# The Adventures of Gilbert and Seamus



## uhmkatiemarie (Jul 9, 2014)

Hello everybody . I don't want to seem annoying or anything, so I'm moving my posts about both of my Betta Babes to a journal. I think it would be easier to keep track of them both in one place rather than 2 or 3 old posts. I think I'll try to post periodically, at least once or twice a week and if you want, go ahead and give your thoughts! I love to hear what everyone else has to say. I love opening up the page and seeing that someone has responded and I love responding to what you've got to say as well! So, here goes!

Gilbert: For those who don't know, Gilbert is my very first betta. He's a blue and red veiltail male and he's very handsome and classy, and somewhat rude. He's an attention seeker, though what betta isn't, am I right? But Gilbert is my best friend! He's been in my care for 2 years now. My mom bought him for me for a graduation/college send off present and I'm so thankful to have him. We've been through so much together, from nearly freezing to death to falling into kitty litter, to being dropped from a couple feet high and thudding onto the desk. Gilbert has been cured of fin rot and no longer has clamped fins. I've learned the hard way with him, how to take care of bettas properly. I've seen his tail at it's worst and nursed it back to prime shape! He currently resides in a 3.5 gallon tank with a heater, filter, and a moss ball for a friend. I had to give him a friend that he wouldn't catch moving. He murdered his snail friends a couple of years ago and I've been too upset to try again. He's very territorial. I would love to give him a 5+ gallon living space and maybe then we'll try to get new friends! Gilbert has my heart . His grumpy face is my favorite grumpy face. Oh Gilbert the Grump, you silly fishy, you!

Seamus: I recently bought Seamus from Aquabid. He arrived safely to within a week from being shipped from Thailand. If anyone needs help with Aquabid, I would be happy to attempt to answer any questions to the best of my ability. I know it can be stressful, but he made it!
Since Seamus is so new, I'm not even sure his name fits him, but I really like it. I almost wish I'd gone with Sebastian though, because I've already messed up and called him that. I'm not sure. He's what the breeders call "grizzle," and I'm not even sure what that means. His body isn't solid white, but it doesn't seem marble either? He is a blue, white, and orange halfmoon mail and the second I saw him, I knew I needed to have him. I made a previous post about why I couldn't have the betta-love-of-my-life, but I pulled some strings and made it work. No one seems to mind the fact that I have 7 gallons of water and over 200$ worth of betta related items cramped onto an antique desk, especially since Seamus is so neat looking and Gilbert and I are a packaged deal. 
Seamus was missing a pretty good chunk of his tail because he chomped it off on his way here. It's been 5 days since I've had him and it's already grown a quarter of the way back, so you go Seamus Coco! He's pretty skittish still, but he can be coaxed to the front with some food. He's a big pig, but his mouth is too small for the pellets. I cant wait for his tail to grow all the way back! His other fins look like they might be splitting though and that worries me. 

So these are my two kids! I used to have 2 crowntail males, one blue (ButterCream) and one red (Ralph). They both passed away last summer from unknown reasons and internal difficulties, respectively. I buried them and cried. I bought another one after they passed and he was a blue, purple and pink veiltail named Oliver and I gave him to my sister thinking I couldn't handle 2 bettas again and then weeks later get Seamus. It's okay. You don't have to judge. I'm already doing it for you. BUT I'm about to give my sister a spare tank with a filter and we're going to get a heater and he'll have some cool stuff to play with, so he'll be a happier fish when I leave! Whoot!

Thanks for reading this . Sorry it's so long and boring lol. I just figured I'd make a journal for them so that way I didn't have to keep blowing up chat because I'm writing a diary entry. Plus, typing is easier on my hands than writing, so... Ha.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

Keeping a journal is very satisfying. Glad to have you with us fellow addicts. =) Don't worry if people aren't talking...people are reading. ;-)


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## uhmkatiemarie (Jul 9, 2014)

Gilbert
Seamus
Buttercream
Ralph
Oliver


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## uhmkatiemarie (Jul 9, 2014)

A couple of hours ago I came into my room looking for something and when I glanced at Gilbert's tank, I couldn't find him anywhere. So I looked a little harder and saw his jelly fish thingy floating. He was stuck underneath it! He had somehow managed to get all the way underneath the floaty part and trapped himself. What a great laugh Gilbert. I would have gotten pictures, but he managed to free himself before I could get my phone. What a comical little dude . Thanks for the much needed laugh at the end of a very long day, baby Gilb <3


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## uhmkatiemarie (Jul 9, 2014)

