Betta Fish: I will miss her. (I already feel it)

Well, this is more of a rant than an informative post. I'm quite sad and feeling guilty because of an experience with Scarlat, a female red betta fish we had. Initially, everything was fine; my sister got the Scarlat from our aunt, but at home we didn't have the right conditions to raise a fish. We didn't even have an aquarium, which left me deeply upset. Basically, we didn't have the essentials to provide her with a quality life.

I improvised a small container that served as a beaker. At first, she was very active and even interacted with her own reflection, believing it to be another fish. Over time, things started to change. I took care of her as best I could, feeding her and changing her water regularly. She became a new member of the family and was very loved, especially by me, who felt enormous compassion that we were unable to provide a better life for her.

Scarlat was alone, without the company of other fish, but I really did my best. She had a habit of rising to the surface when someone approached. It was adorable. In a moment of carelessness, she jumped from the bet and almost lost her life, which left me extremely distressed. Despite this, she lived for a long time, although it didn't last for years.

When she started to swim less and stay at the bottom of the bowl, I decided to transfer her to a glass jar. Even so, she barely swam. It made me feel like his life wasn't as happy as it could have been. One day, someone grated Styrofoam on the roof of the house, and small pieces fell into the water. I suspect she ingested it thinking it was food.

Shortly afterwards, she began to show abdominal swelling and signs of dropsy, which alarmed me. I tried to treat her with what was available to me, such as castanet leaves, but I couldn't resort to medication due to our financial situation. In the end, I had to make the difficult decision to euthanize her so that she would no longer suffer, which was extremely painful.

I remember the look on her face when she left. I said goodbye with great regret and buried her at my grandmother's house. The guilt for not having provided a better life for her torments me to this day. I feel as if she deserved so much more and as if her departure was a reflection of the limitations we face.

Scarlat taught me a lot and brought joy to my life. I became deeply attached to her and will always miss her, just like I miss my cat. I hope no one has to go through this experience. Therefore, I ask everyone who has an animal: take good care of it. Offer him a happy life so that when the time comes, he leaves knowing he was loved.

I leave here a photo of Scarlat as a memorial. She will always be remembered with love. Rest in peace, Scarlat. I hope you are now in God's paradise.