(no subject)
So now we have fish. How did this come about, you ask? Well, let me tell you. Our charming and much loved nearly 8 year old son Thane, started asking for fish last fall. Since *I* didn't want fish, I said no. During Christmas shopping, while in a fog induced by too many hours spent breathing mall air I purchased a mini aquarium for him. I'm not sure what I was thinking, as aquariums usually involve fish (which I didn't want), but it was only $16, and I needed something else to add to his haul for Christmas. Besides, my befogged brain argued, how much trouble can a fish be?
HA HA HA.
So, a couple of weeks ago, he asks to set up the tank. "I've been very patient" he says to me (triggering Mum guilt, "my god I'm a crappy neglectful parent!")Yes you have, says me. So we get water from the grandparents, and fill the tank, and off to Pets Unlimited we go. They have very little selection in the goldfish line, suprisingly, but we buy a couple of little fantails, an apple snail, and a "bunch plant"( 'cause I think real plants are better than the stupid plastic ones) Also, fish food, snail food, gravel, and a pirate shipwreck (size small, because it's a mini aquarium ha ha). I get to the cash and "That will be $75 dollars please" she says. WHAT WHAT?!!? How can it be $75 bucks I think?!?!? But it is. Kerist. So I hand over the debit card. I say to her, there's no warrenty on fish is there? And to my great suprise she says that there is, 7 days, with the recipt. But there is obviously something she doesn't want to say. The guy behind her then says, totally deadpan, "you have to bring back the body". I laughed. So we go home, wash the gravel and ship, set up the tank, float the baggie and add the critters. The fish seem hapy, snail doesn't look good. By morning the snail is toes up, bobbing merrily on the top of the tank. So I call the store, stick the snail in a baggie in the freezer, and we continue on. Within 2 days the water is GROSS. I clean it, and realize this tank is too small for the 2 little fish, so of course what is the answer? A bigger tank of course! So I put a "tank wanted" ad on kijiji. So, I get a 10 gallon with a lid c/w built in light, a big filter, heater, aeriator, gravel, PH testing stuff, 1/2 a can of fish food, a fish net, some fake coral, a plastic plant and a spongebob pineapple house for $40 bucks, which is actually about 1/2 price or less. Unfortunately the whole thing stinks of stale tobacco smoke (YUCK). I get it home, scrub it down, we set it up. In the meantime, I return the frozen escargot, get a new, bigger version (for free, yay!), and another plant (bigger tank right?), new filter inserts, a better fishnet, more gravel and a castle. (That will be $55 bucks please!) We wash it all, set it up and transfer the denizens to thier new quarters. They are thrilled. Except the snail. He doesn't move, or anything for 2 days. But he's not floating either. Hmmm. Off to the internet. Rejoice! They will play dead for a few days when moved, and he's not dead! Good thing he didn't wind up in the freezer too... So "Gold" the solid coloured fish, "Snow" the fish with white tips on his tail, and "Gary" the snail are living happily in thier new home. So two $6 fish and a $5 snail now live in about $120+ worth of habitat...Welcome to the "pet phase" of parenthood I guess. Good thing we've got lots of room...bring on the elephants...
HA HA HA.
So, a couple of weeks ago, he asks to set up the tank. "I've been very patient" he says to me (triggering Mum guilt, "my god I'm a crappy neglectful parent!")Yes you have, says me. So we get water from the grandparents, and fill the tank, and off to Pets Unlimited we go. They have very little selection in the goldfish line, suprisingly, but we buy a couple of little fantails, an apple snail, and a "bunch plant"( 'cause I think real plants are better than the stupid plastic ones) Also, fish food, snail food, gravel, and a pirate shipwreck (size small, because it's a mini aquarium ha ha). I get to the cash and "That will be $75 dollars please" she says. WHAT WHAT?!!? How can it be $75 bucks I think?!?!? But it is. Kerist. So I hand over the debit card. I say to her, there's no warrenty on fish is there? And to my great suprise she says that there is, 7 days, with the recipt. But there is obviously something she doesn't want to say. The guy behind her then says, totally deadpan, "you have to bring back the body". I laughed. So we go home, wash the gravel and ship, set up the tank, float the baggie and add the critters. The fish seem hapy, snail doesn't look good. By morning the snail is toes up, bobbing merrily on the top of the tank. So I call the store, stick the snail in a baggie in the freezer, and we continue on. Within 2 days the water is GROSS. I clean it, and realize this tank is too small for the 2 little fish, so of course what is the answer? A bigger tank of course! So I put a "tank wanted" ad on kijiji. So, I get a 10 gallon with a lid c/w built in light, a big filter, heater, aeriator, gravel, PH testing stuff, 1/2 a can of fish food, a fish net, some fake coral, a plastic plant and a spongebob pineapple house for $40 bucks, which is actually about 1/2 price or less. Unfortunately the whole thing stinks of stale tobacco smoke (YUCK). I get it home, scrub it down, we set it up. In the meantime, I return the frozen escargot, get a new, bigger version (for free, yay!), and another plant (bigger tank right?), new filter inserts, a better fishnet, more gravel and a castle. (That will be $55 bucks please!) We wash it all, set it up and transfer the denizens to thier new quarters. They are thrilled. Except the snail. He doesn't move, or anything for 2 days. But he's not floating either. Hmmm. Off to the internet. Rejoice! They will play dead for a few days when moved, and he's not dead! Good thing he didn't wind up in the freezer too... So "Gold" the solid coloured fish, "Snow" the fish with white tips on his tail, and "Gary" the snail are living happily in thier new home. So two $6 fish and a $5 snail now live in about $120+ worth of habitat...Welcome to the "pet phase" of parenthood I guess. Good thing we've got lots of room...bring on the elephants...