A Fish Family

We did it. We finally broke down and got a pet. We sat the kids down for family night and told a story from the Friend magazine about a pet fish. And then the big announcement of getting our first family pet-A FISH. Three to be exact. Stella had an upcoming pet parade at her school and she has always been an animal LOVER. I thought it cruel to not let this sweet girl parade a pet of her own. We visited a local pet shop and checked out all the really pretty Beta fish. Apparently they are low maintenance fish but need to live separately. They told us the two females could live together but that the male fish would need separate quarters. We found out that wasn't true in our case. The one female picked on the other so bad that after a few days Brighton's fish Carter passed away. Sad day. But the other two fish Flames and Crystal are going strong in their own water space! Growing up, the mountain was my backyard and Spencer grew up out in the fields with a lot of space. Our pets were able to explore and roam free. So it has been difficult for us to make the decision about getting a pet in our well groomed, leash only neighborhood. But the wee ones do learn valuable lessons in caring for a pet. Even grief when they die. With fish you have to be a little resilient to that. I know when you give in to getting a fish it is nearly a stepping stone into the pet world. Maybe we should invest in some desert tortoises that hibernate six months out of the year. But for now we are content with our swimming beauties quietly gliding around for us to admire.