I can’t remember when I last felt so tired. The past couple of weeks have been hectic… in the best possible way… what with the workshop, reconnecting with old friends while they are in the country and all the usual stuff that makes up a busy day. I have a lot to write about, but tonight my brain is as seized up as the rest of me. An early night is in order… so, instead of delving deep into symbolism and spirituality, or even sharing some of the places I have been lately… I thought I would write about fish.
This is not as random as it might sound. A few weeks ago I wrote about a hitch-hiking loach and a wish for a better aquarium to replace the much-loved but antique set-up occupying the corner of my living room. The tank was a good size, but dark, falling apart at the seams and in need of a fair bit of upgrading.
Well, sometimes wishes are granted and, with some timely help from my son, I finally acquired that bigger-and-better aquarium. The night before it was due to arrive, and with help from the other son, the old tank was moved across the wall to make way for its replacement, and the sofa parked at the other side of the room…much to Ani’s disgust.
Next morning the tank was delivered. The nice gentlemen who brought it in laughed at the old one, saying they hadn’t seen one outside of a museum in decades. Then they left me to it. That was fine. After all, how hard could it be?
I had laid my plans carefully, collecting bags in which to acclimatise the fish and a big net. But first, I had three coats of paint to put on the glass… but not until after I had checked the tank for leaks.
And installed all the plumbing and electrics, laid on my back, with my head in a cupboard. And filled the thing, by hand… I mentioned it is a big tank?
The dog hid under the desk for a while, feeling her absence to be a sensible move as the sparks and water flew. But finally, I had it all in place and up to temperature. The decor was in, the lights worked… I’d even remembered to feed the wires through the back before I filled it and rendered the thing immovable!
Then came the point of no return. I needed the bacteria-holding media from the old filter to put in the new one, so that I could transfer the fish to a healthy environment. That would leave them without a heater or filtration, so I would have to work fast.
By this time, even the fish were eyeing me askance. It is seven o’clock at night and I had forty fish to catch. But, armed with my new big net, it would only take me a few minutes. Surely? Five minutes later, I had six fish happily ensconced in their bags being acclimatised.
The other thirty-four were nowhere to be seen.
The daylight had gone and, with the tank lights dismantled, the fish were invisible against the dark gravel. I bailed out half the water and wafted the net around in the tank, explaining that it was for their own good. Two must have listened, because they obligingly jumped out of the water and into the net! I was elated. This was going to be easier than I’d begun to fear!
Unfortunately, the next two jumped out of the net with a splash.
The dog beat a strategic retreat to the hallway. Me and the fish were all panicking as the temperature dropped. I bailed the tank some more; with nowhere to hide, it couldn’t take much longer…
The bristlenose glued itself to the inside of an old ornament and refused to come out. I tried to encourage it but it wriggled in deeper. I shook it gently. It clung on tighter. I moved fish and ornament together… it would have to come out sometime… and I would be waiting. Three hours later and all but four of the fish were in their new home. It took nearly an hour to catch the two I could see. The other two… the lone loach and the camouflaged pleco… were completely invisible.
Draining as much water as I could, holding a torch in my mouth, the net in one hand and a jug in the other, I started removing gravel…
After a full four hours, I had caught all my fish. Except, there was still something moving… Maybe I had forty-one? Or I’d miscounted? It looked a bit stiff, so it obviously needed to be in its new home pronto. Ten minutes later it was in the new tank, unacclimatised and very small. It proved to be another hitch-hiker. This time, a shrimp. I emptied the old tank and went to bed.
With the room finally back to rights next day, I was mesmerised watching the fish adapt to their new home. They loved it. Their colours ‘popped’ against the black-painted background. Their behaviours, with wider territories and more space, changed dramatically to a far more natural pattern as they responded to their environment.
As always, I could not help thinking about how the fish mirror and illustrate human behaviours. They had come from a dingy tank to a bright, new one… but it was the very darkness against which they were now living that brought out their beauty and true colours.
The relative poverty of their previous environment had not only been constricting in terms of space, but had repressed their natural playfulness. Given that space and light… as well as plenty of places to which they could retreat and feel safe… they have become completely different creatures.
The little rummy nosed tetras are shoaling together. The tadpole-sized ancistrus is eating its way through the driftwood and growing almost visibly. The lace-pearls have set up home together in one corner, the big tetras chase each other through the roots and the corydoras tumble over each other or burrow in the sand. The right environment, with space for choice and freedom, is allowing them to be themselves. And me? I just get the joy of watching.
But I hope I will not be catching fish again any time soon!
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
Pingback: First, catch your fish… #writephoto – The Militant Negro™
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
What a lovely post! Only you could make transferring aquariums both funny and a life metaphor.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Barb… who knew fish could hide so well in empty space? 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sue, terrific job on the tank and keeping fish alive. I am very impressed and sure I couldn’t have equalled your work. I love the look on Ani’s face. “What the heck is going on here?” Hope you, Ani and the fishies have a terrific weekend.
