Showing posts with label fishy. Show all posts

Fadya, my fishie died on Sunday.

His presence in my life was for a month. For a whole month, he gave AB and me a taste of parenthood. We cleaned the tank together, played together, took turns to feed them, every morning, as soon as we got up, we would control our morning pressures and run to the tank to see if all the four were there, alive swimming and happy. For the first few days we didn't even have any other topic to speak to each other. I have clicked 400 pictures of my fishies in a month. Why did he die then? Why did we let him die?

For a few days before he died, other fishies especially Gordon was bullying him, nipping his tummy. Others would just swim around and form a gang. Poor Fadya would get scared - you could make out. I kept the lights off so that he could hide and they leave him alone. That was all I could do. AB would tap the tank to scare the other fish away when they neared him, that didn't help either. Saturday, he looked huge. He had puffed up and couldn't swim. He kept sitting on things, and later that evening, he started to hide and go away from the others. They had stopped bothering him, but he kept away. He was dying. So he secluded himself. Brave fish. And I watched him helplessly.

My only consolation was Govinda. This little baby was a source of our strength. The whole of Saturday Govinda didn't swim merrily around the tank like he does everyday. He was with Fadya. Not poking him, not chasing him. Just sitting by his side. He didn't even leave his side to eat! For some time, I thought maybe he too wasn't feeling well. But he was as fit as a fiddle. He just chose to sit by his dying friend. Fadya tried to avoid him, he wanted to be left alone, suffering. He was hiding and running away from everything and everyone, but Govinda was that annoying little friend who wouldn't let him be alone, suffer alone. The kind of friend who clings to you, glues to you and says 'hate me if you want, but I will not turn my back on you'.

We were surprised to see Fadya find really tricky places in the tank to hide, even more surprised to see Govinda find a spot next to him, just looking at him. After Fadya was removed from the tank, Govinda was relentlessly swimming to the same places Fadya hid as if he searched for him, but didn't find him.

Fadya's loss upset me but Govinda's strength intrigued me, moved me, reminded me of precious emotions often taken for granted. Here's a little thanks for all the gems who have stood by me through dark phases, being my strength and a little wish and a prayer for all of you to be blessed with such an angel in your life and when the time comes, you to be somebody's angel too.

I finally have captured some pictures of my fish, chosen names too :)

Meet John Abraham

He is the handsomest fish in the lot! He also poses quite willingly everytime I get closer to the tank with my camera while the others run away and hide. He comes to meet me each time I go closer to the tank, and feels my hand the most when I have it inside the tank. This name was but natural for him :-)

Meet Govinda

I kept him this name because he keeps dancing around the tank all the time. After seeing 'Do Knot Disturb', I can say that he also does 'Dolly dolly dolly' a lot. Secondly his colour combination is typically Govinda style! After feeding him, he goes around the tank at 200 miles per hour! Crazy fish! Whoever says looking at fish releases your stress, think again. I can vouch for the fact that watching him can actually cause you motion sickness!



Meet Fadya

AB chose this name which means 'a coward'. This fish is the biggest chicken I have ever seen - no wonder his tank mates gang up and bully him. Seriously! They corner him and poke his tummy, and he neither looks tickled nor pleased. AB calls Fadya his fish. Coz when AB comes closer to the tank, Fadya automatically swims towards him as if to say 'hi' :)



Meet Lord Gordon Grey

Yes, he is a Lord (I really wanted to give one of my fish an English name). He leads the other fish, knows instantly when food is dropped in the tank, keeps nibbling things the whole day, others fear him and he is the smartest of the lot. A true leader and a megalomaniac. And a living example of gluttony. Oh, he once thought my hand is a giant lump of food and bit it!






Family photo...

They are simply one more source of joy in the ups and downs of life! It feels good to go home and check them out first even before removing my shoes. Stupid cuties :)

Although they are so tiny they have their own personalities like I mentioned above. This particular breed are known for multiplying like crazy. Which is why I have all males. If I were to introduce females, it would be in the ratio of 1male:3females else the females will get sexually stressed out and die! Also, I must make sure I have plenty of plants in the tank for the females to hide from the despo males! This breed knows this characteristic of itself so well that in a river in Mexico, they sexually assaulted females of other species, leading to death thus driving other species into extinction (can't find the link to put up)! Oh, did I say they are supposed to have a memory span of 3 seconds? Figure it out!

My friend V saw them and asked "Why did AB give you fish? I mean fish are stupid! You cannot pet or cuddle them..."
I said "we are trying to take up responsibilities one step at a time dear - fish first, maybe a hamster or a guinea pig next, then a dog and then finally a kid!"
*winks* *winks*

AB and I recently celebrated our 10th love anniversary and he gifted my a beautiful fish tank. Today we went together and bought 4 guppies :)

I tried to take some pictures, but they are swimming really fast as they seem to be still adjusting to the new environment. They seem a bit calmer now but after I feed them tomorrow morning, I hope to make friends with them, then maybe I can take some pictures...

They are very tiny - one is a pale yellow colour, with a bright yellow tail and orange spots, one is dark grey, one is deep blue with orange and blue patterns on his tail, one is dark grey with a bright orange tail. They are very lively fish who likes to play 'chase a fish' and 'hide and seek' a lot!

AB noticed that they are going round and round in clockwise direction only, hope that's normal!

Sigh, there are so many measures and precautions to take - and they are only fish! They have their own heater and thermometer inside to keep the water at 23-25 C. They are extremely sensitive, even if I move the tank slightly, they get all tensed and start swimming fast!

I am still thinking about names. Suggestions are welcome (they are all male by the way). I deliberately didn't buy any female because guppies do only 3 things - eat, poo and breed (they are also called 'the Millionfish')! And I am not ready to become a grandma just yet :)

I Googled for some pics to give you all an idea -

My tank looks like this




Guppies



And a Wiki link to get to know more about them - here