An Environment in Which Man and Fish Can Co-Exist Peacefully
- April 16th, 2008
I hit up Petco and bought some fish this weekend. Bettas, specifically. When I lived in Dallas, I had several bettas over the years… up to three at once, I think. I really like how tropical they look and low maintenance they are.
As you may know, bettas are Siamese fighting fish, so you can only have one in the container at a time or they’ll tear it up. You can have a male/female combo, but only under certain circumstances. They pretty much tear it up, too. The males are the most commonly owned and the most “fancy”.
So, it became a tradition to name my pretty, fabulous, colorful, fancy male fish names that suit such fierceness: Nelly, Mary, Nancy, Mark, Rick and Steve. I stopped short of giving them track lighting. (And if you laugh at that, you are so my people. Come over and we’ll have ‘armadilla cake’.)
Anyway, I’ve got them on opposite sides of the living room. One is your standard betta. He’s primarily turquoise and pink with some red bits and speckly white bits. It really depends from which direction you’re viewing and if he’s stumbled into some dramatic backlighting.
The other is a delta-tail betta which have shorter, rounded-but-fluffier, guppy-like tails. Like a ruffly fan. They don’t seem to be as bold in color… at least from the selection I saw, but they’re beautiful nonetheless. This one is kind of a gray-blue color. Saturated, but not bright if that makes sense. 
His colors are more subtle, changing to a deep midnight blue, almost charcoal color. He’s not as swimmy as the other guy, but I think it may be because I don’t have much in his bowl yet, just some glass stones in the bottom. Usually, they like a simple plant or something for interest so they can hide in it or around it. Otherwise, they just swim or lie on the smooth stones on the bottom. Not very exciting… at least the first guy has an Easter Island dude to keep him company.
I keep calling them the first guy and the second guy because I don’t have names for them yet. I’m kind of at a loss. What am I left with? Patsy and Edina? Captain and Tennille? Gilbert and Sullivan? Martini and Rossi?
Got any ideas for two-some names? Help a girl out. My fish need names! 
- Filed under: uncategorized
got one of your own? share it.
Jay and silent Bob!
That’s my vote…
Bruce and Terrance? Blaise and Dennis? or how about …. Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka?
Clarence and Thomas?
Bert and Ernie?
Thelma and Louise?
Bob and Rhonda?
Fred and Barney?
Esther and Gertrude?
pinky, the brain
curly, moe
heidi, tim
Ok, these two are completely unrelated, but the two top ones for me right now are: “Neil Patrick Harris” and “Hashbrown”
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
Thing 1 and Thing 2.
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.
OOHH!!!
Waldorf and Stadler!!!
LOVE Waldorf & Statler. Also:
Starksy & Hutch
Peaches & Herb
Terrence & Philip
or… HAROLD & KUMAR!
Statler and Waldorf are my favorite Muppets. Followed by the Prawn.
Joel and Ethan
Fred and Ginger
Lucy and RIcky
Anthony and Cleopatra
In my family we called my stepbrothers Frick and Frack, but I don’t know where they came from.
Hi there…long time reader, first time responder! You had me at “armadilla cake” so I had to respond. That said, even though it’s not gender correct – how can you not name them Ouiser and Clairee? If you would rather name them after the finer male characters, how about Drum and Jackson?
Just a thought…
Celine and Cher??
Reichen and Lance?
Paula and Randy?
*gives up*
Fred and Ethel
Sammy and Dean
Flip and Flop
Tom and Jerry
Mutt and Jeff
Boris and Natasha
Rocky and Bullwinkle
Scooby and Shaggy
I’m sensing a cartoon theme starting here….sorry. *shrugs*
My contribution—for some reason, this was fun for me. Someone save me from my life !!
Milli & Vanilli
Broke & Back
Jimmy (Kimmel) & Ben (Affleck)
Hall & Oates
Gilligan & Skipper… for that matter, Ginger & Mary Anne
John & Yoko
Ike & Tina
Butch & Sundance
Lenny & Squiggy
Bonnie & Clyde
Itchy & Scratchy
Gin & Tonic
Moby & Dick
Samson & Delilah
Fred & Wilma
Mac & Cheese
Bo & Luke
Englebert & Humperdinck
Popeye & Olive Oyl
Asti and Spumanti
Ass and Hole (sorry, had to do it)
Harold and Kumar
Beavis & Butthead
Rock & Roll
Moxie & Moe
Powder & Puff
(Enough with the alliteration)
Richie & The Fonz
Sandy & Diego
Sigfried and Roy
OMG. I went to bed last night with two faves in my head and now… oh, I don’t know! There are so many good ones.
@Kari: I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. YOU ARE SO RIGHT. Brilliant suggestion! *adds to the short list*
@geeky: Sigfried and Roy is pretty good, too! Nothin’ says ‘fancy male’ like Sigfried and Roy!
@Darren: Hall & Oates made me just laugh out loud. I LOVE HALL & OATES! Also, brilliant!!
I’m going with Ace and Gary… The Ambiguously Gay Duo.
Rick Astly & Regis Philbin (I don’t know why – but I like it)
Bob Barker & Rod Roddy (Come on Down!)
Bill & Ted (Excellent)
Wayne and Garth (Party On!)
Corey Haim & Corey Feldman (2 Coreys!)
Good luck – let us know what you decide!
Brian and Stewie.
Will the Armadilla cake be blood red velvet?
And will the surrounding blush and bashful pink?
Harold and Kumar was my first thought too.
Followed by Sushi and Sashimi.
@daniel: you give UP? well, you’re just not the gay I thought you were! hehehe. I kid, I kid.
@Amy in MN: with gray icin’!
I had a few suggestions but after reading these, I can’t think of what they were! I’m too wrapped up in these brilliant suggestions! HA!
I suggest Walker and Texas Ranger
Damn-Someone took my Hall & Oats.
Ok-
Scotch & Soda
Cream and sugar
Soap and Water
Tick and Tock
Daffy and Bugs
Hi and Lois (very old comic strip)
Blondie and Dagwood
Mickey and Minnie
Donald and Daisy
Sonny and Cher
Donny and Marie
I think I’m done for now.
I thought it would be easy to recommend some fish names.. I was wrong but heres what I got.
mocha and chino
oreo and cookie
Ariel and Sebastin or Flounder Plush