My little Devil

Nate is being a pill for sure. He has been in the hospital tank for over a month and a half getting over a "bad fin" problem. He was doing SO great and is such an active and happy little guy. His fins were nearly all grown back and this morning when I get up he had eaten about 1/4" wide section of his tail out all the way up to his body. So now he looks like a small child who got ahold of a pair of scissors and gave himself a haircut and cut his own bangs. If little betta butts could have been softly paddled, I may have been tempted. (now do NOT get after me for brutality, you all know that I would not hurt my betta) So we are starting over. Almost all of the fins are grown back but here we are with this glaring hole where once we had a nice little part of a tail.
I would feel worse I guess if this was because of disease, but he did it himself as he still had some of it in his mouth when I found him. I know that he is adequately fed and getting enough exercise and plenty of attention, but he is being a very naughty betta and I knew that if anyone could understand my frustration, it would be you all so I am letting you know my "fish tail tale."

Rose

 

Aslan does that too.. oh, these bettas!

 

I hate when they cause harm to themselves like that. RJ hasn't bitten himself yet, but he has torn his tail on the plants I had in there some how. I no longer have the plants in the tank. He's still recovering from it, but they are growing back. Good luck with Nate. Hopefully he won't do this again. Unfortunatley though once they start they keep doing it. It's like a dog chasing it's tail. Once Mr. Red started doing it it was very hard to break him of it even when he was moved into the 5 gallon and out of the 1 gallon. It became a habit for him even though it was his of telling me he was no longer happy in the 1 gallon tank. Nate be a good boy for your mommy. Natalie

 

Actually there is one good part of the whole thing. Since he was in the hospital tank already and everything was just set up for healing, he has started to do just that. The area is already showing about 1/4" of regrowth and he is still happy and active and eating like a little pig. I have been letting him have all the freeze-dried Daphnia he wants as he needs the protein and he is one betta who will not overeat. When I give him Bloodworms he almost drives me crazy with his playing with food. It takes him forever to get on with the business of eating and after he has eaten 2 or 3 he just quits.

I just keep wondering if maybe Damon could have reincarnated in him.

Rose

 

what a character!

 

It seems I always have ONE out of the crew that just cannot behave. I know that I spoil them unmercifully but I think that they deserve a little spoiling. But now that I have 7 of them and are all becoming so overbearing...

Marty Jr. wants a moped, A.J. has asked for his own room, yadayadayada

Rose

 

yea, and when they gang up on you.. well, now the 4 computer bettas have a new LCD tv to watch.

really, they are so fun to spoil.. aslan loves his "bubble field" now that I twisted up his bubble wand & put it under the marbles with a slower flow. he got that and the bubble river because we saw he liked playing in the airstone bubbles.. so spoil them away Rose! we know they deserve it and a betta parent can't help it.

It seems I always have ONE out of the crew that just cannot behave. I know that I spoil them unmercifully but I think that they deserve a little spoiling. But now that I have 7 of them and are all becoming so overbearing...

Marty Jr. wants a moped, A.J. has asked for his own room, yadayadayada

Rose

 

Yeah it's fun to spoil them until you have to say no to them and they pitch a little fit in front of you going all wild on you. RJ has done that to me a few times. :;kmg

 

lol.. yea, he's a pouter.. like Angel. She is our biggest pouter and has no 2nd thoughts about showing us that she's not a happy water diva.

Yeah it's fun to spoil them until you have to say no to them and they pitch a little fit in front of you going all wild on you. RJ has done that to me a few times. :;kmg

 

How are his fins looking Rose? Natalie

 

He is looking worse than ever, but I do not want to put him in the bigger tank to make him happier. He will be going into a divided tank for the first time and I am afraid that this will only stress him more so he is just going to have to cool himself down a bit and quit the naughty behavior. I have a few really horrible pictures of him but the shape of his fins is very evident. They are about 1/2" longer than they show up to be though because please remember that he has cellophane tips on the end of his fins. All the new growth is staying cellophane for a long time before it starts to go back to red so he has a lot of regrowth that does not show on the pictures, but the chewed out part is really evident.

He is so happy and active and eating so well and all that I just find it hard to think of him as a little invalid. He performs the famous "betta dance" for me not only at meal time but every time he sees me and that is very often during the day as I have really tried to spend a lot of quality time with him so he will not be upset. He plays in the bubbles and swims all over the tank and turns flips and seems so happy he is a joy to watch. If only he were a little better looking .....

Rose

P.S. the water is not dirty...he has Atison's Betta Spa in it and it has been helping tremendously.

 

it's good that he's happy and that he's regrowing fins, if he'll just be a good boy now.

 

He is looking worse than ever, but I do not want to put him in the bigger tank to make him happier. He will be going into a divided tank for the first time and I am afraid that this will only stress him more so he is just going to have to cool himself down a bit and quit the naughty behavior.
He is so happy and active and eating so well and all that I just find it hard to think of him as a little invalid. He performs the famous "betta dance" for me not only at meal time but every time he sees me and that is very often during the day as I have really tried to spend a lot of quality time with him so he will not be upset. He plays in the bubbles and swims all over the tank and turns flips and seems so happy he is a joy to watch. If only he were a little better looking .....

Rose

My dear Friend - what a naughty boy! Nate, be good for your mama, do not be an ingrate!!

