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Full Tank
Once the goldfish had to go, the vision for my 29-gallon aquarium shifted to guppies. The tank is too big for just guppies, so I expanded the vision to a community tank with mostly livebearers. Changing my mind all the time is a gift. The Red Cobra guppies are doing great. They’re always on the…
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Deer-Resistant Annuals
Outside of my fenced in backyard, deer are a problem. Trial and error has taught me a few lessons about what they will and won’t eat. The bottom line: Hungry deer will eat just about anything. Deer won’t touch toxic plants. Most are perennials, but a few can be grown as annuals including castor beans…
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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…