Last year when we brought home our beloved General Sherman, we were over the moon! Oh, how excited we were! I couldn't stop looking at him, feeding him was a blast, and everything was super awesome and happytimes. My brother, when he was here at Christmas, asked if I ever put my finger into the bowl to see if he would come over to bite me. I hadn't done that, but I had noticed that every now and again when I was feeding him, he would make violent jumping motions that would scare me. I tried sticking my finger it--what's the harm, right? So when he came over to nip at me, it was exhilarating!
Well, things went downhill fast.
Now whenever I go over to feed him, he puffs all up and starts waving his fins really fast. He jumps for me all the time, and when I stick my finger in (hey, old habits...), he literally BITES me with full on fish mouth. And this is no baby fish mouth. It is full on teeth and fish mouth on finger action.
I asked Fuzzy if Sherman ever bites him, so Fuzzy tried sticking his finger in. Nope, nothing. Sherman barely noticed Fuzzy was there. So then I tried again--FULL ON FISH MOUTH BITING! We've tried this experiment more than once. He loves Fuzzy. Hates me.
I think it is cause my hands are so red. My hyperhidrosis turns my hands bright red sometimes (once earning me the unfortunate nick name of "Bloody Hands." Thanks, Erica.) Since he is a Siamese fighting fish and all, he might feel threatened by me, thinking my red hands are another betta fish. But only mine, not Fuzzy's.
The other night when I fed him, he started frantically swimming around his bowl faster than I've ever seen before. I honestly scared me! Then he was still for a minute, then did it again! I was yelling and screaming and I called Fuzzy in to look. And then he just sat there. Silent. Unmoving. Barely breathing. I was afraid I had given him a heart attack. I got real upset, Fuzzy decided we should just go to bed, and I felt like an asshole.
The next morning, it was business as usual. Everything was fine. I think I could hear Sherman laughing in his bowl.
"Heh heh heh."
The Jerk.
So, I am watching him. Keeping one eye open. I just don't trust him.
