Thursday, January 24, 2013

A New Couple in Love

I have a 55-gallon aquarium in my bedroom that contains six freshwater angelfish and about 11 corydoras and a pleco.

The six angelfish have been separated into three couples since they were very young: two blue marbles have claimed one corner, two bright orange koi angels have claimed the opposite corner, and two silver blues are kind of caught in the middle (which isn't necessarily a bad thing.)

However, lately the koi angels have decided they are ready to start a family. The problem is, they want total privacy. Meaning they want everybody else to leave the aquarium.

They claimed the filter intake that is dead center in the middle of the tank and began cleaning it in preparation for laying eggs. This won't do, as everyone else in the tank will be badgered relentlessly because they have no means of escaping the lusty couple.

So I located an old filter intake that is no longer in use and I placed it into the far corner the koi angels used to claim as their own. I also added an amazon plant for good measure, as angels love laying eggs on the amazon leaves. However, it's been my experience that the novice lovers will often go for the filter intake first.

Now the couple is busy cleaning the new filter intake (which isn't connected to anything). I expect to have some eggs in the coming days or weeks. I know it might take them several tries before they get things right. If they keep trying and the eggs eventually begin to hatch, I will move them to a separate honeymoon suite like I did Lindsay Buckingfish and Stevie Fishnick.

I think I might name this couple The Captain and Tenillifish.