Mama, perhaps he needs a pet, like maybe a kitten! Or a new television, tuned to the fish channel; well why not try a new book, one with colourful pictures; an ipod??? Classical music?? A chandelier??

the funny thing is, Rose, as I write all of this ridiculous stuff, part of me is going.."Nah, her fish probably already have all that"...

Nate, I mean it, be good for your mom!!

Hugs, Val

 

Well, actually, he does have the portable DVD player that I used for Damon with the 7" screen since I felt that maybe his attention did need to be redirected and the room he is in is my dining room that DOES have a chandelier. I really do spoil them unmercifully and they get so terribly used to it that the minute I would stop, I am afraid they would be so horribly naughty...I just cannot do it.

Now all I have to do is find a story book and find the time to sit down and read it to him.

I am glad that some of you are telling him to be a good boy. I have passed the messages along and perhaps he will listen to you all better than he has to me.

Rose

 

Well, actually, he does have the portable DVD player that I used for Damon with the 7" screen since I felt that maybe his attention did need to be redirected and the room he is in is my dining room that DOES have a chandelier. I really do spoil them unmercifully and they get so terribly used to it that the minute I would stop, I am afraid they would be so horribly naughty...I just cannot do it.

Now all I have to do is find a story book and find the time to sit down and read it to him.

I am glad that some of you are telling him to be a good boy. I have passed the messages along and perhaps he will listen to you all better than he has to me.

Rose

May I recommend "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish"

Well my boys Neptune; Wink Jack Sparrow:;pirate & Tiny King:;qu have been heard calling from the kitchen " Go Nate, Go Nate, Go Nate!!"

We love them because they are naughty, right???

Val

 

True, I am afraid that if they behaved themselves all the time, we would not find them nearly so endearing. DRAT it!

He has spent his evening watching Halloweentown and Halloweentown II to get him in the Halloween frame of mind. He gets his pumpkin by his tank this week and will have to get to know Mr. Jack-O-Lantern :;pumpkin so I thought it was only fair he know about Halloween ahead of time. By the time the movies were over he had gone off to bed so maybe all I have to do is wear him out. The bedroom fish got to see the movies tonight too so that means tomorrow night or during the day I have to let the others have a chance to see them. Marty is mainly an Animal Planet junkie though.

Rose
:;pumpkin :;ghost

 

most definitely!!! that betta attitude is part of the package and they'd just not be the same fish without it! ;D

I am afraid that if they behaved themselves all the time, we would not find them nearly so endearing. DRAT it!

 

Oh you guys are all just too funny. I can't stop laughing. I am very sorry that Nate is not behaving for you. To think the one you named after me is giving you such trouble. Tell him his Auntie Natalie said he better shape up or he's going to be shipped out. Maybe that'll get his attention. Maybe he needs a little threat. Now Nate you be a good boy and stop causing so much trouble for your mom. Natalie :

 

I think Nate can't help it.. it came with the name.. ;D

 

Thanks Dave love you too. lol

 

Well, Natalie, he has always had a little betta temperment and I really think this has kept him going but there is really something about red bettas and that is no lie. Damon was the other one who was the one who had little demands and now it is Nate. They have both had funny little things that they just had to have to be nice little bettas and when they got them they would settle down some.

Nate is a very funny little guy but he want to watch his movies and play in the bubbles and have the tank the way he wants it and he gets temper tantrums if he does not get his way. Damon was the same way. The others are a little more laid back and easy going but then they are not red.

I did however tell him that the lady who gave him his name told him that he was going to the Army if he did not behave and they were not nice to little bettas there so he better behave or he would be someone's sandwich. He watched me most intently while I spoke to him and went right back to bubble diving so we will see.....

Rose

 

I really would agree with you there Rose. Mickey is not only a red, but a combtail so he's just got this fire in him that sets him apart from the others. and we love him for it. ;D he's definitely the most tempermental of our bettas.

Well, Natalie, he has always had a little betta temperment and I really think this has kept him going but there is really something about red bettas and that is no lie. Damon was the other one who was the one who had little demands and now it is Nate. They have both had funny little things that they just had to have to be nice little bettas and when they got them they would settle down some.

Nate is a very funny little guy but he want to watch his movies and play in the bubbles and have the tank the way he wants it and he gets temper tantrums if he does not get his way. Damon was the same way. The others are a little more laid back and easy going but then they are not red.

I did however tell him that the lady who gave him his name told him that he was going to the Army if he did not behave and they were not nice to little bettas there so he better behave or he would be someone's sandwich. He watched me most intently while I spoke to him and went right back to bubble diving so we will see.....

Rose

 

Yes and Emma was my RED Cambodian Crowntail Female and she murdered EVERY fish that went into her tank so I know all about red crowntails and the Cambodian strain is even worse. Then add to that a female....OMG. She was pretty but oh so vicious.

 

yea, she was an amazing beauty!

Yes and Emma was my RED Cambodian Crowntail Female and she murdered EVERY fish that went into her tank so I know all about red crowntails and the Cambodian strain is even worse. Then add to that a female....OMG. She was pretty but oh so vicious.

 

Yes, Rose I do agree with you that red bettas are very tempramental and they definitely aren't afraid to show it. Mr. Red was like that a lot until he got sick and died, god rest his sole.He was very fiery and I do miss him a lot. He kept me very entertained with his wild tantics. I would like to get another red one as soon as we can sell our condo, if we ever sell our condo. Natalie