Felicia's Betta Journal

[fgradowski]

I decided to start chronicling the stories of my bettas. (=
Algernon

Acquired: October 26, 2012
Type: Veil tail
Color: Purple!
Temperment: Pretty calm! But likes to flare at my finger.
Tank:


Vardaman

Acquired: November 28, 2012
Type: delta/double tail/elephant ear (He's a mutt)
Color: A greenish-blue and dark red
Temperment: A little spastic and aggressive.
Tank:


As of today I found out that Algernon does not like certain songs. A Nevershoutnever song just came on and he started spazzing out and flaring at the computer which he has never done. He's so chill. It was very strange. But now the song switched and he did it again. Maybe he doesn't like the color green? There's a green pitcher next to his tank that was previously blocked by a book...I'm not sure was his malfunction was there.

But onto some background about my fishies.

Algernon started out in a 1/2 gallon tank. Then I fell completely in love with the little guy and decided to better his life. He's now in a 3 gallon critter keeper and he's much happier now! He also loves the real plants that I got him. He's always tucked away in them or laying on them, but he still uses his hammock from time to time.
His name is from the book, Flowers for Algernon. My animal names all have themes to them. For fish it is book characters. Much like in the book I was looking for a friend and found one in Mr. Algernon.

Vardaman went straight into a 3 gallon tank. His tank doesn't have any real plants. I may upgrade that later, but for now his shelf isn't very well lit. When I first brought him home he laid down on his side for a while and it spooked me! I decided to name him from the book As I Lay Dying because I thought he was dying! Vardaman was the smallest child in the book. His mother was dead, but he was too young to understand death. He instead said "My mother is a fish." This was my favorite line in the book! Anyways, it was about this time that I noticed his one fin was a little messed up. I got this guy in his tank and he turned into a skiddish little fish! He hid from me and the camera. He's doing better now though. He's no longer scared of me. He does like hiding in his plants instead of in his cup. I have not seen him go into the cup once! He's my new little guy and I am excited to track his progress, especially with that torn fin! He kind of leans to the side with the bigger fin when he is sitting at the bottom of the tank.

[twolovers101]

I love Algernon's tank :) The purple flowers match him nicely ^^

[fgradowski]

Originally Posted by twolovers101

I love Algernon's tank :) The purple flowers match him nicely ^^

Right? Sometimes I can't see him when he's hiding in them.

[fgradowski]

This morning I gave my little guys each 2 bloodworms. Algernon gulped them up like normal, but Vardaman still hasn't eaten his. It took Algernon a while to eat his first bloodworm. Vardaman appears to be no different. But he is kind of a strange eater. When I fed him pellets last night he stared at them for quite some time before eating them. At first I didn't think he was going to eat them at all! He's quite the strange fish.
It's so funny to see how opposite my boys are. If I walk over to their tanks Algernon will swim right over to the side of the tank as if to say "What's up mom? Whatcha doing?" He's an extremely curious little guy. Right now he is once again staring at his new heater. Vardaman, on the other hand, is totally different. I usually have to search his tank for him. He always seems to be hiding. Algernon is also a big camera ham. Vardaman could care less about pictures and almost never stays still! It's just so amusing to see that they all have their own little personalities. It's what has made me love betta fish! They're just like little people.

[fgradowski]

Now Algernon has turned into the strange fish! I thought his curiosity towards his heater would have been gone by now. He has been hanging around by it ALL day. Majority of the time he is sleeping too. I walked right up and touched his back. Normally he would have noticed me walking up and swam away from my finger. I don't think he's getting sick. He seems normal in looks. I just think that he is sickly obsessed with his heater! He has come away from the heater a few times today and swam around like normal, but he didn't come over each time I came by the desk which is definitely not normal. =/ He's freaking his momma out!


I caught Vardaman sleeping in the front of his tank today. I was actually able to get some decent photos of him because of this! He still spends a majority of his time hidden away behind his plants. Still hasn't went inside the mug I placed in his tank too.

[fgradowski]

Oh yes! I also think that Vardaman's torn fin is beginning to heal up! The edges of the fin are a a darker blue than the rest of the fin. I was told that it might grow in a different color like that.
And both boys have some bubbles at the top of their tank, but they're kinda spaced out. Algernon had a nice start to a bubble nest the other day, but I ruined it to add his new plants to the tank.

[fgradowski]

This morning Vardaman ate his first bloodworm!
On a side note, his flowy fins crack me up! Algernon's fins are not as flowy as Vardaman's. I'm just not used to it and it is adorable!
I've decided that I am going to do 50% water changes on Vardaman's tank every other day until his fin has healed up. I'll do 50% water changes on Algernon's tank twice a week.
I'm recently becoming paranoid of Algernon getting velvet. He has a rust color on his face and his gills are a deep red looking color. I think he's always been like that, but I'm feeling super paranoid. So far other than his obsession with the heater, he has been acting normal. I guess I'll just have to watch to see if he begins acting strange and scratching himself.

[fgradowski]

Caught Var using his hammock for the first time ever. (=

[fgradowski]

Vardaman has a tear in his other fin now. =/ At least it isn't almost completely missing like his other one.

Can you tell that this is Algernon's favorite spot? He says "I want to raise my baby here by this heater!"

[fgradowski]

Well, I woke up this morning and Vardaman's fin looked like it was bleeding where he had tore it the other day. I had to make a run to Petco to get some aquarium salt and stress coat. I also got him a real plant. I had to take out his favorite plant because I am positive it is what he cut his fin on. I couldn't just take out his favorite plant and not replace it with something. It's a Japanese water fern and I am almost positive that it is not going to survive. I am going to try to see if I can make the other plant less dangerous.
I figured he tore it, it probably got infected, and now he could have fin rot. Better to be safe than sorry. The little guy acts fine and his color is beautiful. I'm just worried about his fins. Poor guy. I can't wait for him to get better!

On a side note, Algernon is less obsessed with his heater now! He's been laying on his anubias plant lately too! It's adorable. Little guy loves his plants to death.