some updates

on a number of things. It's going much better with my catfish fry in the mesh box. Now the amanos hang out picking over the outside of the mesh, the larger one chasing the others off! so what bits fall through or the fry don't eat, gets mostly cleaned up. I'm feeding the fry three or four times a day, either a teensy bit of first bites, or a tiny pinch of pulverized food mix (basically the powder from the bottom of all my fish food containers combined). I can see they pass over some bits and stop to eat others- wish I knew which food they aren't eating, I wouldn't have included it in the mix! Every morning I'm using an airline as siphon to clean the underside of the mesh and then the inside of the box, then use regular siphon to do a 25% water change on the tank. The main part of the tank gets fed once or twice a day, right now mostly protein flake broken into small bits so it scatters enough the juvenile cory can get some. The shrimps are greedy and fast! I'm kind of annoyed at them. My striped kuhlis are starting to come out more though, which is nice. Not so great that all the inhabitants of this tank are bottom feeders, but they're not all staying in here long term...

I think Perry is sick. He looks clamped, sometimes not interested in food, now and then flashes on plant edges. I think there's parasite in the tank, dang. Puzzled why Lady seems unaffected. Maybe her immune system is stronger. I'm debating whether to use a medication and which one, or just do more thorough cleaning and water changes.

I finished the first stage of my garden project. All the blocks for the new raised bed walls are sealed with several layers of waterproofing, and sitting on my basement floor to dry and cure well- at least seven days- before I paint. Then will replace the old walls with new. 

In the meantime, I'm getting ready to plant. So excited that tomorrow is the first planting day. Two days of cloudy weather, then a day of rain before sun again, perfect. I turned over the soil in half the beds to work in the compost. I'm going to plant regardless of the rebuild that will come a bit later- just keeping the plants away from the edges so they don't get disturbed. As soon as I have all the coldframe plants into the ground, I'll have space to move the next set of plants out of their seedling containers into paper pots- and then can start sowing the last group (cucumbers, beans, zucchini, etc). Lots to do!

They've been growing fantastically- only a few mishaps (spilled another tray). Will have pics soon.