Good Night, Sweet Fish.

My last betta from my former spawning trials passed away the other night. She was old, leaning on about three years. Her name was Arwen (yes, LOTR, I am a geek), and she was such a vibrant, red lady. I was hoping that she would spawn but fate did not shine upon us. Either way, she was a good companion and a good little friend.

For me, this feels like a start of a new era. I will get my first betta for my second round of fishie companions rather soon. This one will most likely not be used to breed, but be more like a companion through it all. It's nice to have one around that is generally for friendship.

I've plotted everything out, and I do believe I will begin spawning my bettas this summer. It will give me ample time between college semesters to really get things going. I will be able to focus on the little details, putting together the spawning tank, and (hopefully) caring for the fry. It should be a relaxing task between bookwork.
Bah, I can't wait to get started. I love working with these little fish... almost too much!

Introduction

Welcome to the Betta Labyrinth.

As you've seen by now, my name is Meg. I shall be your (slightly) humble host through this blogging experiment.
Some of you may be asking yourself about the name I chose for my blog... or not. You could be the cynical types waiting to post about how crappy my blog is. Go ahead. Excite yourself. For the people who might actually be curious, I shall explain.

Bettas, or Siamese Fighting Fish, host a unique "labyrinth" organ. This organ is used to draw air from the surface of the water, as if taking a breath.
To me, this is also a play on words. The definition of Labyrinth is "an intricate combination of paths or passages in which it is difficult to find one's way".
Now you're probably confused. Well, this is where I explain what this is all about! I am going to attempt something I have been wanting to do for a very long time. Spawning bettas. I have attempted this before, only to conclude many failures. To me, this is my labyrinth, and I have lost my way many times. This time, I'm taking this on as a true project. I wish to find my way to the end of the maze.
This time I'm determined to get a matched set of bettas and have a successful spawning. I'm going to get everything they need, with no cut backs and no settling for less.

This first post marks the beginning of my project.
Ready, set... BUY A LIST OF EXPENSIVE OBJECTS!!
...ok, maybe I shouldn't put it that way...
...but it is expensive...

(This project is dedicated to a little betta named Johnny Storm, rescued from a pet store in bad condition. I kept him for a while, but his health was poor when I got him. He did not live long. I want people to realize that fish may be fish, but they have lives like any other animals. They do not deserve to be abused.)