Was Found in an Apartment
I realize I'm probably the last person anyone on this forum anyone would think cares about animals...
True, I do view them as being potential food... however, I also do not see any reason to treat animals in a cruel fashion... through either abuse or neglect.
One of the apartments where I live was recently vacated in a hurry... practically overnight. They left the apartment a mess, leaving a few items as well.
Among these items was a small fish bowl, half filled with soured water... it was too foggy to really see anything in it. When it was brought to the main office, I was curious as to why this was there. Upon closer inspection, I realized there was a fish in there. It was very much alive.
I asked to take the fish home... It was while I was removing the items from the bowl I realized there wasn't just one fish, but two. A male betta and a female betta. Needless to say, I was more than a little shocked. It was a wonder the fish had survived at all in such putrid conditions... and even more of a shock for anyone to put two bettas in the same bowl --- they're not called 'fighting fish' for nothing.
I cleaned up the bowl... put in new rocks... cleaned the items... set up two separate environments for the fish... and started their treatment for some common fish diseases.
It's day two... and though they are still quite ravenous... they seem to be looking better. As fish heal surprisingly fast.
So now I have two male bettas, and two female bettas.
I just don't understand some people... if they didn't want the fish anymore... it's not difficult to leave them with the main office. The other residents would've been more than happy to take the fish home with them. But to leave them in festering conditions with the water slowly evaporating, and no food... inching them closer to death... seems to be more than just heartless. I understand they're just $3 fish... but they're the easiest fish to take care of --- thus the easiest to give away.
"The weakest soul, knowing its own weakness, and believing this truth that strength can only be developed by effort and practice, will, thus believing, at once begin to exert itself, and, adding effort to effort, patience to patience, and strength to strength, will never cease to develop, and will at last grow divinely strong."
- James Allen