First Blog : Introduction until Present

Blue

Yes, a very original name for a blue fish, but when i first got him he was white.

The day I got Blue, 16 March 2012, I went with a friend, Janine, to a pet shop to ask more about how to keep a betta fish. I bought some cheep beta fish food and dechlorinator to dechlorinate the tank water before i put him in.
After an hour train ride journet home, I dechlorinated the water and added Blue (who was white at the time) to the tank. He moved around and explored the tank a little before settled at the bottom to stay.

After a few days the Amazon Sword Plant looked like it was beginning to die. I broke off two of the brown leaves and hoped it would survive. I was afraid that the dying plant can affect Blue, but when i noticed that despite the browing colouring of some of the leaves, there was a new leaf beginning to grow, so i decided the plant would pull through. Which it did, even though there are still a few brown spots on the plants today, it seems to be managing. And Blue likes to hide in the curl of one of the leaves close to the surface of the water so I'm leaving the plant to fight for survival.

From being white, Blue turned blue after a day in his new home. I didn't see him eat for 5 days when i first got him.Janine gave me tip: said I must only drop the foor in the water when he comes to the surface. I tried it and it worked. Now, all i need to do is twinkle my fingers above the water and he comes to the surface looking for food! I feed him once a day and he isn't a greedy eater.

In the beginning Blue was so shy. Everytime anyone came near the tank to see him, he'd dart behind a leaf to hide. During the day my bedroom is completely dark when loched, so I put Blue's tank outside in the light near the pool table where there are always people comming and going. Now, I would say Blue is some what sociable and confident. If you approach his tank he'll come and say hi. Luckily my house-mates find him fascinating so Blue is a happy little fish.

Even though my plant still isn't looking 100% healthy (and i broke off 2 healthy leaves by mistake while doing a water change yesterday) I think, and am hoping, it will survive. Blue doesn't like the water changes because the first time I changed the water he went pale in colour. I would conclude that stress causes the beta fish to disscolour. But in any case, I still change the water once a week on a Friday. Once I've changed it I add 2 drops of dechlorinator which tints the water blueish for a day.

All in all my fish is happy, the ecosystem is under control as I am watchin the plant very carefully, and I am please with the positive progress of my betta Blue.

I find it quite difficult to take fotos of a moving fish in water!.. but this is Blue :)

While taking these fotos, Blue found the camera lense really interesting so he kept circuling the lense.