Other: RIP Small Fry

After the people at the pet store told my mother that Jesus was big enough to release into the main tank with his parents, he disappeared.

Poor small fry. I wonder if he was really big enough not to fit in his mother's mouth at that point.

Other: So, When IS It Safe To Go Back In The Water?

My mother says the small fry is still growing...

Mom: I wonder when it's safe to take him out of the cage.
Me: Probably when he's too big to fit in his mother's mouth.

Other: Small Fry Update!

From my mother:

Jesus is fine - a full half inch now and very active. I cleaned his little cage this morning. Also got him some small fry food over the weekend. I think he is going to make it.

Other: Small Fry P.S.

The small fry was born on Christmas Day. I don't know about my mother, but I'm calling him Jesus.

And while I know it's true for at least some fish, I was surprised that these gave birth to live young. The mother was still trailing out the afterbirth, which I had initially taken for colorful excrement. For some reason I assume most fish species lay eggs (or maybe most do).

Then, of course, there's the ancient coelacanth, which is ovoviviparous. I love that word. It means that the young gestate in fish eggs, but the eggs remain inside the mother's body. The eggs hatch internally and the mother gives live birth.

Actually, it looks like platyfish like Jesus are also ovoviviparous. Well, whaddya know.

Other: Small Fry

My mother has had a small (7-gallon?) freshwater fishtank on her kitchen counter for several years now. She currently has two fish in there, although I can't remember the species because she can't remember the exact species. It might be a platy.

Over Christmas, I was sitting at the kitchen table next to the tank when she fed them. I noticed something that seemed like a tiny fish, maybe ⅜" long.

Me: Is there a baby in there?
Mom: No, it's just a piece of food.
Me: Are you sure? It has eyes. Right there.
Mom: Oh, it is! It's a small fry! It's a big one, too!

Apparently she'd had two others in late winter, but they hadn't survived my parents' absence when my grandmother died. My mother had a "small fry" thingie, which is a plastic bin that floats at the top but keeps the small fry in. This one was staying right at the bottom, though, so there was no way to catch it. I asked if it was at risk of getting sucked into the water recirculation intake, and she said she'd get a piece of old pantyhose to put over it. Then I asked if it was at risk of getting eaten by mama and papa. "I don't know." She got out her guidebook and, yes, it looks like mama likes to munch on her babies.

We managed to catch the little guy and get him in the small fry thingie. The parents were really hankering to get in for awhile, but he was safe, darting around.