R.I.P. Pansy
My little pink-and-purple female betta and resident Kitchen Fishie, Pansy, passed away this afternoon. She had been sick for several weeks, bloated and barely eating. I knew yesterday it was close from the way she was acting. She swam up to greet me this morning when I got up, but I knew she wasn't long for the world. By four o'clock this afternoon she had sat down under a little curly plant and passed on.
I had to clean both goldfish tanks this afternoon anyway, so while I had everything out I stripped down Pansy's tank, scrubbed all the plants very well in hot water, tossed out the gravel, rinsed the whole tank and filter, etc. I only had a bit of blue gravel to put in it but I'll get some more, probably black, when I'm out shopping next. I threw away a couple of the oldest/scraggliest plants, too. So minus half the gravel and a plant or two, the tank is set back up and running now. I rearranged the little cave and bridge and Roman columns so it looks differently than before. That cave migrates every time there's a new fish moving in. ;) It looks nice now.
I feel bad about losing Pansy, of course, and tears were shed, but I've known it was coming for quite awhile now, when she didn't respond to the medicine I tried, and I also don't get as attached to my bettas as I do to my goldfish. I love them all, but the goldies are extra-special.
I had Pansy for about a year and two months, which sadly isn't that far from average for bettas. The fish I got the same day, my computer desk betta, Jazzy, is doing fine.
Pansy was a very sweet little fish, supervising the cooking and dishwashing as Kitchen Fishies are supposed to. ;) She had very cute little black eyes and a splotch of purple color on her side that looked a bit like her namesake flower. She would flare at people who approached her tank in the evening sometimes. For awhile she got in the habit of sleeping underneath her Roman columns when they had fallen over, propped up at a 45-degree angle by a shiny rock. It was so cute I didn't have the heart to put the columns back up like they were supposed to be. ;) She also loved to hang out underneath the tiny bridge in her tank, often holding herself in place by curling her purple tail around the edge.
She wasn't always the healthiest betta, but she had a good life with me and I'm very glad to have shared the time I did with her.
Swim in peace, Pansy, with all the bettas who have preceeded you: Morrie, Henry, Ricky, Frosty and Prince.
I had to clean both goldfish tanks this afternoon anyway, so while I had everything out I stripped down Pansy's tank, scrubbed all the plants very well in hot water, tossed out the gravel, rinsed the whole tank and filter, etc. I only had a bit of blue gravel to put in it but I'll get some more, probably black, when I'm out shopping next. I threw away a couple of the oldest/scraggliest plants, too. So minus half the gravel and a plant or two, the tank is set back up and running now. I rearranged the little cave and bridge and Roman columns so it looks differently than before. That cave migrates every time there's a new fish moving in. ;) It looks nice now.
I feel bad about losing Pansy, of course, and tears were shed, but I've known it was coming for quite awhile now, when she didn't respond to the medicine I tried, and I also don't get as attached to my bettas as I do to my goldfish. I love them all, but the goldies are extra-special.
I had Pansy for about a year and two months, which sadly isn't that far from average for bettas. The fish I got the same day, my computer desk betta, Jazzy, is doing fine.
Pansy was a very sweet little fish, supervising the cooking and dishwashing as Kitchen Fishies are supposed to. ;) She had very cute little black eyes and a splotch of purple color on her side that looked a bit like her namesake flower. She would flare at people who approached her tank in the evening sometimes. For awhile she got in the habit of sleeping underneath her Roman columns when they had fallen over, propped up at a 45-degree angle by a shiny rock. It was so cute I didn't have the heart to put the columns back up like they were supposed to be. ;) She also loved to hang out underneath the tiny bridge in her tank, often holding herself in place by curling her purple tail around the edge.
She wasn't always the healthiest betta, but she had a good life with me and I'm very glad to have shared the time I did with her.
Swim in peace, Pansy, with all the bettas who have preceeded you: Morrie, Henry, Ricky, Frosty and Prince.