# The story of Mizuchi (A slowly growing collection of tales)



## Minxies (Jul 5, 2011)

10/8/15

After losing my betta Aoi-Hiiro (That would be the handsome devil in my avatar) 

I went ahead and settled with my African Dwarf frogs, then goldfish (Absolutely fell in love with blackmoors. So dopey and sweet) 

After they eventually swam over the rainbow bridge, I decided I needed a break. Life was busy; and I had actually just left my second job recently because it was becoming too much and I was getting burned out. 

Stopping by the pet shop to find my cats some new toys to keep them occupied while I was at work (I work 14 hour shifts, and go to school on my days off) 
I saw PetSmart had a display of Bettas in the front. 

Looking them over; they actually looked pretty good! 
Clean water, no poops, bettas were active. I've always been ok with how this location in my area treated their bettas they sold, considering some places just let them deteriorate and die...I don't particularly like the cups; but I understand a store can't provide large tanks for the bettas like so. 


Walking by, I headed back to the fish area to see the guppies, Angels, Goldfish, etc... 
And like a fool I looked to the other bettas they had. Mainly, the Crowntails. 
Looking them over curiously (Always did love the colors and markings they get) I found one that was different... 


His fins were clamped tightly in stress. 
He looked pretty healthy, no signs of fin rot, or illness. Clear eyes and bright colored scales. He just seemed stressed out. Curiously examining him; he looked at me, then wriggled to the other side of the cup. 
The others were active and languidly swimming around; this one however seemed shy. 

_Annnnnd I caved. _


I went ahead and bought him. I had the tank materials at home, decorations, pumps, heaters, everything. Waiting and not being used. 
Bringing him home I got him situated in a quarantine bowl to make sure he wasn't sick; and if so- I could treat him while his tank cycled and got ready. 

Watching him that night, I finally watched his fins flare open as he swam and sped around in the bowl, seeming to test the new space that was quadruple the size of his original cup. 

I fell asleep to a stream and glitter of brilliant navy,sapphire, and cyan...


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## Minxies (Jul 5, 2011)

10/9/15

Looking over his 10 gallon tank, and performing a partial water change for my new betta quarantine bowl; I went ahead and decided some new decor was in order. 
Last things I have are some decorations I used for my goldfish, of which I didn't deem good for this new tank. 
Sharp edges, or too small of holes for a fish his size. Back to PetSmart I went! 
Looking around at some soft fake plants; I noticed they had one lone African Dwarfie. A little fat headed female. (The males I've found are relatively smaller and have more pointed/narrow heads) 
I decided to grab her, along with 3 ghost shrimp to help clean up. I had learned with my last Pleco that they get way too big for my liking; so ghost shrimp would be my bottom feeders for this tank. 


Heading home and getting them situated; I went ahead and fed the frog and shrimp a little bit of blood worms. Just to make sure they had something in their stomachs since I wasn't sure when the last time PetSmart fed them was. 

In turn, I decided to try my new betta. He had eaten pellet food the day prior, no problem. 
But how about a blood worm or two?

Slowly lowering my tweezers into the water; he seemed unsure. MY shy boy moved to the other side of the bowl and stared hard, not sure what to make of the new thing in his tank. 

Patience if a virtue. 
I kept stock still and waited; letting him slowly inch closer as curiosity got the better of him. Investigating the tweezers he gave a testing nip at the worm on the end since it wriggled. Not sure of the texture he spat it out, then sucked it back in on a second thought.

_Yummy...!_


Fins suddenly flared in a flash of color; Mizuchi swam a lap around his bowl and came back to where my tweezers had been. Lowering the tweezers back into the water with a couple more worms; they barely touched water before he snapped both worms up at once and did another lap around the bowl. 
This must have been the first time he had bloodworms. 

For the next ten minutes he swam and flitted across his bowl, flaring at the tweezers, then at me, then at my lamp, then going back to where my tweezers waited; and gobbled a few more worms. 



Ladies and gentleman, I think we have a new addiction, and pellets are obsolete.


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## Minxies (Jul 5, 2011)

10/10/15

Stuck at work...Thinking about my new fish, and my Dwarf frog and 3 shrimp. 
The four of them are in their own quarantine bowls for now, the tank I do not feel is ready yet, I'm taking my time and watching all of my older equipment. If anything is wrong I plan on buying new stuff just in case. 


Thinking over my betta, frog, and shrimp; I decided on names today. 

My betta is dappled with brilliant blues, cyans, navys, and sapphire hues.

Mizuchi. 蛟 - A name for a type of Japanese water dragon. It seemed fitting to me. 

The frog, I might keep with Kappa. 河童 Based off of the Japanese reptillian monster (yokai) that has a dip in their head of which, contains water; if it drains off their head or spills, they'll dehydrate or in some cases die. My dwarfie being a completely marine frog; I figured it suited. 


As for my shrimp... I'm thinking on Ashisutanto アシスタント Which basically means assistant; from what I researched. 
Kind of a mouthful, but they technically are assistants. 



I think the 5 are appropriate for a 10 gallon tank. 2 gallons of water per creature. 
I hope the tank is ready for them this evening when I get home. 
I wonder what Mizuchi is up to...


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