First, this site is awesome in that there are so many cool, smart and helpful people to come in the rescue, and for this, I thank you all!
I wanted a "pet" to be with me in the cubicle world where it always seems so daft, robotic and most often, lack lots of "human" relationship. So I set out to get my first betta in a one-gallon bowl. His name was Pluto. He was truly the Pluto in my universe then as he had awesome personalities and kept me smiles while I was working.
I lost him about 3-4 months after that - I overfed him. I cried and it was painful, truly painful. I knew then I need to learn more about keeping betta properly.
I upgraded the tank to a 3-gallon tank and got another betta and named him Satao. He was the "Elephant" betta and named after the infamous Satao elephant got killed by poachers for his ivory. Satao was everything that was dear to me. We all loved him as much as you would love a dog greets you whenever you look at him. Satao Knew me and I love him so much so.
I lost Satao another 3-4 months after that. Much later, I learned another big mistake that I did. I cleaned his tank WAY too well and improperly. I tried everything I could, but he died a slow death, just like Pluto. My heart aches for days and I hated myself. I missed Satao dearly. While Satao was still alive, I bought a 10-gallon tank and read more about cycle the tank properly.
I started to cycle the 10-gallon tank back in October, 2014 and Satao passed away 3 months after that. Words cannot express my anger, frustration and pain I felt. I could NOT cycle the **** tank! I tried 3 different products that claim to help, but they all did not work for me. I read, read, read, read and did more reading online, but something was terrible wrong during the cycle process.
I drove 1 hour to a local fish store, begging, and literally begged the two guys to give me the "stuff". They handed me a small bag of "****".
I went to 3 other fish stores and got turned down with my request for a piece of floss, sponge, etc. from the aquarium. This one gal works at a Major pet store even gave me a dirty look when I asked if she could ask her manager about my request. She was Very Reluctantly gave me one teaspoon of the aquarium gravel.
I finally got so upset, I drove another half an hour to another local fish store the same day. I got lucky. The guy didn't know why I needed the dirty sponge, but he Was Glad to give away a HUGE chunk of it. It was 25" long and 5" wide piece of sponge. I wanted to kiss him, but decided that wasn't a good idea.
I immediately raced back home, squeezed the sponge into my filter and within 48 hours later, magic FINALLY happened.
However, Satao had already passed away while he was in the 3-gallon tank, always looking at the 10-gallon, wondering how nice it would be if he could come over to this 10-gallon tank. I bought the tank for him and wanted him to be happy and healthy. Yet, I failed him miserably.
While going into the local fish store, I couldn't help but checked out all the displayed betta fishes. They look so unhappy in those tiny cups...I couldn't help myself so decided to get a new betta since Satao is long gone.
After over half an hour of deciding the "right" betta - I decided with one. His name is Tsuki.
Tsuki is a STRANGE betta.
Tsuki did not eat ANYTHING I gave him.
He took one good look at the food I gently submerged and swam away.
I tried 4 different foods, and he wanted NOTHING to do with any of it.
Knowing I will have to deal with another "dying" betta, I was depressed. Yet, every day, I tried to feed Tsuki 3 times - he did not take a bite.
Then, about last week, I fed him the tiny bit of pea, and he nibbled on it for a bit, and spitted it out, but then got back to the falling bits, and nibbled a tiny bit off. YAY!!! It was his FIRST food for more than 40 Consecutive days! I am not lying....Tsuki did not eat for more than 40 days!
Then slowly, I re-introduced the dried worm and just Yesterday, he started to eat it!
He's now in the cycled 10-gallon tank and he's much happier.
The 10-gallon tank started out in late October of last year, and it completes the fish-less cycle on May, 18th, 2015. My tank must be the only tank that took seven months to complete the cycle. Please don't ask me why...I know I have so much to learn and I guess, I am a slow learner, WAY too slow...
I've lost Pluto, Satao and Almost lost Tsuki within 1 year of starting this new hobby. The journey was painful, sad, but it was worth it.
