# MissLibby: Every Fish Deserves a Second Chance



## MissLibby (Jul 8, 2015)

Hello all!

I've been on the website for almost a year now and have finally decided to start a journal! Yay! 

A little bit about me and my fish:

I have kept betta fish for about 3 years now (on-and-off), and have had a sorority and five boys. I absolutely love fish and find it completely unfair that fish, especially bettas, are labeled as boring and invaluable, something that can be thrown out in the trash if their owner becomes tired with them. They endure so much abuse, by ignorant yet often well-meaning owners. If a cat or dog endured the abuse a betta often goes through, it would be considered a *felony* in many places. But yet, many fish are languishing in pet stores and homes due to lack of education. *Fish are conscious, thinking lives like any other animal*. The cruel and unusual treatment of these animals has driven me to rescue two dying fish from pet stores, which are alive and well today. 
Currently I have 3 fish tanks, a 3 gallon with my pink-purple veiltail male Buddy, a 2.5 gallon with my red/blue/white/green/orange halfmoon male Alex, and a 1 gallon with my red/white/blue fish Nick (Nick is a special needs fish that has difficulties with breathing, eating, and swimming, so it is most comfortable for him to be in a smaller tank. I promise he is well taken care of!). All fish have their difficulties, but are amazing animals with so much personality that are so worth their challenges.

This is my journal.


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## DangerousAngel (Mar 26, 2015)

Great intro! I cannot wait to read your updates!!


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## MissLibby (Jul 8, 2015)

Thanks so much, Dangerous!


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## MissLibby (Jul 8, 2015)

I woke up this morning to the faint sounds of birdsong- and Buddy begging for food. Crazy little fish.


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## MissLibby (Jul 8, 2015)

*Buddy's Story*

Oh Buddy, my amazing rescue fish.

I had had enough. Enough of standing by and watching while innocent fish sustained abuse in cruel pet store environments. So I set my mind to it; I would rescue a fish. Help an individual fish ease his pain, to never suffer in the name of business again.

So I began researching. Nights of researching how to care for a sickly fish followed: I was determined. I brought out the Aquafarm Dragon had inhabited long before, and acquired a hospital tank, ordered supplies, created an account on this site, and waited (not so) patiently for the tanks to heat up and start running. Before I knew it, I was ready. Ready to bring home a fish. My fish.

I had picked out a location; I arrived at my local Petsmart, which is particularly notorious for treating their fish poorly. The next hour consisted of me picking up cups and placing them in my shopping cart. Yet, I was heartbroken. I knew I couldn't save them all, but I wanted to. I really wanted to. I wanted to heal them all.

I remember that I was frustrated. Frustrated with the pet store and myself for not being able to help them all. I nearly reached my breaking point when an employee passed by and asked me if I was purchasing the insane amount of fish in my cart "for a wedding or something."

Finally, I found Buddy under a cart, along with two other emaciated fish lying on the bottoms of their cups. My heart went out to all of them, but in that moment, I knew; I saw Buddy and chose him.

But, in the end, there really wasn't any competition. Buddy was on the verge of death. I briefly considered an orange HM EE male with bad fin rot over him, though (and felt a bit guilty about leaving him there!).

I strode up to the counter, fish in hand, paid, and then left. The ride home was spent looking carefully at my increasingly active, curious fish.

By the time I arrived home, he had perked up considerably. Within the first few hours in his hospital tank, he was a completely different fish. He had eaten and was exploring his surroundings with a certain type of confidence I had never seen in a betta. He delighted me by eating immediately, and you would have never guessed he was as unhappy and lethargic as he was within a few days home. His name was actually almost Benny, but he was decidedly a Buddy, a friend.

Within two or three days, he was doing so well that I decided to transfer him to his permanent tank, which he explored and conquered with vigor. He blew his first bubblenest and perfected the art of begging within the first month.

