.
Her goal is to provide positive feedback and advice to people in the fishkeeping community.
According to Portobanco, she saw many negative comments on beginners’ posts regarding their new tanks. This toxicity toward beginners’ tanks can discourage people from continuing the hobby or even getting into it.
According to Portobanco, there is a lot of false advertising surrounding fish, especially on platforms such as TikTok.
“I see a lot of misinformation regarding tank size and food, especially with beginners who are not probably properly taught what kind of diets they need, and it bother s me a little bit that they are feeding this information to young, impressionable minds,” Portobanco said.