Happy Birthday...
Today one of my tropical fish gave birth to a slew of babies. It wasn't totally unexpected - I saw her getting plump and could see little dark dots in her belly (the eyes of the developing fry.) I decided to make a trip to Petco this morning, picked up some newborn fish food, some grassy plants for them to hide in, and a new birthing tank (small plastic contraption that floats in the tank - you put in the mother and the little ones fall through a slit into a lower compartment where she can't get and eat them.) I got home and had no idea how close she might be to giving birth, but decided to put her in it anyway, and sure enough, checked it a few hours later and a bunch of tiny pink-ish big-eyed fry are staring at me! I counted 15, 16, and 17 - they move around a bit, so it's hard to be sure. Now I want to keep jumping up and looking at them. Isn't this how new moms behave when they first put their infants in their new cribs?
Bummer, though, I had to go to Petco because the pet/aquarium store on my street went out of business. I'd bought my aquarium there originally, and almost all of the supplies/fish for it since. Last time I had baby fish, I didn't even know they were coming and wound up running to the neighborhood store to get the baby tank. It was only two minutes away, so there were still some babies when I got home. I used a ladle to scoop them up to safety, although also wound up sending some to their deaths, as when I started chasing them they caught the eyes of the bigger adult fish who swooped in and swallowed them. I managed to save only 4 or 5 that day. Still, if it weren't for the local store, I'd have lost them all! Sigh. I really miss the place - the guys who worked there were really nice, too. (Petco, not so much.)
I would post a picture but I don't want to startle everybody right now with a flash. It's been a hectic day in the tank, and poor mama fish really needs her rest. She's hiding behind a rock now; hopefully I didn't traumatize her too much today.
Wait... Okay, I took some, without flash. Not super clear, but you get the idea.
Bummer, though, I had to go to Petco because the pet/aquarium store on my street went out of business. I'd bought my aquarium there originally, and almost all of the supplies/fish for it since. Last time I had baby fish, I didn't even know they were coming and wound up running to the neighborhood store to get the baby tank. It was only two minutes away, so there were still some babies when I got home. I used a ladle to scoop them up to safety, although also wound up sending some to their deaths, as when I started chasing them they caught the eyes of the bigger adult fish who swooped in and swallowed them. I managed to save only 4 or 5 that day. Still, if it weren't for the local store, I'd have lost them all! Sigh. I really miss the place - the guys who worked there were really nice, too. (Petco, not so much.)
I would post a picture but I don't want to startle everybody right now with a flash. It's been a hectic day in the tank, and poor mama fish really needs her rest. She's hiding behind a rock now; hopefully I didn't traumatize her too much today.
Wait... Okay, I took some, without flash. Not super clear, but you get the idea.
posted by medusa at 5:20 PM
2 Comments:
That's a wonderful picture.
thanks!
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