#the betta kept everyone in check lmao

[piknim]

:DD

[fbwzoo]

why do you like keeping hermit crabs?

Not gonna lie, my first thought was “good question”, lmao.

No, but I have kinda fallen in love with these weird creatures. I initially got interested in them because I found out about how extensive their requirements actually are, compared to what they usually get. That was so upsetting to me, and I’m a sucker for animals that are frequently considered “disposable” like that (same reason I like bettas). That’s what drove me to take in my first three rescues/rehomes from a classmate & a neighbor.

Now that I’ve had hermit crabs for 4.5 years... I dunno. They can be a pain and they’re seriously anxiety-inducing sometimes. It sucks to have a pet that you don’t always know if they’re okay or not, if they’re dead or alive, and there’s not really anything you can do about that. They’re my most difficult pet to move by far, given the weight of the tank and substrate. I definitely don’t think that they’re good pets for everyone, between their care requirements and their natural behavior (disappearing for molts, handling not being good idea).

But for me? They’re quietly rewarding. They don’t want my attention. They don’t need to be handled. That makes them easy for when I’m overwhelmed by other things going on in life. Make sure they have food & water, and they’re set. With the tank properly set up & the variety of food available, they can take a certain amount of “neglect” in dire situations compared to most other pets. And it’s extremely rewarding to bring home a hermit crab that has been kept in terrible conditions and to be able to put them in a proper home. To see them go “holy shit” at the number of empty shells and try on new ones until they find a good fit. To see them find food that’s actually good for them & eagerly dig in. 

I still remember how emotional I was watching the one crab I caved & bought from a pet store, Shelob, when I first put her in my tank. She was in a far-too-small shell, with a broken leg tip, desperately needing a molt. I put her in the middle of 3-4 appropriate shell options & she just straight up froze for a couple seconds. Then she couldn’t move fast enough - turning over each shell, antennae going nuts, excitedly inspecting each one to see which was best. She changed shells twice in the first 20-30 minutes, she was so excited to have options. Even in the wild, free shells are a rare occasion, especially as they become rarer due to shell collectors. So given her age (she wasn’t a jumbo, but close to it), it’s likely that it was the most empty suitable shells she’d seen at one time in her life. I’m sure that’s been the case for some of my other rescues too.

Last thing - hermit crab diets are basically my dream come true. I love animal nutrition and diets, and I love to make food for animals. An animal that needs a homemade diet, of wide variety, with stuff I can easily get on Amazon, from the grocery store, etc.? Perfect!!!! Feeding my crabs is my favorite part of their care, and I really get a lot of enjoyment out of putting in freshly refilled bowls & watching the crabs all come running to check out the new spread.

...I lied, one more thing. The molting thing & the anxiety over not knowing if they’re okay or not.... My hermit crabs have done a lot to teach me patience & acceptance. These babies are continuing that lesson. I have a tank full of wild animals in my dining room. They need me, because they’re out of their natural habitat, through no fault of their own. They can’t go back now. But past doing my part for them, of giving them a safe environment with all their needs? I can’t do much for them. I just...stand back and let them BE. Let them be crabs. Some of it is up to them too. I can help here & there. I can adjust things as needed to improve this or that. But the molting and growing is all up to them. The babies? A LOT is up to them. These little megalopa in my bedroom...I can’t do much more for them now other than try to keep their home clean, offer food, and wait for them to grow. All I can do is cross my fingers and hope they can make the leap into a shell and onto land to become big crabs. That’s...both terrifying, and beautiful. 

[shoutyfish]

general betta fish care / common myths

there's a lot of myths fueled by pet store employees floating around about bettas, so the more this kind of information is spread, the better. as always i encourage everyone whose looking into fishkeeping does THOROUGH research long before getting the fish and do NOT rely on pet store employees to give u accurate information.

MYTHS TO NEVER BELIEVE

"bettas aren't good swimmers or active so they don't need big tanks and are perfectly happy in a little bowl or a flower vase"

"they're super hardy and resilient so don't worry about tank cycling"

"bettas like dirty water so don't worry about cleaning either'

"live and frozen fish food arent good for everyday feeding"

"bettas can't be kept with other fish ever bc they are extremely aggressive and will kill anything with a pulse"

(we're gonna debunk all of these (: )

the first thing that should be in your possession long before adding the fish is the tank. a lot of fishkeepers think 2.5gallons is the minimum, but personally i think 5 gallons is the minimum. 10 gallons works best. to reference, 2.5 is the minimum by AMERICAN standards, which are outdated, so many people choose to go by germany's standards instead because it's proven to be a lot more successful & up-to-date.​​​​​​​ 

a 5 gallon tank is the minimum that i recommend, but 2.5 gallons are ok.

