Tales from the Tank #27

Date: Nov 19, 2012.

Subject: Wigglers

Yep. Houston...we have wigglers. Lots of wigglers. Itsty Bitsy Teeny Tiny Wigglers.
They were on the side of the glass, and as I was watching them, the parents began to move them to a log we have in the tank that has a slight flat spot. According to our source...the parents will move them back and forth until they are free swimming to keep them away from predators. These parents are definitely working overtime.
 
When I got home from work, I checked the tank - THEY WERE GONE. No longer on the log, no longer on the tank...OMG did they get eaten? Bad Parents...really BAD parents.

Wait! What's that fuzzy stuff on the heater? It's the babies!  In about 12 hours they went from little clearish nothings to little grey fuzzy things hanging on the top of the heater.

Now you need to understand that during the last few days, Terry and I have been having the conversation about "letting nature takes it course" because I was not setting up a separate tank and raising brine shrimp and making paste in order to feed them.  So we now have a "gentleman's" agreement to "No heroic measures".

Then Kathi stopped by to see the little miracles.  During the course of the conversation I mentioned about the whole nature taking its course - and what did my most devote animal lover friend say?  "You've come this far - it would be a shame not to watch them grow".  Ok, so $16.00 later...so much for "no heroic measures".

So off to Petsmart I went... to get a tank divider. After the divider was in, we put the filter net over the intake valve - so the little suckers don't get sucked into the filter. 

Yes Virginia, you can baby proof a fish tank.LOL

By the time we went to bed, they were back on the log. It's so funny to watch. One parent was moving them to the glass and one parent was taking them from the glass and putting them back on the log.

I guess that's how you argue over the kids when you're underwater.

Tuesday they were even a little bit bigger - and a little more thinned out.  Hum...some of them must not have survived the tug of war their parents were having.

I must say that I thought Angel fish were very peaceful fish, gliding around, barely moving a fin...but to watch these two continually hound, pound and force the other fish - even the pleco - to stay on the opposite side of the tank - my opinion of these first time parents has steadily risen (except of course when they eat their tank mates). 

The tank is more peaceful, but the parents are still moving them back and forth - last night to the air tubing. This morning to the log and tonight back to the heater.

I wonder where the little buggers...opps I mean wigglers will be tomorrow.