Connor, Warrior Fish // equivocality

So I got a fish.

A Siamese fighting fish, or Betta, named Connor to be exact. I wanted something lively in my room, since I spend so much time in it. When I went to the store with Pat and Jen, they noticed that one fish was constantly flaring and swimming in circles, almost like he was pacing. The fish in the cup next to him (to keep them separate or they fight to the death) kept setting him off, so naturally, he was the one. As a clowntail variant, his fins are extended long like a comb.

I also got some live plants with which came a tiny snail, so small that he was transparent at first. After a few weeks, he grew considerably bigger, and survived a couple hours out of water while I was cleaning out the tank. Bronwen named him Humphrey, but he has since died, found dried up at the top of the tank one morning.

Bettas are funny creatures. Supposedly, they have personalities (for fish), but I can never tell with pets I can’t touch. Sure, he swims towards me every time I turns on the lights or enter the room, but for all I know he could think of me as food. I can only tell that he’s very aggressive, flaring out his body and swimming back and forth whenever something gets near enough. It’s like he’s a caged gladiator, restless about his next battle. Dolly likes to sit in my chair and watch him go.

I named him Connor, after the immortal Connor MacLeod from Highlander, because THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE (Betta in a bowl at a time).

8 comments — Follow the feed

#1 Bronwen

I miss Humphrey…:(

#2 Bean

Teehee. I love the naming theory. He’s extremely pretty but I’ve never been able to identify with fish (which isn’t really surprising).

#3 Xibee

He’s in great shape too! All our bettas look chewed up down here.
I had black and white mollies once in one tank. I saw them in the store in one tank and thought they were travelling in beautiful waves. I didn’t realize till I got some home that they were chasing each other in a life and death struggle…. thanks a lot, Petco….

#4 Jono Cono

Very nice macro shots, beautiful clarity!

#5 Jeff

@Bronwen — So do I. Snails, being nocturnal, only move around at night. It was fun to see where he would end up in the morning. Since I never got to see him move, it was like he magically transported around.

@Bean — The great thing about Bettas is that they’re cheap, hardy, and can still look relatively unique. I’ve never been able to identify with fish either though.

@Xibee — Actually, a lot of pet stores here sell sickly animals. I generally don’t trust pet stores (mall stores especially), and prefer to buy from a breeder, but Bettas seemed like a safe bet. I hear some people actually feel compelled to “rescue” (buy) fish from stores like Walmart because the conditions are so bad.

@Jono Cono — Thanks! Fish photography, with all the poor lighting, reflections from the bowl, and jittery swimming, is a lot harder than I ever imagined.

#6 Aaron

Love the name!

#7 giuli

that’s a darn good-looking fish. I’ve been wanting to have a pet fish (and a cat).

#8 Jeff

@Aaron — Of course you love the name. It’s Scottish!

@guili — That’s the great thing about Betta’s. They’re cheap, they’re hardy, and they’re beautiful. You have to be careful with the cat and fish combo though…just make sure the bowl is heavy enough that the cat doesn’t knock it over.