He is the most active, confident, active betta I have ever met. Yes, he is a pet store "mutt" with several deformities, but he is Buddy; the most beautiful, charming, infectiously happy fish I have ever had. He greets me every morning and evening, and brightens every day. I thank him for this. He sets next to me as I write, begging me for food and attention. 

August 4, 2015. The day I brought him home. It has been almost a year now, and he has been nothing but a gift, and I have never regretted owning him once. Not once. He has driven me to rescue Nick, my other rescue fish. He is amazing. He is beautiful. He is Buddy.

Note: People have different definitions of rescuing a fish. While some believe that buying a fish is not truly rescuing the animal, I firmly believe that what was done in Buddy's situation was the best possible decision to have been made at that time for him.

Buddy the first day he was home:









Buddy now:


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## MissLibby (Jul 8, 2015)

*Alex's Story*

Alex's Story

Buddy's enthusiasm and vibrant personality made me choose Alex not even a month later. Alex is the shy guy; quiet, skittish, reserved, but he is truly his own character.

Little did I know that Buddy infected me with the betta bug. I knew I needed more fish; once the bug has bit you, there's no turning back (betta fish collecting should be defined as an addiction - anyone who has betta fish knows you can't have just one!). This time, however I just wanted a fish, no rescue work involved.

So up the quarantine tank went again! Another (Another?!! How did that happen?!) tank was purchased and set up. Alex was ready to come home.

So off to Petco I went! They had a great selection of fish that day (the store has since gone downhill), and I found two giants, two females, another HM male and Alex. I wanted to leave with all of them (and almost bought ANOTHER tank in the process)! After a long struggle, I finally chose Alex (but then almost didn't - the other HM was so pretty!). Alex was very skittish and frenzied in the car, so I was eager to get him home.

Alex was much more high-strung then Buddy - he spent about two weeks in the hospital tank, and was taken out of his permanent tank just a few days after he was put in due to fin rot induced by fin biting. But after repeated aquarium salt treatments and baths, he finally was placed back into his permanent tank, healthy once again. 

He since has become a voracious bubblenest builder and a flaring machine since I brought him home on August 25, 2015, despite his often retiring nature. He is sweet, adorable, and beautiful and has taught me so much about betta fish, and continues to do so today.


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## MissLibby (Jul 8, 2015)

I went to Petsmart and got two siphons, two decorations, and two fish nets. I saw a betta at Petco that had SBD that I would have been able to treat and I was sad I left it there, but I don't really have the room right now. Oh, well. 

Buddy is doing great since I moved his tank into another room. He gets a lot more interaction now which he absolutely loves.

Alex got a complete tank makeover recently. Because of his ongoing issues with fin rot I wasn't comfortable giving him gravel or very much decor, but it has thankfully cleared up. He loves the new set-up and is much more active and relaxed (he finally has stopped clamping his fins!).

Nick also got his tank re-decorated and while he still has problems with his deformities, he is doing a lot better now and he seems a lot more comfortable.

Just a quick update for everyone.


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## MissLibby (Jul 8, 2015)

Wow, 100 views already! Thanks everyone!


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## MissLibby (Jul 8, 2015)

I woke up today and walked into the room that I'm keeping some of the fish in currently, and Alex and Nick were sleeping on their betta leaf hammocks! They've gotten so lazy as to beg to be fed ON the hammock so they don't have to get up and move around. It's absolutely adorable. If you guys don't have these for your fish already, take my advice and buy one because the bettas LOVE them. They will love them so much that they will become borderline couch potatoes. :lol:


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## MissLibby (Jul 8, 2015)

Well, after a long day, it's always nice to come home to three fish that seem to adore you (probably just because you give them food). :lol:


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## MissLibby (Jul 8, 2015)

The fish are doing well, and Alex is finally relaxed in his new tank set up. Nothing really to report.


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## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

Great work Miss Libby! Beautiful fish. I find the ones in most need have the biggest hearts and make the greatest companions. I love reading of others with heart for second chances  What does Nick look like?


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