I went to feed the new betta tonight and I couldn’t find him in the tank. I fully admit that I cursed like a sailor as I peered around the tank (at least the kids weren’t around to hear it.)
Then, I spotted him- chilling in the little filter: you know, the little box that hangs off the back of the tank? How the HECK did he get in there? The only thing I can possibly fathom is that he got sucked up the tube that pulls water into the filter. He seems like he would be too big for it, but apparently I was wrong. He went all Augustus Gloop on me.
He looked at me, abashed, floating listlessly in his one inch of space. I dumped him back in the tank and breathed a sigh of relief, at least for now. At least this time I figured it out before he kicked the bucket.
Is life in our household really all that bad? Free worms, regular water changes, the cat leaves you alone. Really, life is good as a V betta. I seem to keep getting the emo fish who can’t wait to escape the horribleness of my home.
When I took Koa into the specialty hospital a couple of weeks ago, I noticed they had a small betta tank, just a bowl, actually, in the exam room. When I relayed my tale of woe, the vet chivalrously offered the betta to me, which I thought was very kind. “He’s been here for 5 years,” he told me.
5 YEARS. 5 years of being subjected to daily scrutiny from strange cats, dogs, and children, some of whom are possibly radioactive, and the fish is fine. I have a fish for 5 weeks and he manages to get himself dead every time. I told him the fish was probably much safer there than in my home, which is some Bermuda Triangle vortex of fish doom, and obviously I was correct in that assessment.
I hadn’t actually gotten around to naming the fish- paranoia, perhaps, or simply playing the odds- but I think Augustus is quite fitting. Or perhaps Lazarus. Or Lucky, in the ironic sense. Augustus Lazarus Lucky the Great. I like it.
“Bermuda Triangle vortex of fish doom” hahahahaha! ::snort::
Hi Y’all! My Humans used to have fish before my time. They liked them, but like me better! 🙂
Hawk aka Browndog
Too funny! Apparently you are not meant to be a fish mom. Who’d a thunk it?!!! Hope you and the family have a great Thanksgiving!
That’s so funny…maybe he’s bored? My husband surprised me with an aquarium over 3.5 years ago, and I still have one of those original tetras left!
Where are you buying them from? Most chain store fish are stressed and diseased. Try some privately bred fish or privately owned fish stores.
Bettas like to jump and maneuver their way into strange places. They also can’t fight much current.
Fish actually have more of a learning curve than most pets. There’s lots of books at the library to get you going in the right direction. Good luck!
They were bought from a privately owned aquarium store. I let my husband handle the details- he has experience with complicated stuff like salt water tanks and the like. I just do what I’m told.
The longest lived beta I’ve ever had lived three years. The current one has lived here for five months, in a glass bowl with no filter and in one of those Petco bases with a small overhead LED light. Henry Bleuees Luigi (family each wanted to name him) is doing really well, fed every other day, “sheets” changed weekly. We do use that oxygenator solution-two drops in the bowl with the new water. Sometimes the less you do for fish the better they do. Guess that applies to almost all mammals too.