28.07.2025 Gone fishing!

 ~o~

  Monday 28th 59F/15C [7.30] A pleasant sunny day. Peaking at 21C after lunch. The NW wind is quite strong and gusty later in the day Though not too bad this morning if I go for a ride.

 Up at 6.30 after a busy night tending the fire bucket. 

 I had better go for a walk first. 

 8.43 Back from my walk. It was cloudy and quite breezy. The prairie has indeed been harvested. The countless stalks looking like a WW1 battlefield. The field is so large that it has several woods within its borders. 

 A Red kite came out of one of these woods and circled overhead. Obviously interested in my being there. Perhaps defending its nest. I saw my first dragonfly of this year in the drive. A large blue and black example was flying around me. Another creature looking for an easy breakfast? The neighbour's cat has changed its mind about adopting me. It hid under a conifer as I approached.  

 I stayed at home instead of escaping on my bike. Because I had finally decided to transfer the two, large goldfish. From the indoor tank to the greenhouse pond. I moved them one at a time in a clear plastic tub. Allowing 20 minutes per fish for acclimatization. While periodically adding a little water from the pond to the floating tub. 

 The two indoor fish are great friends after living together for so long. They stayed close together as soon as they discovered each other in the pond. The largest fish is 21cm long now. While the other is slightly smaller. So they must have enjoyed their time indoors. The tank was large enough to allow the to grow rapidly from fingerlings.

 It was pleasantly warm sitting beside the pond and watching them all interact. I seem to have fallen asleep. Their numbers are now up to nine. I feared for the survival of the tiniest. Since they could form a snack for the largest fish. Though mainly vegetarian they are opportunistic feeders. I may still move the smallest fish indoors to grow on undisturbed. Before rejoining their companions later. When the danger has passed. 

 Meanwhile I am considering moving the indoor tank. While it can now be safely emptied. It is impossible to move an aquarium with water in it due to the colossal weight of the water. Approximately 250kg plus the weight of the tank itself. Not to mention the risk of glass breakage due to stressing. The 100x50x50cm tank could be turned by 90º. To stand against the north, TV wall, in the same corner. Where it would be more easily seen from my computer and TV chairs. 

 I may even choose to keep other kinds of fish indoors. They don't have to be goldfish. Which are very demanding of space to thrive. Their insatiable appetite for plants made their tank very boring! Fish are easier to keep than dogs and cats. With no vet's bills and the much lower cost of feeding. Feeding the fish. Not the vets. 

 Dinner was cheese on toast with halved tomatoes. 

 ~o~