LikeLike
Ani is happy with her sofa back in place… and the fish seem happy too 🙂
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Serendipity – Seeking Intelligent Life on Earth and commented:
The perils of fishy friends!
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
This is a wonderful post! I had to laugh, though at the thought of an old (2 generations back) family joke in which somebody asked a parent how to blow an egg (empty it for decorating), to which the answer was “first you find an egg.” I’m glad you caught all the fish and they all love their new digs!
LikeLike
I always found blown eggs magical asa child and loved helping my great granny to prepare them 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
My dad told that story when we were about the age that would enjoy helping prepare blown eggs — it came down at least from his parents! I loved them too — and enjoyed decorating them with ribbons and ‘jewels’ a-la Faberge eggs!
LikeLike
Oddly, I don’t remember what we did with the eggs… but I do remember learning to blow them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What size is your new tank? The largest one I ever had was 55 gallons. It was huge. I never thought about painting the glass on the back of the tank. If I ever decide to get back into having a large fish tank in the house, I will give that a try. Great post, Sue.
LikeLike
This is 55 US gallons too. And being a corner tank has loads of surface area and floor space! Painting the glass black just gives it a really clean finish…no bubbles, nowhere for spders to get in and lay eggs…and using acrylic, I could always take it off again if needed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A mammoth job Sue, I’m glad it’s over for you. I’ve had the same job a few times but luckily Ju took the small fish and I got the big plecs and others.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
LikeLike
It is so good to see the fish in their new place though, isn’t it? 🙂 xxx
LikeLike
Bro had tropical fish and I found them so relaxing when I babysat.
I remember a neighbour had spent a small fortune on tropical fish and a large tank for his lounge (their flat was actually smaller than our one bedroom house which occupied a footprint of 16 feet 4 by 13 feet 8). They were most dismayed one morning when all their fish had disappeared. He’d put a lobster in the tank, and it had eaten the lot!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha Ha! A lobster? Oh dear!
LikeLiked by 2 people
The little blue lobsters can be quite agressive… I have looked, but wouldn’t risk it myself 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know just how pleasant it is to see them.in a new tank… but the faffing… oh the faffing! And I only changed my in laws small tank with one old then one new fish!
Even small water filled tanks are heavy!
Your escapades trying to catch them reminds me of the 6 hours it took to catch a particularly nasty barb we had inherited! Oh how he swerved and jumped!
Still… your tank is beautiful!
LikeLike
You wouldn’t think they could move so fast in such a confined space, would you?
On the whole, though, they are less work than dogs and cats…and we don’t really mind that. I think it is because we can lump dog and cat hair in with our cleaning, while the tank is a chore on its own. I quite enjoy it though.
LikeLike
It is very therapeutic I agree. I do miss our old tank!
LikeLike
I love having a window on a world I could not otherwise visit.
LikeLike
Perfect description Sue!
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
My history with fish is not good. We had 2 goldfish for five years. They “went to the vet” regularly and the kids accepted the occasional growth spurt or shrinkage when they returned – fortunately 😂☘️🎈
LikeLike
Ah… I remember that scenario, though it had more to do with budgies in our house 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
This was a pleasure to read. Fascinating how adaptive fish are. Fishing adventures at their best/worst. The new tank is lovely.
LikeLike
Thanks, Jennie, the fish and I are happy with it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Viv Drewa – The Owl Lady.
LikeLike
Thank you for sharing, Viv xxx
LikeLike
Your post brought back memories of my youth. My late brother, Carl, and I, each had our own fish tanks. They were not very big, but we loved them. Thank you for bringing back a wonderful memory, Sue. Hugz to you and Ani, and your fish! @v@ ❤
LikeLike
I’m glad it brought that back for you Viv 🙂 xxx
LikeLike
Wow, those fish are a bigger job than Ani. Lol 🙂 xx
LikeLike
Only this once… I hope! 😀 xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like quite the undertaking, but it looks great!
LikeLike
I wouldn’t want to have to do it again in a hurry 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
LikeLike
Thank you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think Ani would love it to catch the fishes for you. 😉 Hope you had a nice weekend, Sue!
Have a good week ahead. Michael
LikeLike
She sits and watches them as much as I do 🙂 And, when I feed them shrimp pellets, she has to have one too 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I thought Sue! Must be fascinating for her to see the little things secured by glass. 😉
LikeLike
She loves watching them…and they watch her too 🙂
LikeLike
A beautiful post, Sue! I hope you, Ani, and the fish enjoy the new tank.
LikeLike
We love it, Michelle 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
💗
LikeLiked by 1 person
You make real life seem interesting, though I myself prefer fantasy.
LikeLike
The one informs the other 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person