Meet Bow IV...aka Bow III...aka Bubble

To truly appreciate the events of last night, I must begin at the beginning.

In August, a friend gave us this aquarium. She was upgrading, and this little tank was just right for a first foray into fish for us. It came with the gravel, but Issa did the rest of the decorating.

In August, Issa chose our first betta: Fishy Fish Rainbow, Bow for short. He did great! I did a ridiculous amount of reading about bettas, and vowed to make Bow the happiest fish on the block. The kids loved him, and he became a part of the family and afternoon routine. (Please notice the past tense in this paragraph.)

Then November came, and the temperatures became cooler. I read bettas liked their water around 70-75, so we put a small heater in the tank. Two days later, I came home to find Bow dead. I called Brad at work. I was in tears (I know...I'm pitiful), and being the great dad that he is he came home so we could pick up the kids and tell them together. Issa sobbed, but then bravely flushed Bow I, and off we went to adopt Bow II.

Two days later, I realized Bow II was dead. Fortunately, the kids were at school and PetSmart has a seven day guarantee! It took us so long to choose Bow II they actually remembered us when I went back and helped me find a look-alike. I'm not proud to admit it, but I did a fish swap. I just couldn't tell Issa another fish was dead. So...in her mind Bow III was still Bow II.

Unfortunately, two days later, a Saturday, Bow III/II was dead. Ug! We went back to PetSmart, and the small fish expert literally told me, "Ma'am, you are fussing your fish to death." Apparently, as long as the water is room temp they are fine. Our fish were snuggling the heater and suffocating. Oops. So...Bow IV/III came home. He's a fancy fish--a crown tailed betta. He's a $4 fish instead of a $3 fish.

All has been well since November. We give him a new look every season, and Bow has been very happy. The only drama has been Evan renaming him Bubble. Issa still insists he's Bow, but fortunately he's a fish and will swim towards the glass no matter what you call him.

Then, big drama last night: Bow was swimming on his side. This is not good. I went to the internet to start looking for answers. (I'm a researcher...it's what I do.) It turns out he had swim bladder issues, probably due to constipation caused by over-feeding--a hazard of small children helping to feed the fish. Fortunately, there is a cure, and it only took a little over an hour of my life.

First, I had to change the water in the tank (most annoying since I had just done it that morning). Then, you cook one pea (that's right...a pea), peel the skin off, and then break the pea into tiny little bites. Then...wait for it...you stick a piece of the pea on the end of your fingernail and make it "swim" like a shrimp above the betta. The betta must eat the pea, which is no easy feat for a fish that can only swim on its side. You must repeat this three times.

Bow finally ate the pea, and within a couple of hours he was swimming straight! I, however, may need to have my head examined for all this fuss over a little fish.