10 gallon tanks work best. the bigger your tank, the more likely your betta will grow to maximum size & beauty, the less likely chance of stunting growth.

also, 10 gallon tanks are much easier to maintain and establish a cycle, and you can even start an albeit small community tank with them. (with tank mates compatible with your betta & small enough to not outgrow a 10gal. but community tanks are a topic for  another day)

properly cycled tanks reduce disease risk & encourage longevity in your betta's lifespan (i will make another post about the nitrogen cycle bc that's a lot)

THINGS YOU WILL NEED

a filter! nothing with a strong flow, though. bettas are not very good swimmers! (tip: when cleaning your tank, never rinse the filter media! it kills beneficial bacteria & basically starts your cycle all over)

a heater - bettas thrive best in 78-82 degrees F.

an aquarium thermometer

water conditioner. i recommend seachem prime - it's the BEST out there and contains helpful nutrients that get rid of bad bacteria & ammonia.

bottled bacteria, if necessary. helps kickstart the cycle of your tank.

pH and ammonia testing kits

gravel syphon for cleaning & maintenance

a net to fish out uneaten food

gravel/substrate. (tip: measure how much u need by laying the bags out across the tank box. it should fit evenly across it long-ways)

decorations!! don't get plastic plants, they can harm ur betta's fins. if ur getting fake deco, try to find silk ones or very soft ones. bettas like to  be divas so make that shit pretty as hell & give them lots of places to hide. marimo moss balls are good for helping tank filtration & super easy to care for if ur interested in live plants!

INTRODUCING YOUR BETTA TO YOUR TANK​​​​​​​ 

acclimation and tank cycling are still CRITICAL to a betta's life and happiness. it's true that they are resilient fish that are easy to take care of, but like any fish, they have vital comfort needs & are still going to get diseases if you don't care for your water quality! 

1. when you first bring home your betta, do your final check on those water parameters. do an ammonia test in the fish's cup water to see just how much of a battle the pet store caretakers made for you.  almost 100% of the time the ammonia levels will be in the danger zone.

2. this is why acclimation is so very critical. start small and take your time. empty out a bit of the cup water, add a bit of your tank water. empty out a bit more of the cup water, add a bit more of your tank water - with about 3-5 minutes in between takes. keep doing this until you have replaced most if not all of the filthy pet store cup water. (WARNING: WATCH FOR SIGNS OF SHOCK WHILE YOU ARE DOING THIS. CLAMPED FINS, THE "SHAKES", FLOATING ON ITS SIDE, ETC ARE ALL SIGNS THAT YOU NEED TO ABSOLUTELY SLOW DOWN & LEAVE THE FISH ALONE FOR A COUPLE HOURS.)

3. now float your betta. you can put them in a bag if it's easier, otherwise you can just hold the cup in the tank. let the temperature adjust & let your lil guy/gal get their first glimpses of their new home. do this for a minimum of 10 minutes

4. gently tip the cup into the water & let the beast free! continue watching for signs of shock and keep a close eye on them & your water parameters for the first couple days.

FEEDING

frozen  or live brine shrimp, bloodworms, & mosquito larvae are betta favorites. when handling frozen food always rinse it out before putting it in the tank - most of the time the food is frozen in water that becomes really gross and murky. dried bloodworms also work very well. for flakes and pellets, i always recommend Omega One betta buffet flakes/pellets because their food is all natural and contains no additives/"meals" (tip: don't buy any food that lists something followed by the word  "meal" in the ingredients; it's basically heavily processed food).

do NOT overfeed. honestly underfeeding is better than overfeeding. you should feed your betta once a day with as much food as they can eat in about 2 minutes. have them fast one day a week to clear their digestive system. their stomachs are smaller than their eyeballs, so really, DON'T overfeed. it can cause a lot of incurable issues AND mess with your water quality

remove any uneaten food, or if you have bottomfeeders in your tank let them have at it

bettas will literally eat six #12s, 7 medium fries and a large shake if you let them. dont let those big black eyes trick you lmao

if you have a very young betta (5-10 weeks old) feed them twice a day instead of just once. brine shrimp eggs are especially tasty for fry but if your lil guy is big enough, they can eat regular frozen brine shrimp. meaty products filled with protein help  them grow the best. (bettas are full grown at 11 weeks, here is a size chart to determine your adolescent betta's age)

