Fishy Tales

[The Johnster]

As some of you will know, I compound my nerdiness by not only being a railway enthusiast and modeller, but keeping fishes as well.  There are goldies in a big fibreglass planter out on the patio, and a 55l display tank in the living room, with, at the moment, a 20l isolation/nursery on the floor a couple of feet away from it.  It is these latter two that are the subject of this tale. 

 

In the display community are a pair of 'Pakistani Loach', also known as 'Yoyo Loach'.  These are brilliant characters, great scavengers and always chasing and playing.  They can be territorial but these two get on fine.  So, to set the scene, it's yesterday evening, I'm watching something on the tele, and The Squeeze has some Polish stuff streaming on her smartphone.  I'm using headphones, as I like the volume up a bit more than she's happy with, and the sound is good.  We are both enjoying, but not actively participating in, each others' company, and all is peace and relaxation. 

 

She taps me on the elbow and I pause the tv and take the cans off.  'What'?  'Fish go big splash' she says.  Well, they do, sometimes.  'Which one'?  'Big fish, small tank, yo-yo'.  There's no yo-yo in the small tank, so I think she's mistaken the big black Molly that lives in there; lighting levels in both tanks are low, and think no more about it.  But, today, there in the small tank, is a yo-yo. looking quite happy in his restricted space!

 

How the... What the...  Who the... Where the... Why the... WTF! To achieve this, he had to come out of the display at a very fine angle, he's got a vector window of about 10 degrees even if he knocks himself on the way in, five for a clean jump.  It's an easy distance, like most loaches they are quite muscular, but not an easy angle, and he's lucky not to have landed on the floor.  Of course, if he'd been going flip flippety-flop on the floor we'd have noticed it!  Next time The Squeeze says there's a yo-yo in the isotank, believe her, Johnster!

 

Yo-yos, like all loaches, are sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure, and get excitable when storms are approaching.  Weather loaches have for centuries been kept in barrels across Europe and Asia as weather forecasters, jumping and thrashing about at the surface when pressure drops and a storm is approaching a day or so before the high cloud gives you a sundog.  Ours will come up and splash at the surface but this is the first time one's made a break for the border like this! 

 

I don't cover my tanks, as I like natural lighting, but may have to rethink this!

[Rugd1022]

Compounding nerdiness is a very real condition, I wonder if a suitable ointment is available to treat it...? 😁

 

In the early '80s my dad kept tropical fish, I was forever being sent to the local pet shop for bits and bobs until it all got too expensive and he took up another hobby instead!

[The Johnster]

Fishes, Nidge, fish is a singular of them or a type of food.  I've had them most of my life, perhaps something to do with being Pisces.  It's keeping water, really, if you can keep it the way they like it the fishes look after themselves apart from the odd failed suicide attempt like last night! 

[Hroth]

Who shall have a fishy, on a little dishy?

 

My expensive alternative to model railways is photography...

[The Pilotman]

2 hours ago, The Johnster said:

I'm using headphones, as I like the volume up a bit more than she's happy with, and the sound is good.

What you really mean is you’re going a bit deaf 🤔

Edited September 19, 2023 by The Pilotman

[The Johnster]

Pardon?

 

My hearing isn't perfect, too much drumming, but hers is Roderick Usher strength! 

Edited September 19, 2023 by The Johnster