Bubbles to Kodiak

My Mom grew up in Brazil with all these amazing pets: parrots, monkeys, dogs, cats, chickens, an ocelot, even a sloth!, but for some reason she didn't appreciate them.

My Dad grew up in Mississippi and Arkansas on farms and in small towns. He had dogs, cats, a raccoon, a rabbit (this is up for debate), and even a fawn!

So, what was your first pet, Hannah? A goldfish named Bubbles. You know what? I found out a couple weeks ago that they didn't even buy Bubbles...he was a giveaway from another military family that moved away. Somehow my Dad talked my Mom into keeping it.

I remember Bubbles. I was about 3 years old and I liked watching that fish. I got to help feed him. Once, I decided to do it on my own and fed him a special breakfast- so he'd grow up to be big and strong like my Daddy. I poured a whole box of Wheaties cereal into that bowl... Somehow, my Dad saved Bubbles (who could barely wiggle in all those flakes)!

When I was 7, my Dad told me that I could get a fish if I followed a careful regime of chores, homework, and going to bed on time. I did it and we headed to the pet store. I chose a beautiful calico fish (I now know it was a Koi- one of those giant pond fish). This Koi was small, and we placed it in the fish bowl that had belonged to Bubbles (4 years and two moves ago).* I named it Penny.

Again, I earned another fish and we went back to the store, this time I picked a betta. Did we put it in the same bowl with poor Penny? Yes we did. Penny sat at the bottom of the bowl, right in the middle, and rarely ever moved. Jewel, my teal-colored betta danced and waltzed around her for the rest of her short life. I think she lasted a couple of months.**

After that, I became obsessed with the idea of a tank with more than just one fish. I'd visit friends who'd have them and envy them their tiny boxes of water-worlds. I checked out every book in the library that had anything to do with fish tanks, just to see the pictures -this is pre-Google image searches.

My first ever research paper? About fish tanks and their maintenance.

On my 11th birthday I had a present that was shaped like one of those 5 gal cylinder fish tanks. It was wrapped in newspaper. I couldn't focus on my schoolwork that day, all I could think about was that present. Finally, that night I tore into it...it wasn't a fish tank. It was a sleeping bag- you know, that thing on every young girl's birthday wish list? sigh.

I got my first official tank at age 18. Some people I used to babysit for decided they didn't want it anymore (they were going to get a dog), and gave it to my family. My parents wouldn't let me set it up at home, but I had a plan. I got a job at a tiny dry cleaners outlet. I worked there a few hours every weekday and all day Saturday...they let me set it up to decorate the shop. Every Saturday I'd clean it. I was thrilled! I got the other manager involved- we went to the pet shop together and chose the fish- this time I had years of research and knew just what we should get. :) When I left the job, the manager bought her own tank and kept the fish.

My neighbor, a fish hobbyist had over 160 tanks! When I would come home during the summer I'd work for him, cleaning the tanks, watching the house and plants when they'd go on kayaking trips, and carefully separating tiny babies from the parents who might eat them. Have you ever seen an angel fish smaller than a dime? Or a killifish freshly hatched- so small you almost need a magnifying glass to see it? It's a miraculous thing- and very cute!

Lately, I have only been keeping bettas. One or two...sometimes none.
I had two this summer. Bombay and Herman. About 3 weeks ago, Herman died and so I went to the pet store the next day to replace him...and left with 3 bettas and a new 2.5 gal betta desk tank. Indecision is just tough, isn't it?

That day got harder when I noticed that the divider in the betta tank allowed my bettas to lock jaws...and even their beautiful fins would slip through so that the other could rip at them. This was bad! On my lunch break I went back to the store for some sort of short-term solution...and ended up buying another tank...which meant I needed fish for the 2.5 gal...so I bought two tiny angels and a pleco.

Problem solved? No. The angels were miserable- they're just so delicate! So I had to go back and get gouramis...they're my favorite fish anyway.

Now we were settled. Bombay and Kodiak (a stunning white/clear betta) stayed home, and Yul*** and Tide were at the office. All went well the first weekend.

However, on the 2nd weekend, I was horrified to find both of my bettas on the same side of the tank...and they looked dead. I was upset. My boss and coworker held a sudden meeting in my office that afternoon and commented on the "corpses" and how at least they were now "swimming with the fishes..." It's funny now...

Later in the day, Yul mysteriously came to life, but Tide was gone. Furious with Yul, I re-named him Killer. He was only $4...Tide had been $14! I took Tide's body to the pet store and explained how the one betta had somehow jumped the divider. The employees were shocked but thankfully believed me. They returned my money and asked if I wanted a new one.

No. No I did not. Killer wasn't going to get another shot at a new, helpless betta! Besides, I was leaving town in two days...I'd replace him after Thanksgiving...maybe...

Killer was dead when we returned from our Thanksgiving trip, and Bombay who has been looking sickly for the last couple of weeks died this afternoon.

I'm down to just Kodiak and the tank with my gouramis. Good thing the betta shipment arrives at the pet store in the morning!


*For those of you who are fish fanatics, I'm sorry! My Dad didn't know it was inhumane to stuff a koi in a fishbowl.

** I claim exemption from judgement here- especially since I was 7. I didn't know bettas liked to be alone! Obviously, my Dad didn't ask the pet store employees...

***Named for Yul Brennar- we watched The King And I that evening...inspiration, how randomly you come to me...