#132: Try, try again

Awesomeness isn’t awesomeness without a risk. That means that sometimes I’m going to fail – and if I’m brave enough, I’ll fail badly.

Remember when I bought fish? https://shootingthrough.net/2010/04/01/s78-adopt-a-pet/

I mentioned several times after the above entry that I hadn’t killed the fish. It turned out I’d spoken too soon. All but one of those fish died within two weeks. Most of them passed away on one day, and it was torture to watch them all slowly die.

I still feel horrible that my ignorance caused all that, but I decided to overcome the trauma the best way I know how: by giving myself a more positive experience of the fish-keeping experience. CJ suggested that I should blog about it here – he said that overcoming failure was definitely awesome in itself.

The fish died over three weeks ago, and I’ve spent that  time learning more about how to care for them better. I now have a heater, a filter, a light, a plant, and four different types of water-treating substance (plus the ph test kit I had last time). One of them, Gandalf the fighting fish, lived.

The plant died horribly, which wasn’t the most heartening event ever (oh, and I also broke the original tank while cleaning it – the second fish tank I’ve broken in this cursed voyage). I had samples of my fish water tested at the Belconnen Markets pet store (which I recommend, having been given  consistent advice between Belconnen Markets staff). The water was fine, but they said it’s an oversensitive plant and recommended another type, which I bought. Neon tetras like places to hide, so I also bought a plastic hollow-log-with-holes-in-it in case this plant died too. Here’s the remains of the first plant getting stuck in the filter like green fur:

I decided not to get danios this time – they terrorise the other fish.

So today I finally bought five more neon tetras. I know that they often go into shock and die within a week of purchase, so I have their bag sitting inside the tank (with Gandalf, the fighting fish, nosing at the plastic). Each hour I add one dessert spoon of the tank water to their bag, so they can adjust gradually to their new environment.

I’ll report back and let you know how they go.

Oh! And I almost forgot. Last year I wrote and edited a book called “Farting my ABCs”, with a specific publisher in mind. That publisher just replied with their response to the book (that I sent them more than eight months ago – and it’s only 7000 words long) with a no. That’s unfortunate. But I have a contact at another publisher, so I’ll edit “Farting My ABCs” and send it to them the instant I’m happy with it (which can’t possibly be long, since it’s such a stellar example of my literary prowess).

PS: Today’s clue on who is the victim of reverse burglary – it wasn’t Steff Metal either (she lives in New Zealand). Or, as pointed out in yesterday’s comments, my brother-in-law Nick, who is in Beijing. Although it’s possible that it was my sister, since her husband would make a worthy accomplice.