COMPATIBLE TANK MATES

note that even if it worked out for everyone and you've gotten 800 recommendations, things can STILL go wrong when keeping bettas with other fish.  ALWAYS be prepared for an emergency move. also note that sometimes things can work perfectly fine for the  first couple months and then go to shit within a couple seconds, especially when pairing young bettas with other fish. young bettas develop, you know, hormones at some point and start getting supa territorial.

also, please make sure you have the proper tank size to keep any of these fish together. i've included their adult sizes & my recommended tank size if you were to keep nothing but the betta and this species in the tank. this WILL vary.

clown plecos - 4" full grown - algae eaters - 20 gallon tank size min.

pygmy corydoras - 1" full grown - schooling fish (you will need 6 or more of these) - 15 gallon tank size min.

ember tetras - 1" full grown - schooling fish (again, 6+) - 15 gallon tank size min.

rasboras - 1" full grown - schooling fish (again, 6+) - 15 gallon tank size min.

mystery snails - 2" full grown - plant-safe snail, doesn't reproduce asexually - 5 gallon tank min.

ghost shrimp - 1.5" full grown - social shrimp (3-4 of these, any more can lead to breeding) - 10 gallon tank min.

feeder guppies - 1" full grown - normal, can live in schools but not necessary - 10 gallon tank min (larger recommended for schools)

corydoras - 2.5" full grown est. - algae eaters - 15 gallon tank min.

and there are many, many more but these are what has, to me, at least, been the least problematic tank mates for bettas. all of these fish have something about them that would deter an aggressive betta's attention, such as the armor plating on clown plecos & dull colors of the pygmy corydoras and feeder guppies.

okay, so i think this covers all the basics! if you guys have any questions, please ask! and if you have anything to add, please do! thanks for reading & happy fishkeeping xxx

[gabe-wallace]

QUOTE

“The mountain that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.” -Najwa Zebian

BASIC

NAME: Gabriel Matthew Wallace NICKNAMES: Gabe AGE: 21 BIRTHDAY: February 10th, 1997 GENDER: Male PRONOUNS: He/Him

FAMILY

MOTHER: Gloria Wallace (Maiden name: Aris) FATHER: Matthew Wallace LEGAL GUARDIAN: too many to fucking count lmao The State of California SIBLINGS: Rebekah Wallace Johnson (Bekah) PETS: A blue betta fish named Lynard who lives on his desk in one of those plant on top fish living in the roots vases, obtained on a whim. IMPORTANT EXTENDED FAMILY MEMBERS: N/A

PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES

FACE CLAIM: Adam Brody RACE/ETHNICITY:  ½ Jewish American (on his father’s side) NATIONALITY: American HEIGHT: 5′11” WEIGHT: 154 pounds HAIR COLOR:  Dark brown EYE COLOR: Brown SKIN COLOR: Light DOMINANT HAND: Right ANOMALIES: A barely there scar above his lip from a bad fight when he was thirteen, a small scar at the base of his spine from where a belt buckle caught him during a beating from a foster parent, a mole on the back of his shoulder he probably really needs to get checked out by a doctor. SCENT: A faint smell of lavender from the 4D laundry soap, Axe 3-In-1 Body Wash + Shampoo + Conditioner in Dark Temptation,Axe Deodorant in Dark Temptation, a Davidoff Cool Water Cologne he received as a birthday gift the previous year from Liliana who said she was ‘sick and fucking tired of him smelling like a douche’- as he used the body spray from Axe as well. ALLERGIES: Latex, wasps, bees, pollen, mildly lactose intolerant. FASHION: Gabe could give less of a shit how he dresses, as long as it’s comfortable. His go to is a pair of jeans and a t shirt, however if he has somewhere to go he’ll dress it up with a dress shirt and a pair of slacks. He’s incredibly reluctant to ever replace clothes, so several pairs of his jeans have tears in his knees, and several of his t shirts are stained. NERVOUS TICS: Rubbing the back of his neck, drumming his fingers, tapping whatever is in his hands against the nearest surface, hummiing or making up a song about whatever is making him uncomfortable, refusing to make eye contact.

