Teach Only Love: Fish!

Welcome to my blog!

Hello! Welcome! Family life here in Southern PA is my joy!!! We moved here all the way from AZ in 2006 after a visit here in 2004 where we fell in love with the area. Plain and simple we took a leap of faith. We took 2 years to make the decision to move and it was right on! We have not been sorry for one minute.

We joined the Quaker faith, it's a good fit. Our children attend public school. They enjoy each day and have learned a great deal. We believe however, that what happens outside the classroom is just as important for their futures. We want those experiences to be nurturing and wonderful.

Tim and I have been married 13.5 years! Oh my. We have been parents since 1997 when our first child was born. We became foster parents in 2005 and adoptive parents 2007. We continue to foster children in our home with placements through the county. So far we have had 9 foster children. We will adopt again and hopefully soon!

The theme of my Blog...."Teach only love" is also the name of a book by G. Jampolsky and also from the "Course in Miracles" it's not my main philosophy in life but I have been drawn to it as well as other philosophies that are similar.

Teach Only Love Because That Is What You Are!

Friday, June 13, 2008

Fish!

One of our new loves is our fish! Started with a couple little tropical fish that we planned on keeping in a bowl. When we arrived home I cringed thinking that they would die and really not thrilled with that thought I asked some "experts" how to keep them alive. Well the 98 cent fish plan went up several digits and we then had a 10 gallon tank, filter, all the salves and goo that keeps it clean, the tools for easy maintenance, rocks, nooks and colorful doodads to adorn the fish home. Of course then we needed more fish.

After getting 11 fish (one more than recommended for the tank) we lost almost all of them slowly. Got more and lost several of those. Finally I went to the store and asked what might be going wrong with the guppies. The Tetra's seemed to be doing alright but the guppies were disappearing. Yes, simply disappearing. We did find a few on the bottom or top of the tank floating but most of them were just... gone?! Someone said they had disintegrated somehow... others thought maybe they were sucked into the filter? Still other's said the tetra's may be eating them? So we don't know but we have theories.

Well as we were finally figuring out a plan to keep our new angelfish, the 3 tetras, 1 Pleco and 1 male guppy alive we got word that someone was needing to find a new home for a 29 gallon tank that had 3 cichlids (one gold and two convicts) and large pleco. I quickly asked if we may be that new home at the same time wondering if I had lost my mind. The woman had had these fish for quite awhile and the tank since she was in her teens. She was newly pregnant with her 2nd child and could not do the upkeep. Her pregnancy was a risky one and she decided to give her pets to us.

I brought the tank and the fish to our home. The tank needed a total overhaul. I emptied it totally and cleaned it thoroughly. Our new pets had to live in a bucket for a few days (I was told that they could live this way for up to a week). Fish back in their tank they have enjoyed being with us for the last month. No morbidity on the part of the fish and no problems on our end either. The kids have enjoyed the new tank. Our 10 gallon tank as well is maintaining it's status of life.

Believe me I never thought I would enjoy fish but they really are wonderful. I had thought about how relaxing a tank can be and all the joy of seeing these creatures, alive, in our home. I just didn't think it was something I'd put my soul into actually doing. Well we did. It's a blessing!