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Missed The Big Event? (Warning, Some Sad)
Apr. 19th, 2007 10:04 amWell, we may have missed the birth of the shrimp babies.... Of course, I've said that before.
Thing is, Jacques is very ripe. The eggs underneath her swimmerettes have been getting paler and paler (a SIGN, at least according to the various websites I've consulted on this matter.) In fact, just the other day, I was remarking that I could almost make out the individual little eyes of the larval stage shrimp. However, at dinner last night Shawn pointed out that the goldfish were nipping at the underside of the fake duckweed --- something they NEVER do. They're very much bottom feeders. We'd put the duckweed in as shelter for the little ones, in fact, and they've mostly ignored it, though they like how hidden they feel under it and come out more often. Anyway, seeing this new behavior, Mason jumped to the exact same conclusion I did, "Argh," he shouted, pointing. "They're eating the baby shrimp!"
I have no proof of this, however. If they were there, those suckers must have been TINY, because I couldn't see any sign of movement or anything. I've stared and stared a Jaques (when I can find her -- now that the eggs are as transparent as she is, she's really, really hard to spot), and I really have no idea if there are eggs there or not. Sometimes I'm absolutely certain there are; other times, I'm convinced we missed the big event.
I'm just as glad if this WAS it, if only because I know that my fascination for this process was hard on Shawn. Even though Jacques is an arthopod, doomed pregnancies bother Shawn for obvious reasons. And, despite my tough talk, actually seeing the birth (and devoring!) might have triggered my own grief, too. I've been thinking a lot about Ella lately. It's spring, and though this season shouldn't have any associations at all with her (she was conceived on Halloween and died in August), my mind always turns to thoughts of her during this time of year. Maybe it's because so much of the healing process for Shawn and I was hanging out in the garden, and spring is all about getting outside into the sun after so long a darknes.. Plus, this year I'm planning a memorial garden for Ella. I've been turning compost into the garden and started making bricks for the poetry that Sean M. Murphy wrote for her on the anniversary of her conception.
Anyway, enough with the sad. I'll keep an eye on Jacques and keep ya' posted.
Thing is, Jacques is very ripe. The eggs underneath her swimmerettes have been getting paler and paler (a SIGN, at least according to the various websites I've consulted on this matter.) In fact, just the other day, I was remarking that I could almost make out the individual little eyes of the larval stage shrimp. However, at dinner last night Shawn pointed out that the goldfish were nipping at the underside of the fake duckweed --- something they NEVER do. They're very much bottom feeders. We'd put the duckweed in as shelter for the little ones, in fact, and they've mostly ignored it, though they like how hidden they feel under it and come out more often. Anyway, seeing this new behavior, Mason jumped to the exact same conclusion I did, "Argh," he shouted, pointing. "They're eating the baby shrimp!"
I have no proof of this, however. If they were there, those suckers must have been TINY, because I couldn't see any sign of movement or anything. I've stared and stared a Jaques (when I can find her -- now that the eggs are as transparent as she is, she's really, really hard to spot), and I really have no idea if there are eggs there or not. Sometimes I'm absolutely certain there are; other times, I'm convinced we missed the big event.
I'm just as glad if this WAS it, if only because I know that my fascination for this process was hard on Shawn. Even though Jacques is an arthopod, doomed pregnancies bother Shawn for obvious reasons. And, despite my tough talk, actually seeing the birth (and devoring!) might have triggered my own grief, too. I've been thinking a lot about Ella lately. It's spring, and though this season shouldn't have any associations at all with her (she was conceived on Halloween and died in August), my mind always turns to thoughts of her during this time of year. Maybe it's because so much of the healing process for Shawn and I was hanging out in the garden, and spring is all about getting outside into the sun after so long a darknes.. Plus, this year I'm planning a memorial garden for Ella. I've been turning compost into the garden and started making bricks for the poetry that Sean M. Murphy wrote for her on the anniversary of her conception.
Anyway, enough with the sad. I'll keep an eye on Jacques and keep ya' posted.