8.24
Get ready... I've had plenty of coffee and it's loosened my tounge and removed my filter.
Completely dismantled the 20g last night. It's had some weird algae growing in it, so I took the plants out and washed them as good as I could. I certaintly didn't get it all, but I'm hoping the other measures I'm taking will help.
Anyway, it's completely re-scaped now. I had pulled the blue hygro out, since it was driving me nuts, but then regretted it. Now it's back in there. We'll see how I cope with the dead leaves, nightmare roots, and constant trimmings.
I gave them their own half of the tank, so hopefully it won't be so bad. It's going to be the dark, mysterious forrest side.
The other side is going to be brighter and 'beachy.' Complete with sand. Only, I ran out of sand, so now I have to make a trip into town before I can plant everything on that side. That's okay, because I have decided I need a sword plant and more vesuvious (sp?) sword, anyway.
I have fallen in love with the new guy. If fish could be kissed, he would seriously be considering shades and a ball cap to avoid his new pathogen-sharing stalker.
And yet, he still doesn't have a name. Nothing seems to be good enough. The boys and I are making a list, and we've been very deeply contemplating what his name should be. Any names concerning his color seem kind of degrading to his personality.
He is so crazy curious about everything! He loves watching other species. I dropped some snails in his tank while I was cleaning their own, and he followed them all over the place. If they started munching on something, his showy tail and pecs would flutter like an exited puppy. "What are you doing?! Oh. My. Gosh. Is that your mouth?! Awesome!!! And these little wiggly things on your head... are those like pectoral fins?!"
At the moment, he's in the kitchen. And every time we walk by he excitedly flutters to the front of his tank, just curious, not begging for food.
So far the leading vote in names is Declan. I'm still not sure about it. I *think* I'm leaning towards Ruan or Ruar. Our list of names is kind of long... one of them that was on the list is Grass. J chose that one. I was utterly confused so I asked him why. "Because grass makes me happy. Grass is a good name."
Hmm. While amazingly cute, none of the rest of us really thought the fish looks like a Grass. J tried the name out on him, and told us it didn't really fit after all. He decided to save the name for something else that makes him happy.
Here's some pictures of him in his methylene blue dip. It makes him look weird, but it's better than his very-brown IAL water.
His best Count [Sesame Street] impression:
Today is happily sunny. My boys are having fun in mud puddles. They like to position J's bike in it so that the training wheels are on boy-made mounds, holding the bike stationary when the peddles are pushed. The back wheel sits in a rut in the puddle, so as they peddle, muddy water goes flying. They are covered in it and grinning like the cheshire cat. What more can a boy ask of life?
I wish we could hook that bike up to power the house, because with as long as they love to run it, we'd never pay another electric bill. (although that would be just another reason to get new fish tank....)
On a slightly weird note... I bought some Bill Nye the Science Guy episodes to play on our Kindle. C is a huge science fan, (yay!) so I am excited to see what he will think. Anyway.... I watched one last night and got hit with the long-forgotten memory that as a kindergartner, I wanted to marry Bill Nye. That was after I wanted to marry Keith from the Partridge Family, and before I got the whim to say vows to Bo Duke. I should not have been allowed to watch television!!!!!
I have been reading BettaSplendid's journal by loading the pages and looking at them through the week offline. (since we don't have internet at our house.) I thoroughly enjoy reading about her life and everything everyone else on the forum contributes on her journal.
I am contemplating printing them off and making a book of it to glance at when I need something encoraging and entertaining to read. Something to quote and get weird looks from the people I am quoting to.
"And who said that?" Faceless, nameless, random person says, in awe of the quirky wisdom they were hit with.
"BettaSplendid." I say, with a matter-of-fact tone that implies her name is as obvious as Einstein, Ben Franklin, or Cheif Joseph.
"Wh-who?" They ask, feeling a little sheepish at needing to ask.
"Nevermind, anyway..." I say, redirecting the conversation artfully. (yeah, right. But being socially awkward, I'm entitled to my daydreams.)
I'm just kidding, Splendid. I won't be your paparazzi or make you famous...
So... can I borrow one of your 'pacas?
While I am quoting people....