Thanks for reading!
I wanted a "pet" to be with me in the cubicle world where it always seems so daft, robotic and most often, lack lots of "human" relationship. So I set out to get my first betta in a one-gallon bowl. His name was Pluto. He was truly the Pluto in my universe then as he had awesome personalities and kept me smiles while I was working.
I lost him about 3-4 months after that - I overfed him. I cried and it was painful, truly painful. I knew then I need to learn more about keeping betta properly.
I upgraded the tank to a 3-gallon tank and got another betta and named him Satao. He was the "Elephant" betta and named after the infamous Satao elephant got killed by poachers for his ivory. Satao was everything that was dear to me. We all loved him as much as you would love a dog greets you whenever you look at him. Satao Knew me and I love him so much so.
I lost Satao another 3-4 months after that. Much later, I learned another big mistake that I did. I cleaned his tank WAY too well and improperly. I tried everything I could, but he died a slow death, just like Pluto. My heart aches for days and I hated myself. I missed Satao dearly. While Satao was still alive, I bought a 10-gallon tank and read more about cycle the tank properly.
I started to cycle the 10-gallon tank back in October, 2014 and Satao passed away 3 months after that. Words cannot express my anger, frustration and pain I felt. I could NOT cycle the **** tank! I tried 3 different products that claim to help, but they all did not work for me. I read, read, read, read and did more reading online, but something was terrible wrong during the cycle process.
I drove 1 hour to a local fish store, begging, and literally begged the two guys to give me the "stuff". They handed me a small bag of "****".
I went to 3 other fish stores and got turned down with my request for a piece of floss, sponge, etc. from the aquarium. This one gal works at a Major pet store even gave me a dirty look when I asked if she could ask her manager about my request. She was Very Reluctantly gave me one teaspoon of the aquarium gravel.
I finally got so upset, I drove another half an hour to another local fish store the same day. I got lucky. The guy didn't know why I needed the dirty sponge, but he Was Glad to give away a HUGE chunk of it. It was 25" long and 5" wide piece of sponge. I wanted to kiss him, but decided that wasn't a good idea.
I immediately raced back home, squeezed the sponge into my filter and within 48 hours later, magic FINALLY happened.
However, Satao had already passed away while he was in the 3-gallon tank, always looking at the 10-gallon, wondering how nice it would be if he could come over to this 10-gallon tank. I bought the tank for him and wanted him to be happy and healthy. Yet, I failed him miserably.
While going into the local fish store, I couldn't help but checked out all the displayed betta fishes. They look so unhappy in those tiny cups...I couldn't help myself so decided to get a new betta since Satao is long gone.
After over half an hour of deciding the "right" betta - I decided with one. His name is Tsuki.
Tsuki is a STRANGE betta.
Tsuki did not eat ANYTHING I gave him.
He took one good look at the food I gently submerged and swam away.
I tried 4 different foods, and he wanted NOTHING to do with any of it.
Knowing I will have to deal with another "dying" betta, I was depressed. Yet, every day, I tried to feed Tsuki 3 times - he did not take a bite.
Then, about last week, I fed him the tiny bit of pea, and he nibbled on it for a bit, and spitted it out, but then got back to the falling bits, and nibbled a tiny bit off. YAY!!! It was his FIRST food for more than 40 Consecutive days! I am not lying....Tsuki did not eat for more than 40 days!
Then slowly, I re-introduced the dried worm and just Yesterday, he started to eat it!
He's now in the cycled 10-gallon tank and he's much happier.
The 10-gallon tank started out in late October of last year, and it completes the fish-less cycle on May, 18th, 2015. My tank must be the only tank that took seven months to complete the cycle. Please don't ask me why...I know I have so much to learn and I guess, I am a slow learner, WAY too slow...
I've lost Pluto, Satao and Almost lost Tsuki within 1 year of starting this new hobby. The journey was painful, sad, but it was worth it.
Thanks for reading!