LIFESTYLE

HOME ADDRESS: 9280 East Cove Lane #4D, Seacrest Cove, CA RESIDES: Seacrest Cove, CA BORN: Carlsbad, California RAISED: All over Southern and Central California VEHICLE: A rusty dark green 1968 Pontiac Catalina coupe- which would be a nice car, if it were fixed up... But it’s not, so it’s just comes across as a rust bucket. PHONE: iPhone 7, which he was bullied into letting Iva Zotrova buy and pay for during the Stella runaway crisis. LAPTOP/COMPUTER: An older model Toshiba kept going only through Gabe’s knowledge of computers and pure damn stubbornness. HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION: Listen I’m not even going to try, Gabe has been to a shit ton of different schools. It’s a wonder his education didn’t suffer too much from it. COLLEGE EDUCATION: Seacrest Cove University MAJOR: Computer Engineering MINOR: N/A JOB: SCCU Campus Store, Server at Old Mel’s Diner, Guitar Tutor, Coding Tutor, runs errands for senior citizens POLITICAL AFFILIATION: Socialist RELIGION: A non-denominal Christian who is giving God the silent treatment. BELIEFS: A firm belief that he’s too damn busy trying to survive this life to worry about the next MISDEMEANORS: N/A FELONIES: Charged but not convicted of assault. Gabe was charged when a former foster parent slapped Bekah, causing her to fall into a chair and suffer a significant cut on her head. Gabe panicked and shoved the woman (who was well into her sixties) away from her, and she fell down half a flight of stairs. The judge later ruled that Gabe acted in defense of what he believed to be his sister’s life. TICKETS AND/OR VIOLATIONS: N/A DRUGS: Pot, (rarely) Acid (once- never again.) SMOKES: Once or twice. ALCOHOL: Socially DIET: Anything. Anything remotely edible. A childhood of doing things like eating straight jelly because it was the only thing in the fridge, or making ketchup sandwiches for the same reason have left Gabe with a ‘poor people don’t get to be picky’ mentality, and a nostalgic love for some snacks that make his friends and roommates look at him in horror. SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Up in the air. He’s definitely more interested in women than anything else, but he’s not quite sure he’s entirely NOT interested in men. At the very least, he would make out with a man. (A fact he periodically tells Finn McGee, with a lot of winking and pretend burning looks.) RELATIONSHIP STATUS: In a relationship with Stella Belmonte CHILDREN: N/A LOOKING FOR: Nothing more than what he has. BEST FRIEND(S): Finn McGee, Stella Belmonte, Liliana Sanchez, Roslyn Knox, Veronique Dumont, Julian Lowell, Iva Zotrova (he GUESSES.) LANGUAGES SPOKEN: English PHOBIAS: snakes, bad grades, anyone coming up behind him without announcing themselves HOBBIES: Guitar, Dungeons and Dragons, Video Games, Reading, Recording Covers on YouTube, Creating Mods for PC Games, Annoying Warren Porter TRAITS: Hard Working, Sarcastic, Funny, Thoughtful, Determined SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube

FAVORITE

LOCATION: Hide Tides Apartments- Sea Crest Cove, California. SPORTS TEAM: Gabe has never been one for sports, however at some point halfway through middle school he started saying he liked the 49ers whenever it was brought up, and still does if someone happens to ask him. GAME: Mario Maker or Fallout 4 MUSIC: Classic rock and some old rockabilly classics, early 2000s rock like Weezer and Ok Go. SHOWS: Game of Thrones, Bob’s Burgers, Archer, The Flash, Daredevil, Arrow, The Walking Dead, Stranger Things, Supernatural MOVIES: Anything MCU or DC Comics, Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, Lord of the Rings, Karate Kid RADIO STATION: 106.2 The Wave FOOD: Peanut butter cookies, breakfast burritos, queso dip with tortillas, his mother’s shepherd's pie, brown sugar poptarts. PROFESSOR: Professor Jade Pickering and Dennis Macdonald BEVERAGE: Vanilla Coke, Red Bull, Code Red Mountain Dew COLOR: Dark green

CHARACTER

MORAL ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Good/Neutral Good MBTI: ISFJ ENNEAGRAM: Type 6, The Loyalist TEMPERAMENT: Phlegmatic and Sanguine WESTERN ZODIAC: Aquarius CHINESE ZODIAC: Ox PRIMAL SIGN: Walrus HOGWARTS HOUSE: Hufflepuff SONG: Carry On My Wayward Son - Kansas IDEOLOGIES: Believes that capitalism isn’t in place to help anyone. It’s there to make the rich richer, the poor downtrodden, and the middle class complacent. It’s not just a matter of working harder than everyone else, you have to beat the system. And to do that, you have to know deep in your soul that no one gives a fuck what shitty things have happened to you, or what your dreams are- they care what you can do. Nothing more, nothing less.