Question 4 All: How Soon After A Fish Dies

[wendyngd]

Hi-

I know this may sound crazy.but I'm just curious about other peoples' experiences with losing a favorite betta (I only have room for one). As many of you may know, I just lost Bettalicious a few days ago and am hankering for a new little pal (I keep finding myself heading for the bedroom to go say hello o him when I get home from work) . I read somewhere in a betta book that a way to tell if you're ready to invite another betta into your home is to think about how you'd feel seeing the new betta in the old betta's tank.

I thought that was very smart! It may not be as difficult if you're going to redo the interior decorations--which I am..

I guess I'll just go by my favorite lfs, talk to some of the little fishies and see how it feels.

In the meantime, feel free to add a comment.

And, by the way, I am so thankful for this forum and its compassionate members. It's really helped me get through losing my little guy...

Love,
Wendy Bettalicious

 

[NightLad]

Hi Wendy

I have only been on these forums for a little while, and I do not yet even have a Betta of my own, but I do have experience in loosing a beloved little pet. The last pet I had was a Desert Iguana while I was still in high school. (I am now 26, so you can do the math. hehe) He was very tame and quite friendly. He loved to ride on peoples shoulders. One summer morning, between the 11th and 12th grade, I was out with friends when I had the sudden and distinct urge to go home. I left the group and immediately went home. When I got in the door, I knew something was wrong. My mother and sister were on the couch with tears in their eyes. Echo was laying very still between them on a blanket. My younger sister had picked him up and put him on her shoulders, but then forgot he was there and went jumping around for some reason and he fell off and hut his back/neck. He was still alive, but it was clear he was not going to last very long. I held him and pet him and lay him on my chest and he calmed down. He died shortly after, but peacefully.

I did not have the urge to own any other pets for several years after. In late 2007 I grew 'pet lonely' and felt that the time was right. I did my research and got a Ball Python. A few months later I got a Crested Gecko, too. Now I am planning on a Betta for my office desktop.

I am very sorry to hear about the loss of Bettalicious. When the time is right to open your home and heart to a new little friend, you will know it.

 

[Amunet]

Recently... I had to euthanize my favorite betta Raj.
The next day we went out to Petsmart for no reason. I think fiance knew I was upset having to do it (tearing up just thinking about it).. so a trip to the petstore was kind of a cheer up method.

Well.. before I knew what I was doing, I was getting 2 new bettas. I was still mourning my lil Raj, but I guess seeing the bettas in their small little cubbies just had me getting more before I knew it.

I don't think it's a problem to get another one soon after. It doesn't mean you loved the previous one any less and there are SO many more bettas out there that need a good home.

 

[wendyngd]

Recently... I had to euthanize my favorite betta Raj.
The next day we went out to Petsmart for no reason. I think fiance knew I was upset having to do it (tearing up just thinking about it).. so a trip to the petstore was kind of a cheer up method.

Well.. before I knew what I was doing, I was getting 2 new bettas. I was still mourning my lil Raj, but I guess seeing the bettas in their small little cubbies just had me getting more before I knew it.

I don't think it's a problem to get another one soon after. It doesn't mean you loved the previous one any less and there are SO many more bettas out there that need a good home.

Thank you both for your heartwarming answers...They brought tears to my eyes, too.

Nightlad, I am so sad about your loss of Echo some years back. It sounded so painful. I'm so glad you now have other pets.

I had different and beloved dogs (Taffy and Betsey--beagle) and many, many cats growing up in my parents' house that I believe helped get me through a rough childhood. My last cat, Tiffany, died in the summer of 1989 and though I continued to play with the cats at my parents' house, I found myself very reluctant to get another one. Anything with a short lifespan that was going to "break my heart" when it died...


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Amunet--I know how hard it was for me last year to euthanize one of my pet mollies (they're all gone now.) But I didn't want it to suffer... It takes a lot of courage to do that--

I love your tale of going to the fish store and coming home with bettas!! I put off stopping at my favorite fish store on my way home from work at least until I had a chance to empty and clean the tank to have it ready for a new resident. It's soaking now in hot water in my kitchen sink.

I just know that I have to try not to have expectations of the personality of a new betta. Bettalicious started out being aloof and ended up like my little puppy pal! I think I do need a new resident in my 3 gallon tank in our bedroom 'cause I keep on going over to it (out of habit) to say hello, etc.

It's snowing right now here on Long Island in NY so I don't know how much traffic will be moving, but at least I feel better hearing your experiences-- THanks so much. -Wendy
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[Yuki_of_the_Stars]

I've had two males leave me in my Beta Fish experiance... They both broke my heart. Inuyasha, my very first, died of rahter old age, or my lack of knowlage about amonia levels and such. Four years, I think. I really regret not getting a picture of him, he was a stunning white fish. Shadow and him shared a tank for a while, and I think that did them both in. Shadow died not even 6 months after Inuyasha.

Shadow was a dark Red/blue/purple. He was absolutely beautiful when flaring. He died of the same reasons as Inuyasha. Four days after Inu's death, I got Kakashi from Wallyworld. A week after Shadow, I got Haku. I cried my eyes out when they died...

I'm sorry for Bettalicious. I hope you feel better soon.

 

[1stbetta]

I had a snapping turtle for four years when a horrible kid that we babysat flushed him down the toilet. I tried to get other pets but they all died too early and eventually I gave up on pets. This lasted at least 8 years until a baby Redear slider fell into my lap 2 years ago. After having him for a year and discovering what horrible conditions I had him and previous pets in (probably why they died), I've done everything I can to give my pets a great life, and in the process I've added a second turtle, a Ball Python, 2 cockatiels (rescues), a kitten (also rescue), and countless fish to my "zoo." Unfortunately, my foray into the world of Bettas has gone awry, as my first little guy died last night. I'm trying to work out what I did wrong, but I definitely will get another Betta at some point. The kicker is that the fish I have gotten for my fish tank never seem to do well except for cories), but the fish I get as feeders for my turtles survive to this day.

 

[stang1]

So sorry for your loss Wendy, my thoughts are with you.
I lost my first Betta, Aragorn, about 3 months ago and I was devastated. I've had him 18 months and he was rescued from an lfs after his fins were shredded by Zebra Danios. What made it worse is that he was in my divided tank and I hated looking at the empty tank space.
I finally replaced him 2 weeks ago with a beautiful DT male but I'll always miss him.
You will find another one and you'll know when the time is right to get another one.

 

[Bubblenester]

Personally, I can "replace" even a betta that I'm attached to the very same day, but it has to be a different color... in fact, it feels weird to me to get a new fish that looks a lot like another one that I've had, even if it's been years! I guess I'm a softie after all.

Anyway, sorry to hear about your boy.