Of late the happy looking group of Bettas does not look too happy. They don’t seem to swim in a group and looked very separated. Last night I was observing them and took some pictures.
Some were at this corner and that corner and even resting on the pebbles. Sleeping? I hope they are fine.
The latest bunch of Bettas are doing great, living happily and harmoniously. I call all eight of them the Snickerdoodles, thanks to M1 for this name suggestion. Or should I say they were doing great. Three days ago, hubby told me one of them has been bullied. How did he know?
It was blinded in one eye! Oh dear. Another one-eyed Jack in the making. Why is it they always go for the eyes? The most vulnerable point to attack?
So Snicker #1 is blind in one eye but physically still okay. Thankfully the rest are still intact but we don’t know how long it will be like this. We will have to monitor because when one is injured, the territorial trait becomes more prominent and soon, the inhabitants may pose a danger to each other.
Last night M2 discovered in horror that the two remaining Bettas, HobNob’s and Bobinsky are both blind! OMG. How did this happened? Are they that vicious that they have to take each other’s eyes out literally?
It was a while back when we noticed HobNob’s was blinded in one eye. But not anymore. Now it’s blinded in two eyes. And not only that, Bobinsky is also blinded in both eyes.
No wonder they have been rather inactive of late. Last week, we lost Phish to dropsy and now this. This is really terrible. After Svetlana’s demise, the little aquarium is becoming a little house of horror.
Guess what? A few days ago, we discovered one of the Bettas is pregnant! And all this while we thought all of them were male fishes. Obviously it is not HobNob’s, the one with one eye blinded. It’s Phish.
Its tummy is just so bloated and looking ready to explode. If you look closely at the tummy, there seems to be a white dot, I assume an egg, as if it is trying to come out.
But the poor thing looks like it is suffering, floating at awkward angles. Hubby said due to its tail being gnawed at by the other two (they are fighting fishes after all) causing her to lose her balance, her survival is critical. We will have to monitor closely.
Sadly, things did not turn out okay. Phish left us this morning, joining Svetlana and the many others in pet heaven. Bye Phish… you will be missed. Sniffle…
Every now and then, I look at the little aquarium and find that HobNob’s is still alive. Feeling thankful, I am glad our little friend is hanging in there.
Maybe moving away from the death corner has helped and definitely with the support of the other two, there’s reason for him to go on living.
We have many pets at home. There’s official pet number one, Rooney the English bulldog and there’s Miao-Miao the Arowana in its big aquarium. Not forgetting the tortoises and turtles. Then there’s the little aquarium with three Bettas (possibly soon to be two left) and we also have a pond full of fishes.
The pond residents are all called Bob so nobody is left unnamed. And we have one strange Bob in there, a climbing perch. It would jump out of the pond to land on the deck whenever hubby goes near the pond the feed the brood. Strange Bob behaves like a dog as if it’s coming out for snacks then jumps back in the water. Fish dog, I’d say! And the funny thing is, the real dog eats fish snacks!
The situation does not look good for HobNob’s. Our one-eye blind Betta has been looking lethargic and nearing death. It’s even resting in the same corner where Svetlana used to rest just before she went to pet heaven. M2 morbidly calls it the death corner.
Several times, the other two companions would come over and just lay beside HobNob’s or simply hover over it, giving support. I’m not sure how long this will go on. It saddens me that the Bettas are not doing well. Sniffle…
Notice the eye? Blinded
Last night, we discovered one of the Bettas has lost its eye! Blinded on the left side. Horrors. I think it’s HobNob’s but I need to confirm with M2 on the identity. Poor fella.
This could have occurred earlier but we were away and did not know. It wasn’t obvious because when I look at the aquarium, it would turn on its good side to look back at me.
Hubby doesn’t think it will last. Gulp…
I must say Svetlana’s latest batch of companions have gotten along very well with her. They all look very happy. Up until today, the inhabitants of the little aquarium are living harmoniously and no untoward incidents. Thank goodness.
All of them came up close to the front of the aquarium this morning when I was trying to take a snapshot of them. They were swimming around and jostling for attention, as if trying to pose for me! It was heart-warming.
Look at them, so happy and carefree.
I guess hubby couldn’t stand it that Svetlana’s all alone in the little aquarium so he bought three new friends of the same species to join her. Maybe it’s better to be the same kind than another type of fish.
So now there’s four Betta fishes and both M2 and I decided to name the newbies, Bobinsky, Hobnob’s and Phish.
Let’s hope Svetlana will be happy and her new friends will last.
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