Here a fish, there a fish, everywhere a fish fish...
Betta shopping time!
I looked at the LFS (local fish store) where I got most of my goldfish, but I've never been too impressed with their bettas. Then on I went to PetCo. I know some PetCo stores are horrible, but I'm blessed with a good one in my city. Right now they're remodeling and moving stuff around, and as it happens the ONLY fish they have in stock right now are...*drumroll*...bettas!
There were so many pretty ones, at first it seemed almost impossible to narrow it down to a handful of possibilities. I was thinking either turquoise or purple...something different from the two I've had before. There were three purple boys and although there were many green/blue/turquoise ones, only one really caught my eye.
I picked out the prettiest and most healthy-looking of the purples. So now it was down to two. I put their cups next to each other compare them. The turquoise boy was very small, with nice, intact fins. The purple one was a bit larger but still smaller than Henry was. He had kind of a long, skinny body shape with very pretty, flowing fins.
How could I choose?
"Pick me! I'm so little and young, I should live for a good long time!"
"Pick me! I have prettier fins, and you've always wanted a purple one!"
"Pick me! See me flaring?"
"Pick me! Look at my cute widdle fishie face!"
"Don't make me spend another night in this horrible little cup!"
"The store is closing in a half an hour and I'll be alllllll alone!"
You all see where this is going, right? >_<
So I found myself walking toward the cash register with both little guys in my hands. Heehee...
My parents were no help. The enablers offered to help pay for an extra five-gallon tank and heater. XD My dad was struck by the purple boy right away, but he said he could tell I really wanted the turquoise one. Sure, tell me to get more fish...you're not the ones who will be cleaning and caring for them all! ;)
PetCo didn't have the kind of tank I wanted, and by the time we could have driven to the other two LFS they would have been closed for the night. So as a very temporary situation I ran into a department store and got a one-gallon glass vase from the craft department. Toss in a few plants, put some plastic with air holes over the top to keep him from jumping out, and it's a suitable habitat until tomorrow after work when I can get to the other LFS. I felt a little bad putting the one in a lovely, aquascaped, filtered five-gallon tank and other in a boring little vase, but it's only temporary. I'm not playing favorites, guys, honest! :\
So the little turquoise boy has been named Ricky and will be the resident kitchen fish. The purple boy is Prince and for tonight his vase is also in the kitchen but eventually he'll be moving up to my bedroom.
I had the name Ricky picked out when I went betta-shopping, partly after Ricky Ricardo. I was so pleased, having a name all picked out from the get-go, but then I ended up with TWO fish and found myself one name short! >_< After some thought I decided on Prince because for awhile I'd been thinking of him as "that other fish with no name yet," almost like the Artist formerly known as a silent symbol. I'm not a fan of his music, but he's sometimes called The Purple One, so it seemed perfect. And bettas can certainly look regal when they want to!
Ricky and Prince are both enjoying their plants and all the extra swimming space. I swear, they were so happy to be out of their Death Cups they were beside themselves with excitement, swooping around and stretching out their fins as far as they could! :D
Out of morbid curiosity I tested the water in their cups, and I was pleasantly surprised to find nitrites were a solid zero and ammonia was barely a trace, not even quite up to the first color bar on the chart. :) Told you we have a decent PetCo! Death Cups are never ideal, but if the water is changed daily it's acceptable for the short term, I guess.
Anyway, my digital camera's batteries are kaput or I'd have photos. Hopefully tomorrow.
So we are now a two-betta household. Here's hoping these lovely gentlemen live long, healthy lives in my care! *crosses fingers*
I looked at the LFS (local fish store) where I got most of my goldfish, but I've never been too impressed with their bettas. Then on I went to PetCo. I know some PetCo stores are horrible, but I'm blessed with a good one in my city. Right now they're remodeling and moving stuff around, and as it happens the ONLY fish they have in stock right now are...*drumroll*...bettas!
There were so many pretty ones, at first it seemed almost impossible to narrow it down to a handful of possibilities. I was thinking either turquoise or purple...something different from the two I've had before. There were three purple boys and although there were many green/blue/turquoise ones, only one really caught my eye.
I picked out the prettiest and most healthy-looking of the purples. So now it was down to two. I put their cups next to each other compare them. The turquoise boy was very small, with nice, intact fins. The purple one was a bit larger but still smaller than Henry was. He had kind of a long, skinny body shape with very pretty, flowing fins.
How could I choose?
"Pick me! I'm so little and young, I should live for a good long time!"
"Pick me! I have prettier fins, and you've always wanted a purple one!"
"Pick me! See me flaring?"
"Pick me! Look at my cute widdle fishie face!"
"Don't make me spend another night in this horrible little cup!"
"The store is closing in a half an hour and I'll be alllllll alone!"
You all see where this is going, right? >_<
So I found myself walking toward the cash register with both little guys in my hands. Heehee...
My parents were no help. The enablers offered to help pay for an extra five-gallon tank and heater. XD My dad was struck by the purple boy right away, but he said he could tell I really wanted the turquoise one. Sure, tell me to get more fish...you're not the ones who will be cleaning and caring for them all! ;)
PetCo didn't have the kind of tank I wanted, and by the time we could have driven to the other two LFS they would have been closed for the night. So as a very temporary situation I ran into a department store and got a one-gallon glass vase from the craft department. Toss in a few plants, put some plastic with air holes over the top to keep him from jumping out, and it's a suitable habitat until tomorrow after work when I can get to the other LFS. I felt a little bad putting the one in a lovely, aquascaped, filtered five-gallon tank and other in a boring little vase, but it's only temporary. I'm not playing favorites, guys, honest! :\
So the little turquoise boy has been named Ricky and will be the resident kitchen fish. The purple boy is Prince and for tonight his vase is also in the kitchen but eventually he'll be moving up to my bedroom.
I had the name Ricky picked out when I went betta-shopping, partly after Ricky Ricardo. I was so pleased, having a name all picked out from the get-go, but then I ended up with TWO fish and found myself one name short! >_< After some thought I decided on Prince because for awhile I'd been thinking of him as "that other fish with no name yet," almost like the Artist formerly known as a silent symbol. I'm not a fan of his music, but he's sometimes called The Purple One, so it seemed perfect. And bettas can certainly look regal when they want to!
Ricky and Prince are both enjoying their plants and all the extra swimming space. I swear, they were so happy to be out of their Death Cups they were beside themselves with excitement, swooping around and stretching out their fins as far as they could! :D
Out of morbid curiosity I tested the water in their cups, and I was pleasantly surprised to find nitrites were a solid zero and ammonia was barely a trace, not even quite up to the first color bar on the chart. :) Told you we have a decent PetCo! Death Cups are never ideal, but if the water is changed daily it's acceptable for the short term, I guess.
Anyway, my digital camera's batteries are kaput or I'd have photos. Hopefully tomorrow.
So we are now a two-betta household. Here's hoping these lovely gentlemen live long, healthy lives in my care! *crosses fingers*