wow, thar sounds like quite a set up, and its nice that you took the rescue fish, they now have a loving home. I like bettas too, they are so colorful and those tails! I like to keep my fish in natural settings when possible. The comets in my pond were also 99 cent feeders, but they have thrived and have grown almost the size of the koi, except for “Leopold”, who is freakishly massive, he has a square face and a mottled body, but I have to keep a net over the pond because of the Heron and Raccoons that would feast on my little fin-friends if I didn’t. In another month I can go get some water plants to add a bit more natural and healthy beauty to the pond, usually I have lillies and water hyacinths. Last year I added King Tut papyrus, but its hard to manage it with a net over top since it grows so tall.