My pet fish - Mishu died last week. I had him for 10 months. He was bright red in color, with shining big crown . I had someone to take care of and to feed, someone to come home to and most importantly he was my companion.
While I was away for a week for work, I had asked someone to take care of him. Obviously and unfortunately, Mishu was not well taken care of. Apparently, Betta fishes need a lot more care than people think they do. They are not low maintenance fishes who just need to be fed once a day. I realized he was sick the moment I got him back. He was pale and white and weak, as if he had not eaten for days. I found out he had no appetite and immediately Googled the signs of sickness in Betta fishes and the remedies. I got the medicene from the Petco and kept my fingers crossed for my Mishu to get better.
Being so desparate to save him, I made sure there was medicene in his bowl at all times. Two weeks of medicene and he still wasnt eating. He showed no signs of improvement and that was worrying me. Until one day, I came home from work to find him still and floating in the bowl. I said a silent prayer that he is sleeping. Thinking he may need fresh water, I changed the water in the bowl.. still no movement. When I put him in the bowl back again, he did not move, not even a flicker. I was not sure he was actually dead, so I looked up for some signs. He had passed on.
I didn't realize all this while I was so attached to him. He was indeed my companion. I enjoyed sitting by his bowl and watching him circle around while I narrated my entire day to him. Somewhere deep down I thought he was listening and that we had a connection. I watched him play with his food, pushing it with his mouth and then gulp it in. I assumed he enjoyed that time with me too.
When I buried him that night, it was hard to believe he was gone. It made me sad (also because I miss him), I am only hoping he is in a much better place now.
Rest in peace, Mishu!
“I do not mind having imaginary conversations with animals who are part of my life. The comfort of talking to one at a time of personal distress is so soothing because one has the ease of knowing that one’s secrets will not be repeated to anyone. Yet there are those who are horrified that an animal can be a more reliable part of one’s world than that of the human world.”
- Derek Tangye