Protection...
On Thursday night, I moved the grey female out of the 12 gallon tank and put her back in the 36 gallon tank. It was apparent that she would not be breeding with Mr. White and, instead, was stirring up the tank. Based on Mr. White's behavior, he kept thinking that the smallest white female was in heat. So he would follow her around doing his mating shimmy, instead of the grey female. Talk about confused.
Anyway, I moved her over, acclimated her to the tank by leaving her in her isolation cell, and then released her after the house and tanks had been dark for a couple hours. She's doing fine.
Today, I noticed one of the white females is pretty much missing her tail fin. So I separated her into the holding cell until that grows back. A couple hours after I did that, I heard a ruckus in the tank, so I quickly glanced over and one of the other white females had gotten herself stuck between the holding cell and the side of the tank. I don't know how she got in that spot, there's really not room. She was quite panicked and finally just gave up trying to get free, her upper half was out of the water.
I moved quickly, but not too fast, I didn't want to make her panic more. I lifted the lid of the tank and moved the holding cell away from the side of the tank. She swam free and tried to rest on one of the plants. She was holding one of her side fins clamped against her side. I also started noticing some red discoloration around her fins and gills. I finally captured her and put her inside the isolation cell, too, with a divider in the middle so she and the other female in isolation don't start fighting.
After observing her, I think she's just a little bruised, she doesn't appear to be hemorraghing. She's swimming and eating just fine, better than the female with the missing tail fin. She actually appears to be quite annoyed at being so restrained. I'll release her tomorrow night, though, after a 24 hour observation period.
These two pictures (below) are of the female with the missing tail fin. Poor thing. The first picture is a bit blurry, but that is how she is sitting most of the time. So defeated and sad. Or so you would think. The second picture was taken when one of the other females swam by and she perked up her dorsal fin as a challenge. She has, quite literally, had her butt beaten and there she is ready to fight some more.
Sheez, do they never take a break???
Anyway, I moved her over, acclimated her to the tank by leaving her in her isolation cell, and then released her after the house and tanks had been dark for a couple hours. She's doing fine.
Today, I noticed one of the white females is pretty much missing her tail fin. So I separated her into the holding cell until that grows back. A couple hours after I did that, I heard a ruckus in the tank, so I quickly glanced over and one of the other white females had gotten herself stuck between the holding cell and the side of the tank. I don't know how she got in that spot, there's really not room. She was quite panicked and finally just gave up trying to get free, her upper half was out of the water.
I moved quickly, but not too fast, I didn't want to make her panic more. I lifted the lid of the tank and moved the holding cell away from the side of the tank. She swam free and tried to rest on one of the plants. She was holding one of her side fins clamped against her side. I also started noticing some red discoloration around her fins and gills. I finally captured her and put her inside the isolation cell, too, with a divider in the middle so she and the other female in isolation don't start fighting.
After observing her, I think she's just a little bruised, she doesn't appear to be hemorraghing. She's swimming and eating just fine, better than the female with the missing tail fin. She actually appears to be quite annoyed at being so restrained. I'll release her tomorrow night, though, after a 24 hour observation period.
These two pictures (below) are of the female with the missing tail fin. Poor thing. The first picture is a bit blurry, but that is how she is sitting most of the time. So defeated and sad. Or so you would think. The second picture was taken when one of the other females swam by and she perked up her dorsal fin as a challenge. She has, quite literally, had her butt beaten and there she is ready to fight some more.
Sheez, do they never take a break???
posted by Jammie J. at
2/03/2007 11:23:00 PM
