Such a steal!

[Hahenry22]

This was too funny not to share.

So this weekend my husband and I went to Petco to buy another fish tank. (I love the $1/gal sale! $10 for a 10 gal is hard to beat) While we were there I, of course, was checking out all the bettas. Hubby randomly says, "I wonder if they ever have any elephant ear bettas.". (Such a proud moment. He's embraced my obsessive fish keeping habit and decided to join in!) I told him I had never seen one there and went on about my way. A few minutes later he comes up to me with a little cup in his hand containing an elephant ear betta!! He was so proud of himself for finding this little guy, that he snapped him up and said, "We're getting him." So we leave the store super pleased with ourselves.

A few hours later, I was getting ready to put the new fish in his new home. I opened the cup and like a rocket he shot out of the cup and onto the counter! I dropped the cup lid, reached for him and he did another massive flip up onto my shirt and still I can't get my hands on him. He then fell to the hard tile floor and still kept flopping. At this point I'm screaming for help from Hubby, trying to keep the cat away and basically just freaking out. Thankfully, Hubby swooped in and snatched him up and dropped him back into the water. The next hour was rough. He kept breathing hard and was barely using one of his big puffy fins. I'm almost in tears and just watching his tank. After a little while he straightened out and now he's using both fins. He's super active, eats and loves to puff up at the fish in the tank next to him. He's currently living in a 1.5 gal while I mend the lid to the bigger tank. I'm scared he will jump out again!

Here's some pics while he was still in his cup. They are horrible but he's fast as lightning and impossible to get a pic of.

The real kicker to the story is that today my mom called Petco to see when they would be getting in more elephant ears. They told her that they are ORDER ONLY!! We stole someone's special fish and then almost killed it! In our defense, there wasn't a reserved sign on it. I still feel bad for whoever has to wait for a replacement fish.

[lelei]

He is a cutie:) If you haven't named him yet, then you know what to call him..Lightning!! Love those Ears..Congrats on the find:)

[Hahenry22]

That's actually one of the names I was considering! Thanks!

[Karebear13]

so cute!

[tpocicat]

Wow!!! How scary, glad it all turned out OK.

[Hahenry22]

Scary is right! I've never had one leap out of the cup like that! He must've been planning his escape from his tiny home for a while! lol

[Leopardfire]

Scary but at least he's okay. I love elephant ear bettas and he's super cute

[registereduser]

It's funny how many think the big ears slow them down......NOT

[Luimeril]

little escape artist ya got there. xD he's really pretty, though. that color seems to be really common in the big ears.

[speeddemonbk]

Lol it happens, my sisters betta hit the floor once by jumping during a water change and instead of scooping him up she started jumping up and down screaming that Mr. Fishy was flopping around on the floor. By the time I ran to the kitchen and got him he was done flopping...we thought he was dead but I put him in the water anyway and poof he was alive again. He lived for about 5-6 years after that lol.