Depression does not always mean
Beautiful girls shattering at the wrists
A glorified, heroic battle for your sanity
Or mothers that never got the chance to say good-bye
Sometimes depression means
Not getting out of bed for three days
Because your feet refuse to believe
That they will not shatter upon impact with the floor
Sometimes depression means
That summoning the willpower
To go downstairs and do the laundry
Is the most impressive thing you accomplish that week
Sometimes depression means
Lying on the floor staring at the ceiling for hours
Because you cannot convince your body
That it is capable of movement
Sometimes depression means
Not being able to write for weeks
Because the only words you have to offer the world
Are trapped and drowning and I swear to God I’m trying
Sometimes depression means
That every single bone in your body aches
But you have to keep going through the motions
Because you are not allowed to call in to work depressed
Sometimes depression means
Ignoring every phone call for an entire month
Because yes, they have the right number
But you’re not the person they’re looking for, not anymore
"
—by “Alexandra” Tilton, NH (Teen Ink: November 2013 Issue)
Oh gosh o golly! You beautiful guys and girls have taken my Armored Queen Elsa design to over 40k notes on tumblr! I’m overwhelmed with all those nice comments, questions, and mails you sent me in the past couple of weeks. Thank you guys, you rock!!
So I saw this today on Pinterest and then found the Etsy link and I have to make a small PSA.
Please do not ever ever ever keep your betta (or any fish for that matter) in a permanent tank this small. EVER.
The seller claims that betta don’t need aeration, filtration, or a lot of water to live a long and healthy life of two years, so a wine bottle is the perfect fashionable tank for them. This is a lie.
Small tanks mean low water temp, which makes betta, a tropical fish, sick. Any good betta tank will have a heater that can be regulated to 80 degrees.
The smallest tank any betta should live in is one gallon, which is nearly three times as much as a wine bottle (or those stupid “betta vases”) will hold. Betta will thrive much better in a three gallon or larger tank.
There is nowhere in this jar for the betta to hide when he’s scared or nap when he’s tired. They do enjoy playing with their humans, but they need some aquarium decor to interact with when you’re not around.
The seller suggests cleaning the tank once a week and that filtration isn’t needed, but bettas eat and poop just like any other fish and create waste that is harmful to them. The small amount of water in this jar should be changed daily, not weekly, to avoid ammonia buildup and remove uneaten food crud. Of course, a daily water change could be avoided with a good sized tank and a nice, slow-current filter.
This person has already sold a number of these upcycled tanks to people who don’t know any better about betta care, and it makes me so sad that their beautiful fish are living unhappy lives.
