# First Betta Journal



## Alu (Jun 25, 2013)

My little guy was supposed to arrive in the mail on Saturday, but something held him up and he didn't get here until Monday (today). I was a nervous wreck, it was a hot 90 degree weekend, he was shipped from overseas only the week prior, the only fish I ever got in the mail, and well... it was scary. It was a four day trip all together, but I suppose I may have over reacted looking back at how scared I was. :lol:

As I was opening the box he swam right up to me (probably thinking "OMG LIGHT YES") and all was good.

Here he is, about an hour or so after his introduction to his new home,










His coloring and the way he swam about in a video is what made me pick him. It is my favorite color combo. :-D

I do intend to fully spoil this little dude. He has a cycled 5 gallon home and I'm trying to deck it all out. :lol:










Those two plants on the right I am going to remove soon since they are too rough. I have some java fern in quarantine that I want to replace them with. I also have some flame moss I want to grow over his make-shift cave in the back, plus some drift wood to add. 

He has a nano marimo moss ball in there also (named it Tribble) and I wanted to add my bigger one too, but I discovered that it has worms. They are white, tubular, about a half-inch long and I don't know if I want to do that...?

I stuffed his TARDIS with a black sponge because... it's not bigger on the inside. :lol:

So, when I finally let him loose in there he was initially really shy and hid behind his filter. Slowly he decided to explore something, then quickly would dash back to his hiding spot.

Now he is all over the place! Poking around in every nook and cranny, checkin' out the cave, flares, and going up to swim in the filter's current (which is set really low). Just carrying on like how bettas do! He swims right up to me if I put my face up close to the glass and sometimes I see his eyes dash up to the surface- probably wanting food!!

He is an absolute piggie as far as I can tell. I know he is hungry anyway, that was a long ride. I don't want him to gorge all at once though so have been slowly feeding him a pellet here and there (he even got a frozen blood worm!). He gobbled up everything as soon as he noticed it.

The thing is..
What on earth should I name him!?! I have no idea!! I was thinking something scifi or science related maybe, sorta fits the theme that's starting, but nothing is calling out to me. I'll update the journal title once I know.

One more picture :-D,


----------



## Alu (Jun 25, 2013)

*Day 2*

Hmmm, seems that I can't edit my posts, or at least not yet.

Anywho, his name is Curie! I was stuck between Curie and Becquerel, but Curie is easier to say and is more fitting to his personality. He seems to approve!

I got another picture of him this morning that shows his fins a bit better,










I have not developed an eye for it yet, but it looks like he has some fin damage on his dorsal. I also can't tell if that is fin rot at the bottom or not. 

Either way, I removed one of those bad plants and put his java fern in there to replace it. It is anchored on a piece of drift wood and I'm hoping that'll slowly lower the pH some. The water here has a pH of 8.0-8.1.

Curie is pretty outgoing now and still gobbles up whatever he can! I think those worms in that other marimo are ok, but I don't want him to pig out.


----------



## RowdyBetta (Feb 1, 2013)

Oh my geese what a handsome fellow! He reminds me so much of my Count Manzeppi.
Lol, love the TARDIS! XD 

Not to burst your bubble or anything, but I'd watch that plastic plant. You can run a pantyhose over it and if it snags it could rip your boy's fins.


----------



## Alu (Jun 25, 2013)

Aww thank you!! Is that your boy in your avatar? He is gorgeous- my goodness!!

Thanks! It's okay, my bubble totally isn't burst lol, I already took the plant in the back out and the other one is leaving VERY soon.


----------



## Skyr (May 5, 2013)

Gorgeous boy you have there!

I have to warn you, that Tardis is probably cutting up his fins if he goes inside, the doors on the inside are sharp. I have the same one, and saddly figured that out the same way. Couldn't figure out what was cutting his fins until I finally pulled it out of the tank and ran my fingers on the inside.

Edit:

And I obviously didn't read your first post thoroughly... I'll have to think of doing the same with sponge.. so I can put it back in my tank. Sorry. Hehe.


