Thanks - I just popped in to check on him again, and right then, he tried to jump on top of the pump/filter again! He was so mad when he wasn't out of the water this time, that he started trying to swim through the sides of the tank... I'm guessing he's just very feisty! We are a little nervous tonight because he is so new, my son lost a couple of Bettas last week and now this little guy had a temperature drop today as our local temps (outside not inside!) have dropped about 20 degrees below normal - inside only dropped slightly, but it was enough for him to get a bit sluggish for a little while.
That happens with fish. Where I'm from there can easily be a 20 degree change in a day, almost daily, and I've pretty much given up on trying to keep an exact temperature all the time. What size tank did you say that you have again? I can't see it when I scroll down since I'm in the reply to post box. -.-
Because of the temperature change, I ended up moving his tank to the kitchen - our under-cabinet light gets pretty hot, so it keeps the counter quite warm when left on. But I did put a towel over top as well, so that he can have some darkness - it seems he has finally chilled out, though. He's lying in a mini 'cavern' he created for himself in the hollow under a statue and by moving some of the gravel out from under...
I know this is a bit crazy, but I'm sleeping in the living room tonight so I can set the alarm on my computer to wake up periodically through the night just to keep an eye on the temp since he doesn't have a heater at the moment. Generally, they're not usually needed because the ambient/air temp is usually in the mid 70s in February!
I did end up going and buying a heater today - I popped in just for a new thermometer, but they had gotten some new stock in and I was able to buy one that is a little more affordable. The $50 one was gone, and the only other one (besides the $36 one I bought) was one that was a $100!!!! Funny thing is, now I've got it, its not even come out of the box, because the ambient air temperature is keeping the tank at 78-80...
Thanks again for helping me through this crazy 2 days. I swear the fish was making me neurotic! LOL! I love animals, and I'll do what I can to care for them, but to me they are animals. What had been so hard over the last few weeks was the impact the loss of so many fish had had on my 10yro. It is heart-breaking to watch your child sit vigil by a pets side as they take their last breaths.
Awww. That poor kid. I remember when I was younger, my hamster died and she was gasping for breaths in my mom's hands. I was bawling like a crazy person. I love my fish, but yes, they are animals. Fish can be amazing pets, though! You can teach them all sorts of tricks! All of my fish respond to their individual names, and ignore the other ones' names. They know that when I dip my finger in the water repeatedly, its feeding time. One of my fish has been taught to "kiss" my finger for food. There are tons of youtube videos about teaching your fish tricks. You can even teach them to swim through hoops, etc. They can be conditioned for a large number of things. So, don't under estimate a fish. They're not as "stupid" as most people lead them to be. They're much more than just a pretty object to look at. (:
Berry, which is the female he had for 2 years, was very clever, but she would only do her tricks for my son!
Red, our new little guy, doesn't like me - or, rather, he flares every time he sees me! I'm sure once Tommy & Red get to know each other, they'll be doing tricks too!
Check out the eBook Betta Fish Care Made Easy
