Fishies!
*is happy*
I got a present today.
Dad and I drove off on a four-hour-journey trip to visit a Koi breeder. And now I'm the proud owner of five new, tiiiiny little Koi.
I didn't write about it outside of my private journal, but back in January our pond got poisoned with leaking fertilizer from a nearby field and all of my fish but three Shubunkin have died pitifully.
That was also not two weeks before grammy passed away, so it was all over a quite difficult time for all of us. If grief hits, it hits hard.
But now my dad has worked really hard to overhaul the whole garden and pond, replacing most of the water-plants and all of the water and then some. I feel a bit sorry for him, it was a tedious and expensive work, and mum and I couldn't even help.
Anyway, the water quality is top again and so today I was charged in picking new pets.
And me being me, I was extremely picky (and drove dad nuts over it *g*)
This is what I got:
- a yondan kohaku (white and red),
- a yamabuki ogon (golden),
- a shiro bekko (white with black spot pattern),
- a tancho showa (black with white spot pattern and a single red dot on the head)
- and the last one is what I hope will turn out to be a benikikokuryu if he grows and the colours deepen (the kawarimono one with white, red strewn along the sides and mouth and a blue doitsu pattern along the back.)
This last one I actually chose on a whim because he was more energetic than the rest. He looked like the class clown of the huge bunch of fish in the breeder's basin. I fell for him, yeah.
Sadly, I didn't manage to get a chagoi. They don't look much (dull greenish-brown) but they're the most impressive when they grow out.
And on that thought, it's hard to believe those little 12 cm guys will become as big as our last ones (65 cm) and hopefully even bigger. *sigh*
It'll take a few years yet, though.
Dad's now planning to build a basin in the cellar for them to spend the winter in. We're not risking another pond-catastrophe.
I had fun putting them in our pond, too. The Shubunkin hated them on sight and chased them around for a bit, though by now it has calmed down. Funnily enough the shiro bekko got instantly adopted by the 'kin and they're now playing the big four bullies: the others keep hiding between the plants in fear. It'll take a few days for them to figure out a hierachy, I guess.
Btw, I made some pictures during the transfer:
Here little fishies...
and by the way, this is their new home:
Yes I know, the pump looks ugly. It is usually hidden behind a veil of tall reed, but we had to pluck all of it. Still planning to put in a new one. Also, this is not the green hose you're looking for... *coughs*
And the rolled up sausage in the upper right corner is our dog. That chiller!
//end of utter nerd-dom
On other news: New Who ep tonight! Finally! Though with an eulogy for poor Mrs. Elisabeth Sladen. *is a bit sad*
I got a present today.
Dad and I drove off on a four-hour-journey trip to visit a Koi breeder. And now I'm the proud owner of five new, tiiiiny little Koi.
I didn't write about it outside of my private journal, but back in January our pond got poisoned with leaking fertilizer from a nearby field and all of my fish but three Shubunkin have died pitifully.
That was also not two weeks before grammy passed away, so it was all over a quite difficult time for all of us. If grief hits, it hits hard.
But now my dad has worked really hard to overhaul the whole garden and pond, replacing most of the water-plants and all of the water and then some. I feel a bit sorry for him, it was a tedious and expensive work, and mum and I couldn't even help.
Anyway, the water quality is top again and so today I was charged in picking new pets.
And me being me, I was extremely picky (and drove dad nuts over it *g*)
This is what I got:
- a yondan kohaku (white and red),
- a yamabuki ogon (golden),
- a shiro bekko (white with black spot pattern),
- a tancho showa (black with white spot pattern and a single red dot on the head)
- and the last one is what I hope will turn out to be a benikikokuryu if he grows and the colours deepen (the kawarimono one with white, red strewn along the sides and mouth and a blue doitsu pattern along the back.)
This last one I actually chose on a whim because he was more energetic than the rest. He looked like the class clown of the huge bunch of fish in the breeder's basin. I fell for him, yeah.
Sadly, I didn't manage to get a chagoi. They don't look much (dull greenish-brown) but they're the most impressive when they grow out.
And on that thought, it's hard to believe those little 12 cm guys will become as big as our last ones (65 cm) and hopefully even bigger. *sigh*
It'll take a few years yet, though.
Dad's now planning to build a basin in the cellar for them to spend the winter in. We're not risking another pond-catastrophe.
I had fun putting them in our pond, too. The Shubunkin hated them on sight and chased them around for a bit, though by now it has calmed down. Funnily enough the shiro bekko got instantly adopted by the 'kin and they're now playing the big four bullies: the others keep hiding between the plants in fear. It'll take a few days for them to figure out a hierachy, I guess.
Btw, I made some pictures during the transfer:
Here little fishies...
and by the way, this is their new home:
Yes I know, the pump looks ugly. It is usually hidden behind a veil of tall reed, but we had to pluck all of it. Still planning to put in a new one. Also, this is not the green hose you're looking for... *coughs*
And the rolled up sausage in the upper right corner is our dog. That chiller!
//end of utter nerd-dom
On other news: New Who ep tonight! Finally! Though with an eulogy for poor Mrs. Elisabeth Sladen. *is a bit sad*