Jason's fishy tale continues...

Starting a fish tank: Part 2

So last week I told you about the fish tank I was keen to start.

After getting the basics in, I decided to get some fish...or else looking at bubbling water might get a bit tedious. So, after doing a bit of reading (yes, reading) I made a decision to get some Platies.

But seeing as these are no ordinary fish - I went ahead and bought some Tuxedo Platies. Yeah, I know, I expected them to be wearing little seaweed suits too.

Alas no, it's just the colouring on them...

On the way home one of the Platies opened up to me about his trip.

I'm serious.

Turns out these fish are quite special.

He told me that a few weeks ago he was offered a holiday package to Africa. Flakes, bowl with a view and gravel all inclusive. He said that a man with a serious beard was looking for local fish to go on a holiday. Or so he thought. Turns out this chap was a fish-napper and what followed was weeks of stale bread and survival through the jungles of a Venezualan fish prison. See what happened was the bearded man - who the Platy called "Carlos" - was using the fish to smuggle seaweed into Africa - and the fish, desperate to visit bluer waters, were sucked into this scam like algea on a 150w filter...

Anyway, Platie managed to escape - and made a swim for a nearby underwater poker den where he paid a guy to let him catch a current to South Africa.

That's when he was picked up by some locals who offered him fresh worms and a place to swim...

That's when we met. He along with two females and another male were scooped up ( rather unceremoniously if you think about it) into a packet - destination Le tank McCall.

He hopes that his life will improve as he has many generations of fry to create - being a livebreeder (they dig to breed) .

There are Danios in this packet - but because they swim faster than a bullet - it's hard to get a pic of them!

So one and a bit weeks' later - I have four platies , (one is preggers I think) two guppies and two zebra danios.

So far they seem to be doing well. The tank was fitted with a light yesterday and things are going well. 

I think that the two guppies are hitting it off - I saw the male (who is blue) giving the orange female googly eyes...

You can see the two guppies have just had a domestic - they aren't talking to one another and the male has a black eye #justsaying

The Tuxedo Platies have no tuxedo - well they do but I kinda imagined at least 40 percent cotton tuxedos... But they look pretty sweet.

But now I need to name them. So yeah, next week it's name time!

Any tips for making their lives better would be greatly appreciated :).

Till next time

Cheers

- Jason