(no subject)

[platypus]

This is my new betta. He came in a little tiny plastic cup. Now that he's got a little more room, he swims around and around and around.

Comments

[miabella.livejournal.com]

i heard that the reason bettas are kept in tiny jars is because they don't have much space in their natural habitat -- puddles in rice paddies in south east asia. i asked someone at a tropical fish store and he said that keeping them in tiny cups is perfectly fine. ???

[platypus]

I know that bettas are supposed to be very territorial about a small patch of water, but the EXTREMELY small containers that some of them are put in seem excessively small (they can't even move forward their own length, so they just lie there). Both of my recent bettas have seemed happy with their larger bowls, becoming more active, etc. I probably should give him something like a plant to hide behind if wide-open spaces disturb him.

I looked a betta page up once that said they don't need as much space as some fish, but a normal-sized bowl (1/2 gallon or so, maybe a bit more) is desirable. They also said that those little plant/betta things (like "the peaceful pair") are horrid, as bettas need food (duh) and access to a water/air surface (they apparently need access to air because of some weirdness with their breathing system; they can't get all the necessary oxygen from water).

Anyway, I have an unusually active betta at the moment and I *think* he's happy. I hope so.

Re:

[miabella.livejournal.com]

sounds good. i want to get a betta and maybe keep him in my office. i think a small fish bowl is reasonable. i wouldn't want to keep him in a little cup.

[dahliablue.livejournal.com]

wow, he's a beautiful color!
i've been thinking about getting a betta. my nephew had one, but after a week of not eating and being listless, he died. they haven't gotten another one, but i have a feeling they might.
i used to have a full 40 gal freshwater aquarium, but i'm in the middle of refurnishing my room, so i need to keep the tank empty to move it around!
but i miss having fish! i would like to look into getting a betta. i think the bowl you got for him is nice. i, too, hate those tiny little cups at pet stores..the fish truly look unhappy, and how could they not?

btw, how are the kitties doing?
and what do they think of the new, finned family member? :)

[platypus]

Toeffe is still harassing Moly almost constantly. I like him and all, but I'm reaching the point where I don't even *want* to keep him. Of course, thinking this and doing it are different things, and it would be very hard for me to call the kitty foster people and tell them that he's not working out. We squirt him with the water bottle when he stalks her, but it doesn't do any good. He doesn't mean any harm, but he sees Moly and it's like, "Ooh! My favorite toy!" Moly is perfectly tolerant of him when he's not chasing her around (she even tries to groom him) but she freaks out when he starts chewing on her.

Toeffe, of course, adores the fish. I brought the fish home in the little plastic cup and put him on a kitchen counter out of sight, planning to put him i the bowl the next day. I heard a suspicious thump that evening, and Toeffe was up on the counter and the fish container was on its side. It had a lid, so *all* the water wasn't gone, but I quickly got the fish in his new bowl. I don't *think* Toeffe can get at it (it's on a narrow shelf so there isn't room for a giant cat) but I've seen him giving the fish the eye. Moly couldn't care less.

[beccau.livejournal.com]

Wow - he's gorgeous! I had two bettas this past fall - and both of them liked to 'hide" under the lip in their bowl too! Unfortunately they both moved on to better waters, and I am deciding whether or not to get another one - but seeing yours makes me want one again :)

[trista.livejournal.com]

He's gorgeous. Have you named him yet?

[platypus]

In honor of the palindromic year 2002, I will call him Otto.