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High Drama in the Tank
All but one of the baby fish have disappeared. I suspect the swordtails, but can’t say for sure. Nonetheless, they were exiled to the outdoor pond. If they’re guilty, the baby population will rebound. If not, I was wrong. Time will tell. Banishment was contingent upon catching the trio without tearing up the well-planted tank.…
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Swordtail or Platy?
Maude has a new boyfriend. His name, of course, is Stanley. I’m happy to report the mismatched pair hit it off right away. It’s a May/September, mixed marriage. Maude, the cougar, comes from the ‘Brick Red’ clan. Stanley is a young green swordtail–like those found in the wild. Maude clearly enjoys a walk on the…
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Training Tootsie
Tootsie and I have had six-and-a-half hours of training with Bethany in ten visits. Tootsie adores her. The Training Game is fun, all about Tootsie, and chock-full of treats. What’s not to like? Sessions last sixty minutes or until Tootsie loses interest. She vastly prefers Cheerios over packaged training treats. Even so, she’s often too…
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A Proper Spring
Instead of skipping from winter to summer, the weather in Athens the past month or two has been unusually spring-like. More rain would have been nice, but temperatures have yet to hit 90 with highs mostly in the 70s. The delayed arrival of hot weather has given transplants a better chance to get settled in.…
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Guppy Love
When I “surrendered” the goldfish, I asked about special-ordering guppies. He took my name and number for the person responsible for ordering to call me. He still hasn’t called. I wanted three pairs and expected to pay $25 per pair, plush shipping. Special ordering via the pet store would likely reduce or eliminate shipping. Back…
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The Mystery of the Murky Water
The goldfish (Moesha and friends) have relocated to a spacious outdoor pond behind the pet store. The antibiotic treatment of my tank for fin and tail rot has run its course. Maude (the swordtail) and a little catfish had the tank to themselves when a new issue emerged: murky water. I noticed slightly greenish water…
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Missing Fish Case Closed
Two weeks ago, I noticed a sore on the tail of one of my goldfish. I didn’t know the cause, but suspected a fungus. I snapped a couple of pictures of the sick fish and went to the pet store. As luck would have it, the resident goldfish expert was there. He said it looked…
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No More “No”
When the dog training company mentioned in the previous post visited, I was surprised to learn they employed shock collars. I don’t know much about the devices, but the idea horrifies me–especially for a sweet little dog like Tootsie. The trainers reassured me. I finally agreed. Doubts plagued me. Feedback from friends was mixed, but…
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Troubles with Tootsie
No doubt, many of you saw it coming. My 10-month-old, eleven pound chi-weenie pup and I have some relationship issues. She’s crossed more than one red line. Something has to give. We’ve been together pretty much 24/7 since I brought her home last August. She believes my sole purpose is to play with her. Everything…
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Curbing My Enthusiasm
After a few months alone in a too-big house with a ginormous yard, I downsized. The new house was perfect. The small yard, absence of steps, and low-maintenance design were exactly what I wanted. More than ten years later, I still love this house. Space, however, is limited. There’s plenty of room–families with two or…