----------



## RowdyBetta (Feb 1, 2013)

Alu said:


> Aww thank you!! Is that your boy in your avatar? He is gorgeous- my goodness!!
> 
> Thanks! It's okay, my bubble totally isn't burst lol, I already took the plant in the back out and the other one is leaving VERY soon.


Yepper that's my baby. Unfortunately I lost him when I treated him with melafix, not knowing it contained tea tree oil. (It coats their labrynth organ and literally suffocates them. )

Oh good, I'm glad I didn't. XD I had some plastic plants in my first setup and being a first time owner I was all frantic when my VT got a rip. XD I'm a natural worry wort of a mother to my fish and furbabies and fid. X3

Did you get him from aquabid?


----------



## Alu (Jun 25, 2013)

RowdyBetta said:


> Yepper that's my baby. Unfortunately I lost him when I treated him with melafix, not knowing it contained tea tree oil. (It coats their labrynth organ and literally suffocates them. )
> 
> Oh good, I'm glad I didn't. XD I had some plastic plants in my first setup and being a first time owner I was all frantic when my VT got a rip. XD I'm a natural worry wort of a mother to my fish and furbabies and fid. X3
> 
> Did you get him from aquabid?


Oh no, I'm sorry that happened!  I didn't know that could happen with tea tree oil. There is so much to look out for with fish keeping!

Awww, I am a total worry wort too. It's so easy to be with friends who can't communicate where/why they are uncomfortable. I'm trying to find a good balance between being attentive/caring but not poking at him TOO much lol.

Oh and I got him from the MN Betta Shop! Totally was stalking aquabid but too whimpy to figure out how to work with trans-shippers get. XD


----------



## RowdyBetta (Feb 1, 2013)

Definitely! I'm now trying to use the minimal amount of additives in the tank. Now, I only use Prime or Stress Coat and, occasionally, a dose of liquid ferts for the plants. 

Lol, same! My current boy gets stressed so easy though, it's hard for me. XD 

*runs off to look at MN Betta Shop*


----------



## Alu (Jun 25, 2013)

Me too! I'm trying not to put too much stuff in there. Right now I'm just using ferts (here and there) and water conditioner.

Poor little guy! I saw your albums and his color change is AMAZING! Curie doesn't seem to get all that stressed when I shift stuff around in there, but I'm still super slow and gentle. He swims up to my hand to check stuff out. 

I had to call MN Betta Shop to place my order because they never responded to my e-mail, but they were super friendly to deal with.


----------



## Alu (Jun 25, 2013)

*Day 10*

All is still well with my new little dude!

Here is an updated picture of his home,










I think I'm going to remove his "cave" and replace it with something else. He is so outgoing that he NEVER once used it. He is a fearless little fishy, still out and about and swimming up against my hand when I'm trying to do stuff in there.

He already is a bit trained when it comes to feeding time. He knows that when I lift the lid a certain way food is coming and he'll swim to the spot I normally put it. Lucky me, he has an appetite and has gobbled up everything I tried.

I woke up this morning to see him forming "sort of" a bubble nest! He was spitting bubbles up in random places, so I hope he ends up picking a spot and finishing it. :-D


----------



## RowdyBetta (Feb 1, 2013)

I keep meaning to ask you, where did you get his TARDIS?


----------



## Alu (Jun 25, 2013)

RowdyBetta said:


> I keep meaning to ask you, where did you get his TARDIS?


From That Pet Place, but they are sold out online now (they have other Doctor Who ornaments though). There were some on Ebay last I looked but of course were marked way up.


----------



## Alu (Jun 25, 2013)

Got a picture of him with it! Man, he is hard to take a picture of, ESPECIALLY when I want him in a certain spot lol.


----------



## BettaLover1313 (Apr 15, 2013)

Curie is adorable! Love his little TARDIS!


----------



## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Cute pic!


----------



## Alu (Jun 25, 2013)

Aww thanks! 










Sorry about the pic spam lol, just got a new camera.


----------