Every morning between 8:30 and 10, I get up and turn the babies' lamp on and feed them. As soon as I sit up in the bed, Gilbert is at the front of the tank screaming at me to give him food and Seamus is just a swimmy baby that occasionally comes to the front and gives me a cute innocent little face. I'm not sure if it's because he's so young and little or if it's because of his white baby face, but he looks so cute all the time. Like, just judging by their faces, Gilbert is totally the mean one and Seamus doesn't even look grumpy.
Gilbert is totally the happiest I've ever seen him.
I put a mirror up to Seamus to see how he would respond and so far he hasn't done anything. Maybe he's not ready to act aggressive yet or maybe he just knows his own reflection from being made to flare for selling pictures lol.
His tail always looks a little better each day, but there are other pieces that sort of look split and tattered. It cant be easy to swim with all that funky finnage. I just wish he'd be a still little baby so I could check it out. 
Sometimes when he's swimming, he'll stop and be positioned diagonallly and just sit there. Like in mid....water (lol) and not move a single muscle except to breathe.Then all of his little fins seem to float and spread out and as soon as I think I'm going to get a good look at them, he swims away again! Stinker . I wish that I could sit in here all day and watch and learn his habits to know what he's doing but I cant. I don't even have a camera to watch. And on top of that, he's a VERY good hider.
I have a Gilbert the Grump and Seamus the Stinker. I love them nonetheless.


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## uhmkatiemarie (Jul 9, 2014)

Today I took a surprise visit to Petsmart and looked around at their tanks. I just realized I could have gotten a 10 gallon tank and a filter and heater and divider for the price of ONE of the 3.5 gallon tanks I bought for Gilbert and Seamus. Grr. ANYWAY. I really would like to get a 10 gallon tank and divide it for the two boys, I just don't have the space. And I can BARELY take my boys with me to college this year. Our campus implimented a NO PETS policy since kids starting bringing snakes and lizards and such in tanks and claiming they were "like fish." So the fish were kicked out too . The only way I'll get away with it is to keep the RA out of my room and to cover the tanks with a towel or something because they cant search unless they have a reason to or something like that. 
Also, I would really like to try sand with my bettas. I really like the look of sand and I heard it is easier to clean. I would have originally gotten sand, but I thought it was harder to clean and didn't read any posts. I love the look and I love that all the waste just sits on the top waiting to be sucked out, unlike gravel where it can sink into the crevices :/. I just don't know what kind of sand and where I would get it. Our petsmart had some sand, but I didn't know if there is a specific kind that bettas are most compatible, or if there is any that I should avoid, or if there are different kinds of sand other than colors. I'm thinking a black or white to make the colors of the plants and bettas pop.
I also am considering making a sorority in an aquarium on a stand, in a couple of years. I've already got names picked out. In honor of my bearded Aunt Glenda, my first female will be Glenda, the Bearded Lady. Then Gwendolyn, Gertrude, Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, Sophia, Melbarene, Doylene and Paulette in that order. IF i could ever get 10 girls together without murdering each other lol. 

Seamus's tail is almost halfway back, btw! And Gilbert is making bubble nests like crazy!
Anyway, about the sand, if anyone that is reading has any input, I would be glad to hear from you!


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## uhmkatiemarie (Jul 9, 2014)

Oliver has severe fin rot. My sister said she cleaned the water when it "looks" dirty. I practically begged her to understand the necessity if water changes. She said, "he is just a fish..." I am devastated... he was so beautiful when I handed him over... please send good thoughts toward my old baby and for my sister to decide whether she wants him or not. He is currently in a one gallon tank, which is all we have, but bigger thank what he had... 
Gilbert and Seamus are in the boyfriend's hands this week. He ddoesnt have to worry about water changes, but I will be sending reminders to feed my babies!! 
Again, snice thoughts for Ollie. 
Thank you so much... &#55357;&#56469;


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## uhmkatiemarie (Jul 9, 2014)

Poor Ollie's bitty fins .


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## uhmkatiemarie (Jul 9, 2014)

Okay, for those of you who care, lol, I've been out of town for a week and my betta babies have been in the care of my boyfriend. Before I left, I gave them an 80% water change and told the boyfriend to feed them! He did well! My babies are alive and their tails actually look fuller than they did before I left! I'm so proud of all of them, boyfriend included! 
I've had Seamus for 17 days and his back tail is almost halfway regrown. He doesn't stay still long enough to let me check out the color though. All of Gilbert's fins look longer and fuller and that makes me happier. He really is getting to where he was always meant to be! I'm glad that he's finally making it there, but I do wish I'd known how to really take care of him when I first got him.


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