Fish Story

My husband writes software, mainly in a language called Java. Years ago I bought him a fish in a coffee pot for him to keep at work. Then he worked up to a three-gallon tank and that was somewhat of a disaster over the years. So when he went permanent here, I decided to get him a new fish.

I bought the standard Mr. Coffee 12 cup pot, some gravel and river rocks, food and water conditioner. Now, after three weeks, he doesn’t think he has room in his new office for MoJo (short for Mocha Joe II, along with the coffee theme). Actually he doesn’t want to clean the pot. So while I had his help the first two times I decided to try it myself as he was slow coming down to breakfast Sunday morning.

OK, I’m kind of freaked out by them, but Bettas are gorgeous fish and this is a fine specimen, all blues and pinks. I think he’s a delta tail or something that costs a few times what a standard Betta would cost. He was presented to me as quite aggressive. He watches me all the time in the kitchen, and eats voraciously.

MoJo II

So Sunday, I made new water for him and wanted to transfer him to a pyrex bowl with 2 c treated water in it with a 2″ net. I had a strainer set up to rinse the rocks and a dish towel and only had an inch or so for the transfer. I tried to get him and it’s a tough vessel for the net to work. On the fifth try I got him at the top of the net and went to put him in his clean transfer water and he jumped out and onto the dish towel.

I yelled for Jim, who raced to get downstairs. How do I save him? I picked up the dish towel to toss him into the clean water and he flopped and freaked me out. A few seconds later Jim was downstairs and successfully transferred him.

So, Jim says he likes looking at the fish here at home. Zoe doesn’t care, so I think we’ll keep him on the corner of the kitchen counter for now and figure out how to clean his bowl once a week. I’ll get better at it, I’m certain. And no, he won’t be floured and stuck in a pan with hot butter. Not while I’m in charge of the kitchen! Cheers, Dee