So I have an older paper photograph of my old betta I had when I was a teen and knew nothing about fish.
I want to share his story.
My cousins got this betta, stuck him in a bowl, like a half gallon glass decorative bowl with those colored glass round stones as substrate, giving him barely a cup of water to even move. No heater, no filter. Rarely did they do water changes. No plants.
They grew bored of him, as kids do. After 4 years of having this fish they began trying to kill him because they didn't want him anymore and he just kept living. They purposely put him in ice cold water when they did change his water. They never fed him. His water was smelly, filmy, and so brown it wasn't even funny. They never dechlorinated his water either.
I won't defend my family's behaviour, I was appalled about his treatment.
I took him in. I have him a 2 gallon hexagon plastic tank I found at a yardsale, some fake plants, clean water, food. Still no heater or filter, but I didn't know back then and didn't have much access to computers or internet at that phase in my life (I bounced around from place to place as a runaway), but he got water changes, friendly greetings, and I did my best with what I knew.
So I named him Tank, because this fish was relentless to live through that nightmare. He lived 5 more years in my care, which is shocking to me for a betta. Especially given his history.
During the last year of his life he grew arthritic or something, couldn't swim anymore, sat on a leaf in his tank and it was an effort just to eat, so I kept the water really low for him, so he could reach up and grab food I dropped carefully for him without really needing to move. He would still greet me by waggling his pectoral fins at me when I came to talk to him and feed him. He still seemed content to greet me and eat with as much enthusiasm as he could, so we let him live his days on his own accord.
Though he eventually passed on, in the same place he sat for the longest of time, but he was a very special fish for me, the first fish I formed any sort of emotional bond with and I think he is special for the resilience he had despite the horrible care he once had. My care wasn't perfect for him either, I wish I knew then what I know now so I could have given him so much more.
I want to share his story.
My cousins got this betta, stuck him in a bowl, like a half gallon glass decorative bowl with those colored glass round stones as substrate, giving him barely a cup of water to even move. No heater, no filter. Rarely did they do water changes. No plants.
They grew bored of him, as kids do. After 4 years of having this fish they began trying to kill him because they didn't want him anymore and he just kept living. They purposely put him in ice cold water when they did change his water. They never fed him. His water was smelly, filmy, and so brown it wasn't even funny. They never dechlorinated his water either.
I won't defend my family's behaviour, I was appalled about his treatment.
I took him in. I have him a 2 gallon hexagon plastic tank I found at a yardsale, some fake plants, clean water, food. Still no heater or filter, but I didn't know back then and didn't have much access to computers or internet at that phase in my life (I bounced around from place to place as a runaway), but he got water changes, friendly greetings, and I did my best with what I knew.
So I named him Tank, because this fish was relentless to live through that nightmare. He lived 5 more years in my care, which is shocking to me for a betta. Especially given his history.
During the last year of his life he grew arthritic or something, couldn't swim anymore, sat on a leaf in his tank and it was an effort just to eat, so I kept the water really low for him, so he could reach up and grab food I dropped carefully for him without really needing to move. He would still greet me by waggling his pectoral fins at me when I came to talk to him and feed him. He still seemed content to greet me and eat with as much enthusiasm as he could, so we let him live his days on his own accord.
Though he eventually passed on, in the same place he sat for the longest of time, but he was a very special fish for me, the first fish I formed any sort of emotional bond with and I think he is special for the resilience he had despite the horrible care he once had. My care wasn't perfect for him either, I wish I knew then what I know now so I could have given him so much more.
) and I'm sure that Tank would be proud of you today. 
