Dave's Kidney Stone

OUCH.

Things are starting to fill in nicely with the new plants.



I found a new type of snail in the tank. Typically I have seen common pond snails, but I think this one is a Ramshorn. They have a really nice reddish brown color that matures to a nice purple as they develop. I love the long antennae, they serve the function of a type of gill, though they also have a pallial cavity (primitive lung) like the pondsnails.

Full Moon

It was very cold and the moon was stunning. I spent an hour and finally good a clear picture of the moon.




A much longer exposure (nearly 8 seconds)

Sad for Muta

Muta as Leela calls her and Amunet as she was named; has an infection in her eye. It's all swollen, red and gunky. We put an antibiotic in her eye twice a day, poor girl.

Birthday Cake and Shrimp Surprise

We celebrated Leela's birthday at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Candle flame smoke is stinky!





The next day, I lifted up a clump of Java fern to clean it and out popped two Amano shrimp!! They must have survived the great yeast disaster (all the rest of the shrimp did not) and have grown pretty big. They're about an inch and half long. It's hard to take pictures of them, they move so fast.

Albino Corydora

I brought home 6 of these little guys today. They are absolutely adorable. The Siamese Algae Eater went to a new home.

Kahn was a beautiful rooster.

Then he attacked the kids.


Good flavor, but the meat was too tough.

We're going Bowling!

Rearranged the plants a bit. I'm not sure what to do with the right corner. Maybe some Manzanita branches. The fish seem to enjoy it when I move things around. They spend a lot of time exploring the new hiding places that have been created.

Leela calls the cat Muta (moo-tah). Here is Muta socializing with some of our friendly neighborhood deer in August.



I pulled a box out of the attic filled with things from before I got married. I found this old figurine and thought she would be beautiful playing her serene, silent lute to the fishes.

So Glamorous!

Leela posing for the camera while waiting for the preschool bus. She picked out her outfit.


Cooper and Sammy playing dress-up.

Coming Along Nicely

Growing plants underwater AND keeping fish healthy is turning out to be a challenge. I'm learning about the delicate balance of nature and water chemistry.

BEFORE:




AFTER: