Fish Tanks & Parenthood

We got a rather used fish tank from a friend last week, whose youngest is a little bit older than Little M. I've had a tank on my mind for a while now, and have gone back and forth on what to put in it. A rotating cycle of natural captures from the property? A captive bred snake or lizard? Or perhaps just a few fish, to see how it all goes?

Yup, we went the cheap, easy route, and picked up a handful of fish the other day. Molly's that hopefully will last a while.


Of course, writing this, one day after we introduced them to the tank, I've already had to bring the tongs of death out to collect one dead fish, drifting on the substrate. Little M didn't notice that one wasn't swimming too upright today, but I did, as his rapid breathing progressed into sideways floating, and then into sinking. He's in the garbage now, sad little guy, and I'm moved into the next stage of parenthood. One I never saw coming before it hit me. The disposer of dead fish stage. Not that I haven't had fish, and dead fish, myself since leaving my childhood home, where I can't recall if it was my Dad or Mom, but likely my Dad, who was the disposer of dead fish. But disposing your kid's fish, that's a new one for me. Hmmm...

Regardless, Little M loves the fish, as does Baby E, and neither has noticed that there is now one less (going from 4 down to 5 apparently isn't too noticeable, although I'm sure after this there won't be any fooling Little M, 4 to 3, or much worse, 3 to 2, will be much more apt to hit her counting radar). The mister is none too convinced that fish, or a water-filled tank, are a good idea, but I put up with a lot of his things around the house, so he can put up with this one for at least a while, at least until the kids grow past the fish tank stage - if they ever do! :)