Technically we have fry, as our first guppy has started giving birth.

The big little is barely able to contain herself as she spied first one, then another, and eventually maybe four fry in our aquarium. We got the guppies to see some circle of life, and so far all we’ve been seeing is the occasional death. Today, we saw some birth.

I’d tried to prepare her for “the first round” would be open to the tank and we’d see where everything went. Much concern and discussion followed, so we decided to set up the fry cage and put momma in there.

Setting up the cage was much more of an ordeal than it should have been. In the past I’ve used basically plastic crates with small slits cut in the sides, which are cool ‘cause they all but disappear in the water. This is a bright blue plastic frame with a nylon mesh screen on all sides but the open top. Folding it just right to align the tabs to insert into the slots was tougher than any small plastic box probably should have been.

We got the cage in place, chased mom down, and put her in there. Now we’re hearing alerts of every direction change and bit of waste coming out… Birth is exciting, sure, but play-by-play is really only exciting the first times. I’m trying to be excited, too, but also provide the even keel so we don’t go bonkers as each fry appears. Especially more so as mom finds a fry and decides to snack…

It’s been a few weeks with the fish, and the first fry happened quicker than I thought. We’re down to 4 females and 10 males, losing two of each so far. We probably should have started the other way around.

It’s an exciting day after a start of normal and lazy Saturday.

The weather has started turning, with temps hanging in the 40F° to 50F° ranges at night, and peeks to the 60F° neighborhood during the day. I’m starting to hate winter, and am not looking forward to the other compulsory cabin-fever induction of hiding from winter. There are probably just a few more weeks before it takes a big turn.

The plan for the rest of the day is to finally cut some or all of the lattice to the right lengths and try to affix them beneath the deck. If we finish or tire of that, probably that last season lawn mow, and first leaf raking. Some of that will overflow to tomorrow, too.

We’ve been doing weekly COVID tests, including this morning. We haven’t gotten today’s results yet, but each of the last results has come back positive, in that we’re negative. I’m not sure that’ll ever get old; thanks, Sarah Cooper, who said it best (and Trump, who said it first).

Everyone’s healthy.