More Babies.
This morning the holding female that was overdue let her babies go. The fancy baby contraption seemed to work well on the unsuspecting ones. Apparently, the tube sucked half of them and the other half realized what was going on and swam to portions of the tank that wouldn't suction them in.
I netted the female out and into the holding cell off the main tank, I'll let her go the night of March 21st after she's had a day to recuperate and eat uninterrupted.
Then I pulled the green insert out of the fancy contraption and shooed the stubborn babies in the tube. All but two went. So, in their young lives, I netted them and put them in the baby cell. That's right, they may be stubborn but I'm bigger.
Then I used a tank divider for a 20 gallon tank and separated a portion of the 12 gallon tank into a small space for the new babies. I don't know what the heck is up with the tank divider but it was too short and barely wide enough for my 12 gallon tank. My husband thinks it's because my 12 gallon tank is a weird size. Hmph. Still. I had to build up a rock bank and set the divider on top of the rocks so it'd be tall enough. I did have to cut off about an inch off the width. I was very careful with my cutting because, as we all know, it's easier to keep cutting than it is to replace what shouldn't have been taken off. That took some time.
Then, it was all done and one of the smaller babies had slipped through. (sigh) So, I netted it out and put it on the correct side of the divider. Fixed the divider and in the process another little one slipped through. Gah! I netted that one back over. Then I took the little baby cell out of the 5 gallon tank and put it in the 12 gallon tank to start adjusting them to the temperature/chemistry.
Finally, I released them and dagnabbit, if one of the smaller babies from the other side didn't swim up to the very top of the tank and slip through a tiny little opening between the divider and the tank wall! I figured since he wanted over there bad enough, he could stay. He's not big enough to cause any damage. Maybe he'll be a leader where once he was the under dog? Hark! Lead the babies!
The best part of all that was after I was done, my husband came downstairs and peered in their tank. "Awww, look, they're so tiny and cute."
"Yes." I agreed.
"Wow, those other ones are so big."
"Yeah, I know. Hard to believe they'll someday be as big as those adults over there."
More murmurs of adoration came from him and THEN he realized what he was doing. He was turning into a fish freak like me! Yes! Yes! I will convert him. I will.
Did I mention, I heard about a cichlid convention in Chicago? And that I actually gave some consideration to attending?
I netted the female out and into the holding cell off the main tank, I'll let her go the night of March 21st after she's had a day to recuperate and eat uninterrupted.
Then I pulled the green insert out of the fancy contraption and shooed the stubborn babies in the tube. All but two went. So, in their young lives, I netted them and put them in the baby cell. That's right, they may be stubborn but I'm bigger.
Then I used a tank divider for a 20 gallon tank and separated a portion of the 12 gallon tank into a small space for the new babies. I don't know what the heck is up with the tank divider but it was too short and barely wide enough for my 12 gallon tank. My husband thinks it's because my 12 gallon tank is a weird size. Hmph. Still. I had to build up a rock bank and set the divider on top of the rocks so it'd be tall enough. I did have to cut off about an inch off the width. I was very careful with my cutting because, as we all know, it's easier to keep cutting than it is to replace what shouldn't have been taken off. That took some time.
Then, it was all done and one of the smaller babies had slipped through. (sigh) So, I netted it out and put it on the correct side of the divider. Fixed the divider and in the process another little one slipped through. Gah! I netted that one back over. Then I took the little baby cell out of the 5 gallon tank and put it in the 12 gallon tank to start adjusting them to the temperature/chemistry.
Finally, I released them and dagnabbit, if one of the smaller babies from the other side didn't swim up to the very top of the tank and slip through a tiny little opening between the divider and the tank wall! I figured since he wanted over there bad enough, he could stay. He's not big enough to cause any damage. Maybe he'll be a leader where once he was the under dog? Hark! Lead the babies!
The best part of all that was after I was done, my husband came downstairs and peered in their tank. "Awww, look, they're so tiny and cute."
"Yes." I agreed.
"Wow, those other ones are so big."
"Yeah, I know. Hard to believe they'll someday be as big as those adults over there."
More murmurs of adoration came from him and THEN he realized what he was doing. He was turning into a fish freak like me! Yes! Yes! I will convert him. I will.
Did I mention, I heard about a cichlid convention in Chicago? And that I actually gave some consideration to attending?
posted by Jammie J. at
3/20/2006 10:40:00 PM
