An Awkward Discovery and a Burial at Last

The Fish Cemetery 

Sparta

Xerxes: A great grave for a great fish. (I don't pick favorites;) 

Constantine

The fat Tiberius

                       

As I went to take out the trash this afternoon, I noticed that the dirt around my fish cemetery was finally thawed. So, taking advantage of the opportunity, I grabbed the dead fish bodies from the freezer... (yes I know it's macabre, but don't they do it in real mortuaries?) So I finally buried the 3 Pachuses and Xerxes, and made a tombstone for Constantine and Sparta. The dirt was pretty much mud because of the melted ice but I could still dig deep enough, so at last they are laid to rest. As for some awkward discoveries (see title), I've found out that Tiberius is a GIRL. I know, I know, it's crazy. Well, I never bothered to try and figure out his- er- her gender because it's really hard to tell with corys. So how do I know? Well, I noticed that she had been getting really fat. I thought she had just been overeating, but just out of curiosity  I did some research. Turns out she's carrying eggs! Ahhhhh! But because there are no longer and males in my tank (*sniff sniff), it won't go any further than that. I also found out that Nefertiti and Akhenaten are married.... I think it must be more awkward for them than for me...... My tank is probably the happiest I've seen it since the summer with my new guppies! I've asked my sister if she can photograph them for me, because she has a professional camera. I want good pictures of them because they are so pretty, and the pictures that I took don't do them justice. So, expect some real nice, fancy pictures real soon!

The Black Plague and a Hopeful Revival

Nefertiti

Messala

Akhenaten

RIP

I have countless tragic deaths to report. My tank was stricken with an untreatable, deathly disease. Fish after fish, The Aquatic Kingdom nearly fell to ruin. It started out with the unnamed (let's call him Sparta) fish. He died the night after I got him, the next day, I noticed Constantine was acting very strange. His mouth seemed to be stuck open. He was hiding and staying close to the heater. That night, I found him floating around. He appeared to be dead, but as I got out my net, he twitched! He was alive! What could I do? He was paralyzed and beyond my ability to help. It was so very miserable and painful to watch him suffer. I later found him dead, discolored and still. Because I had gotten both the fish only two days before, I brought the corpses to Petco for a refund/exchange. I didn't leave with any new fish. The next week, I lost the two baby Pachuses. They exhibited similar symptoms, so I did some research and found out it was incurable  A couple days later, the last and oldest Pachus died, also showing the same symptoms. I was devastated. I couldn't bear to buy more fish. The ground was frozen solid so (like Hades) I froze the bodies. Just as I was beginning to recover, yet another died. This is probably the most tragic and heartbreaking death yet---- this morning I found our dear Xerxes dead. Unlike the others, he showed absolutely no symptoms. He was the favorite of many, with his adorable mustache and 'hair'. He was one of the original fish, and probably the most dear to my heart. We will miss him. Okay, so are you feeling really sad now? Because now I have some good news! I welcomed three new guppies today! Their names are Nefertiti, Akhenaten, and Messala (From Ben-Hur)  I am most hopeful that they will live long, happy lives in my tank.

RIP

I meant to write 'God of the Underworld', but there was not enough room!

I'm glad to report that Hades has finally left the freezer and has been buried successfully (that enough snow has melted...). And I'm glad I didn't put it off, for it's snowing hard again today!

Dreadful news.... Again

It seems all I can give you these days is bad news :(. Yet another fish has passed--- our dear Hades. I hope he goes to heaven... Contrary to what his name suggests. He was a great fish and a great buddy to Athena. And now the worst news: the weather is so excessively snowy that the fish cemetery is buried under snow. So I have wrapped him up in tissues and am storing him in the freezer until spring. ( I know, I know, this is very gruesome indeed.) I just hope nobody opens that bag mistakenly while going through the freezer. I've decided to hold off on getting any fish until after New Years to give my tank time to stabilize. Rest in peace, Hades.

Hades

His "Coffin" (Sorry, I know it's upside-down)

The buried graveyard