Sunday, October 28, 2012

one fish, two fish

We have one cat, and one dog... and fish. Beta fish, to be exact. Since betas don't get along with each other, they have - at this point - separate tanks. We had some divided tanks, but being so close to another beta stressed some of them out, which shortened their lifespan.

We started off with fish for Raine for Christmas a couple years ago. She took good care of them, even if she did need the occasional reminder to feed them. Those fish both lasted more than a year, one almost 6 months longer than the other. She has drawn a picture of one of the originals, and has it on her wall.

smile for the camera...

Ron is trying to find the right combination of filter, heater, light & dark to keep them happy and healthy, but they do have a limited life span. This summer, we lost one of my favorites. H was a beauty, and we called him Fabio, because he really flaunted his fins. If I moved my finger near the glass of the tank to point at his food, he would follow my finger and find his food. Most of them ignore my pointing.

A couple months ago, I got one that was a mix of jade and turquoise. He was really pretty with his jewel tones, and Raine decided his name was Gem. He was really cool looking, and his lips were a lighter blue than the surrounding skin, and stood out. I really wanted a picture of him, but sadly, didn't get around to it before he went floaty. Bye, Gem. Before Gem, we had one with white fins, and when he swam around, it reminded me of Einstein, and his crazy hair, sticking out everywhere.

So yes, I think fish are rather a fleeting pet, but there is something to enjoy about them. I know the flash can stress them, and scare them, but I think I'd like to photograph them each at least once, especially if I can get them without the flash. They certainly are beautiful.

I call this guy Dragon, because his golden scales really stand out.




1 comment:

Fran said...

Ryan asked for a fish tank and we all agreed it would be a birthday/Christmas present, and I'm so glad we did it. He finds his tank to be soothing, and he's generally happier to have it in his room.

I think fish are an excellent pet!