Yesterday, Precious laid eggs again.
This time on a narrow crypt balansae leaf.
One that already has a few holes in it from somebody trying to eat it. So not only did she miss the edge sometimes, but also made her pass over the gap, so eggs kept falling. Then Miss Beautiful, in attendance, would dart down to grab (and eat it).
It's been amusing to watch Precious try every angle to get eggs on the leaf-
turning sideways to try and lay them on the narrow edge,
or upside down to put them underneath, when she ran out of top surface. I don't know if those stuck!
I used to feel a bit sad watching them go through all this, knowing they'll never see the process to completion. Do they wonder why it isn't working, when they have a partner now? Do they feel disappointed the eggs don't hatch. Well, now I think: hey at least they have something to do, other than eat, sleep, and drift in circles. Maybe it feels purposeful, even though they never get fry.
Miss Beautiful sure is in fine color again. Her tail fin is almost completely healed, from the tear it got when I netted her out to add her companions a month ago. But can also see the red streak on edge of body is back, and worse. I'm dreading it really is viral septicemia.
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