Rainy & Lazy Saturday

[wsantia1]

Good afternoon everyone. It was a lazy and rainy morning for me and I am just starting to get moving around with exception of feeding the pets this morning. The rain was expected and we are finally to the point where we are no longer in mild drought conditions. We are currently at our high temp of 74 degrees and the rain will continue until 6:00 PM.

I was supposed to be working on a couple of tanks (Turtle, African Cichlids and Shrimp) today but I am so far behind schedule that I will probably only get to the turtle tank. Like I said, it is a lazy day so far.

Hopefully you all are good and I'll check in a little later when hopefully I have accomplished something.

[LizStreithorst]

Hi Willie and everyone else when you pop in.  Willie, being old means you are always behind.  At least that's true for this old lady.  They say we have a chance of a shower later this afternoon but so far it's partly cloudy and breezy.  It would be lovely out if it weren't so damn hot.

I really didn't want to go to the feed store today.  I wanted to do house and fish stuff.  But Charlotte didn't have enough feed to get through till Monday so I went and picked up 4 sacks.  The nice thing is that my mileage has ticked up to 38.3 while I was driving.  Gas is going down and I'm at !/4 tank so I'll be looking around for a good price.  Least I've seen so far is $4.18.

My Discus wigglers from my best pair were free swimming by the time I got home from the feed store.  I played it as safe as I knew how since this pair has a long history of eating their kids.  There were a ton of fry so I poured half into the tank with the pair that has wigglers attached that are 3 days older.  That pair didn't produce a large spawn.  They have accepted the new fry and now they have a whole batch of fry eating from their sides.  The other half I poured into the tank with their parents.  I have their tank covered  with towels because I thought that may be they were eating the kids because dad thought that I was the enemy and ate the kids to protect them from me eating them.  (I'm trying to get into the mind of a Discus)  I'm not going to bother that tank at all for several days before I peek in.  I don't know if I'll see fry feeding from their parents or fry gone.  Either way, I'll have a bunch of Discus to grow out.  Number 2 pair has good parenting instincts.  I've been waiting for a ton of Discus fry to grow out for a very long time.  You will like these, Barb.

My pic is of the Hillstream Loach tank that I set up yesterday.  From what I've read they should like it.  Lots of places to investigate and lots of places for bio film to grow on.  They like that.  I bought the first powerhead I've ever had because these guys are river fish and like a strong current.  That big pretty piece of wood came from the fish store.  It was in the place where they have things for lizards and snakes.  I checked to see if it was aquarium safe by putting a group of snots in a 29 with it for several days.  The wood produced a whole lot of tannins but the snots did fine so I moved the wood into the 60 wide where the loach will go.  I took a pic of the tank.  It's not a show tank, it's a breeding tank.  I know that it's glass is full of scratches but I don't care, but next time I take a pic I will clean the outside of the glass.

[Barb]

Good afternoon Willie and Liz, and Ron later on.  I just came in from cleaning up some yard mess brought on by the 4 1/2" of rain yesterday and last night!  Holy cow did it pour, and for about 2 hrs.  I think the drought  finally over, until the next one of course.  We go from too much to too little here every summer now. It is just never normal anymore.  And it is very hot and humid too, as usual for mid July.  At least no hurricanes coming, yet.

Liz I have excitement now about MAYBE getting some quarters to half dollars later on. 
and by then, if it works out with them, I will be all healed up and ready to get back to those daily wc's.  I certainly have the empty tank space, they are filled with tropical plants and or orchids for now. I don't know what Hillstream loaches are, will have to go look them up.  Your tank for them looks good!

Willie and Ron you guys are always busy, despite some aches and pains.  Me too, and Liz does her best.  My preop work is Tues and Fri of this coming week.  One at the clinic, other at the hospital.

The garden talk I went to downtown was fabulous, topic was "the history of gardening".  The speaker, Bryce Lane, 65, is a Horticulture professor at NC State U, for over 40 yrs, and I have enjoyed many of his talks over the past 6 years or so, when he comes here.  Liz, I bet he and Felder know each other.  His home garden is what I have used as a guide for mine.

Ron hope you get some rain out there in that high heat.  Willie, glad you got some like I did.  Liz hope you get your share too.
Barb