Better Late Than Never

[Nicci Lu]

Hey all! I've been posting for a month now, and just finally got around to noticing this section. Must be all that hard work, scrolling all the way down to to the end of the page. I thought it would be proper to introduce myself to y'all.

I never understood why people kept fish. I've always been a cat person myself. You can't pet a fish, cuddle up to them, and they can't sleep with you at night. Fish just seemed so boring. And then my son asked Santa for a fish for Christmas, and Adorable Fish (that's what happens when you let a three-year-old name a pet), a blue VT, joined our crazy family.

I am absolutely in love with our little guy. I think my husband's secretly afraid I'm going to leave him for Adorable Fish. He walked in on me at the tank. AF had started doing his little dance and I was dancing back with him. "You don't do that with me," he said sulkily. "Well," I replied, "you don't wag your tail." I don't know if other fish have as much personality as bettas, but clearly I was wrong about fish being boring.

I think it's because I had fight so hard to keep AF from dying. When we first got him, I knew squat about fish and AF got really sick. Fin rot (which I'm pretty sure he had coming home from Petco), SBD, popeye. There were nights when I was sure I would wake up to a dead fish- it was so sad seeing him just floating there on his side. I read this forum like a maniac, and I finally got him healthy again. AF has my utter respect- the little guy fought really hard not to let go. So, it was a bonding experience. He's really my fish now, but...shhh...don't tell my son.

So, yeah, here I am, another betta maniac like y'all. His tank is slowly coming together. I have to add to it piece by piece. Eventually, I'd like to convert to an NPT, but that is for tax refund time.

[Romad]

Hello and welcome to the forum

I enjoyed reading your intro post LOL. I too had no idea how much personality was packed into a betta :) I've got 6 boys and that's only because I'm out of tank space.

And Adorable fish is - well - Adorable :)

[aqua001]

Welcome to the forum! Adorable fish is so pretty! Great to meet another fish maniac!

[Nicci Lu]

Thanks guys. I know Adorable Fish is one of the common blue VTs, but I think he's rather handsome myself.

Wow, 6 males. It's very tempting to want another...but I'd feel like I was cheating on AF. And I'd have to tell them all that they were my favorite. I do have fantasies about breaking into my Petco and stealing all their bettas. Not buying, because that would just encourage them in their horrible treatment of these lovely fish. But I'd like to break in at night and steal them all, set up a betta guerilla group. Is that normal?

My daughter wants a fish now. *sigh* Should've foreseen that one. But seriously, I don't think we can get another male betta. AF is like the Highlander...there can be only one! So it looks like once we've got a mature tank, with sand instead of gravel, we'll be getting 4 smaller cories, like pandas. Bettas are like the gateway drug...

[Oldfishlady]

Welcome to the forum and to the wonderful world of Betta keeping....

Nice to meet you...

[Nicci Lu]

Thank you, Oldfishlady. I don't know what Adorable Fish and I would have done without your posts on caring for sick bettas. Hopefully soon, I will get to follow your advice on creating an NPT... :)

[dramaqueen]

Hello and welcome to the forum.