platies

are settling in. No longer hiding, pale, or clamped fins. Eager to eat. Pinkie moves towards them occasionally but they back up or dart off, and he doesn't chase. They're picking algae off the plants, which I think will help the aquarium conditions a lot.

But it seems I've still got ich in there- although the established fish must now be immune to whatever strain is in here. Dismayed to think I didn't kill it all before, the platies are probably feeling stressed in their new home even though they look perky now, and maybe my water conditions aren't as good as I thought. Their tail fins look a bit ragged and sprinkled with a few white dots- hard to see except when the aquarium light is on. I thought I saw one platy flashing yesterday against an object. There's already a little aquarium salt still in there from the introduction day. I've started raising the temperature a little- to 80° so far- and doing a small water change each morning.

In spite of this trouble, I'm happy with them. I do so love their blue color! I hope I can get them through this.