Day in the Life of an Idiot

I haven't posted about the fish in a long time so I thought I should give y'all a quickie update.

We suddenly have "tetrum" again. Tetrum being my goofy plural version of tetra. I've been leaving the upstairs five-gallon tank alone since the horrific death of Dip, the powder-blue, dwarf gourami. One solitary tetra named "Pirhana" has been living there for several months with a ghost/glass shrimp named "Happy." Tetra aren't supposed to live alone, being schooling fish that like to be in groups of six or more. Pirhana seemed okay alone for a while, but lately he started staring at the reflection of himself in the glass (and I know fish do this, but, well, it seemed unusual for him.... not to mention kind of sad.)

When Mason and I were out at Adventure Peak Mason suggested we visit A World of Fish (which is nearby). I called Shawn and said, "should we get more tetra for Pirhana?" She said, "Heck ya! Pick up a half dozen!"

So we did.

We now have six new tetra, named: Pnumatic tube, violin, trumpt, kettle drum, hiding tetra, and eating tetra.

Everyone seems to be getting along swimmingly, and I was extremely pleased to see everyone school up the instant they were released. Their school is getting a little looser now, and I do worry about "hiding tetra" (who isn't the same as Pirhana) because the sick ones supposedly seperate themselves from the pack.

I changed their water today and will go back to a slightly more vigorous water changing schedule for them -- I'd been down to once a week for Pirhana because well, it was one tiny fish in five gallons. Now that there are seven total... well, I figure I should probably be more diligent.

Also, in the downstairs tank I've only seen one shrimp (Handel, the one who is "berried")... and there are supposed to be three.  I suspect they're in there, but I haven't spotted 'em in a while.

Mason and I are off to McPhail Music Center for another MomCulture event -- this time we'll be watching a jazz duo performing.  Mason has been very excited for this one, too, and I can only hope that it will compare favorably to the opera singers.  

Revisions on tatehallaway's book have been going slowly.  Some day I'm going to have to take some time to really ponder why it is this book was soooooooo hard to write, because it really has been.  From starting it to finishing it... and now I've been dragging my butt through the polishing up process -- a part of novel writing, I usually prefer.  (I mean, the words are written.  Now I get to play with them!)  

Still no sign of Jaques.  I fear the worst.  However, Shawn gave me permission to get a couple more ghost/glass shrimp.   There's nothing like a little territorial competition to make a grrl come out of hiding, I suspect.  Fingers crossed, anyway.