Can a Fish be as playful as a kitten???

ok - that is a question worth investigating and until recently the notion that fish can "be playful" or play with a toy like a kitten was a complete foreign concept especially when you consider that goldfish are supposed to have the attention span of 2 sec (so the myth says).

This is me testing the equipment for any future investigation.


Anyhow - let's back track for a mo and refresh our minds that we had a cat who tried her water skills in the breast stroke - which failed miserably and I ended up with one wet & soggy moggy. (hmm perhaps she needed one of these very high tech modern swimsuits????) - anyhow - I am convinced that her escapades did the damage to the fish tank that led to the eventual cracking of the seam and subsequent flood in the house - refer to previous blog entry:

(oldbearnews-noahs-flood.html &
oldbearnews- swimming-cat-doing-breaststroke)

Soooo; one expensive large tank later with several late additions of water plants and different fish types we are all sweet - and set up - O N L Y
to hear once in a while a occasional twack, twack (it sounded just like a drop of water falling from the shower head on the floor) coming from the general region of the fish tank. - SOOOO I know what your thinking - I'm paranoid - but trust me - having had twice to mop up and since our NZ houses are timber framed and Gib lined - I could not face yet another clean-up - let alone the drama of shifting everything - again. Still after a extensive search I could not find any water on the floor or anywhere else. And yet the twack continued at various intervals - at totally random times. And I'm getting more and more worried - u know - 200 liters of 26 degree water - make a hell of a mess . . . .

'TILL I saw what happened. Well you see I have 2 striped Gouramis - who so I am NOW told can be playful and one of them takes pleasure in swimming lazy circles towards the area where the thermostat is attached to the wall and as he goes slowly and very deliberately past it he flicks his tail forcing the thermostat against the glass - which makes a very definitive "twack" sound - and then he continues - another lazy 4 inch diameter circle - returns and - "twack" - and - again "twack"!!
Mystery solved he says with relief - and it would seem that at least some fish have enough intelligence to be playful!! - who would have thought???? I therefore can confidently say - yep - at least some fish can be as playful as a kitten. Hmmm wonder if I can get the fish to catch the resident mouse ? ? ? ?

Noahs flood

Sigh - I walked with Michael to Venturers and that only took 20 min. By the time I got there - I got a call - panic panic - water everywhere and no electricity. YES - the 180 liter tank let go at the seam and spilled most of the water. I am told we had a lovely waterfall out from the Garage door. At least - by the time I got home - Mamabear had saved enough water from the tank to save the fish - which I can report now happily swimm in the washing basket. Now how to keep the breatstroke swimming cat out of there!!!!


We used up all the towles which needed a good wash anyhow, and we have lost several books.
Oddly enough the TV/video which where right underneath the tank - got not a drop on them - and - Trowel - all the PC's stored in the Garage stayed dry too - a minor miracle!!!

So - for the last three hours we mopped and shifted gear. Now - tomorrow urm - well - spose I have to buy a new tank . . . . . . . .
Then there is the timber in the floor that needs drying out, aww schucks - and I just finished my spring clean!!!! Im going to bed now . . . . .

Swimming Cat doing breaststroke???

Well it was one of those moments where one wishes one has a video camera.
Here is the cleaned up version of my new 180 liter tank with some plants and some dozen or so fishes in it. Next to it on the left is the old tank.
Seems our cat has shown a interest in fishing and so this morning I got a call at work from my son - asking how many fish there are supposed to be in the big tank.

Turns out the cat decided to break into the pool and do a few laps of breaststroke. According to my son she was one very soggy moggy!!
It would have made for one fantastic video - for Americas funniest home videos - the Swimming Cat. Anyhow by the time I got home the cat - had been rechristened to Jacques Cousteau and been banished into the Garage. And Jonno has cleaned up all the water she spilled. Great job son!!
Becky - you be pleased to know - no fish where harmend in the breaststroke excercise, and the plants have been re-rooted! But I still need a clean up crew - so I will need a Bristlenose plec and a few other scroungers!!