So, I had let my fish free in the tank, and the first cat to notice the additions to the family was Scooter. I love taking photo’s and the cats make such good subjects!!!

Just as I was packing the camera away, Scooter came in and just before the batteries died, I managed to get the following photos!

Hope you enjoy…..

As Scooter gets ready for a nap, he notices movement from the corner of his eye

He stands up, turns round, and peers really intensely

He drops to the floor to get closer

Hello, there is something moving for sure!

I can see them over here, I can see them!

There they are, not what are they?

I am watching you both!

Where have you gone now? I won’t give up looking!

When Vinnie arrived on the chair for his nap, you would never have known the fish had arrived!

Well, I got up nice and early Saturday, purse in pocket and off I went to my nice man in the shop!

After looking at my options, I decided to settle for 2 Zebra Danio’s called Stan (larger) and Ollie (smaller).

I put the bag in the Biorb, then over half an hour slowly added my tank water every 5 minutes to get the fish adjusted. By the time I had finished, the bag was almost ¾ full.

Then, I gently, let the bag sink into the Biorb and waited for the big escape! It was very bizarre as they both brushed passed by hand so I felt them both! I a sure for a minute that we bonded!

After almost a weekend of being with me, they seem very settled. They are very small and very fast, and they are all over the tank, round the plants, have a hiding hole and seem quite at home.

Now all I have to do is water checks every week, and if all levels are ok, add another 2 fish in 28 days. I am hooked already and have been distracted most of the weekend watching them.

I am doing some trial and error with the camera as they move so quickly it is hard to catch them resting!!!!

So 48 hours and all is well!!!!

Tomorrow I will post the photo’s of the cats meeting the fish!

Well,, after being off for 6 days, I am now playing catch up!!!!

I have got plastic plants, an ornament, a heater and the biorb is in full swing!

I have had the tank sitting at 24 degrees since Monday, treated the water with the tap treatment and now I am on stand by!!!!

I am going to get 2 fish on Saturday as I cannot wait a month to do a fishless cycle!

The boys are doing fine and it was nice having them about whilst I was off.

Sorry so brief, but hope to update either tomorrow or Monday!

Hope you are all well and enjoying the rain! My heart goes out to those that have been flooded. I hope that it clears up soon for their sakes.

I intend to start a diary to record my Biorb experience! I am hoping to look back on it in a year, see what I have learnt and see if I lost the bet as I can already see another one, maybe a baby, in the kitchen!!

During the cycling period, I will plot the water readings over the 28 days, and wait, with much excitement until all conditions are perfect for the fish!

I have a few ideas in my head of what I think that I may want, but I have 28 days to read a lot more, and make a good decision. I want small, fast and colourful!!! I am pretty sure that I want a molly or two.

I will also have a list of things to buy, and a diary of maintenance, which I would be than happy for any advice, comments, recommendations, so please\feel free to add to this journey of the Kackers Biorb!

16th July 2007.

At 3pm the Biorb landed safely into work. I was pleased as it meant that I only had to sit and think about it in my car for 2 more hours, then a swift drive home, there was simply no time to shop tonight.

As soon as I got in, I made a cuppa and looked at my new adventure!

The boys, Scooter and Vinnie who are 2 rescue cats aged nearly 3 and nearly 4, were out so I knew that I was safe for a good hour!
So I carefully unpacked all the goodies from within!

Just as thought it was safe, Vinnie comes over to see what all the rustling and large unannounced box was all about!

Once he had lost interest, about 30 seconds later and after a lot sniffing, I set about getting the water pump in place and ready for action. I tipped the black and white “things” in it out 2 or 3 into the middle bit! I was trying to lock the wrong way, but I blame my excitement for clouding my rational judgement!

Next I washed the gravel supplied carefully, and placed in a pleasing manner around the pump, careful not to get any in the middle part!

Once I was happy, I lifted my Biorb into its new place! It fitted nicely and I made sure that there was not enough room for paws to get too close, or on the cupboard the Biorb was on!

Then, hardly able to contain myself, and nearly an hour after I arrived home, I started to fill it slowly with water. Now I had a 1litre jug, it is a 30-litre tank! Honest to goodness, I walked at least 2 miles from the lounge to the kitchen to fill this bad boy!

Once filled, and an hour or so later, I finally switched on the water pump and waited! It caught the ear of Vinnie, and over he came to see what was now up high and making a noise!

After another hour or so, and the removal of water, I took a photo using the flash on my camera to try and catch the bubbles!

I had to remove the water as it does take some time to get used to looking in it! I feel like I have put someone else’s glasses on that are way too strong when I look in the bowl. It is quite off putting, but I think that I can get used to it!

To Buy
Heater – without any further haste!
Testing Kit – no shilly shallying on this item!
Service kit – next 60 days
Fish – next 28 days
Ornament – not sure if I even want one!
Volcano – in the next 5 days, it really is a must!
Repair kit – well I don’t want to take chances so within a week of fish arriving!
Water treatment - chloride stuff
Syphon - will help with water changes no doubt!!!

Thanks and hope you enjoyed!

NOTE - after doing some more reading, I have decided to empty the tank back out, buy all the vital equipment at the end of this month and start the cycling, with an aim to have to admire and watch over the August Bank Holiday!

I have been so naughty, so very naughty.

I love fish and have always yearned to have some.

I went to see a mates new house on Tuesday and she had fish.

It got me thinking.

So after some searching about on Google for the cheapest place to buy which also had a promotional code, I got a great deal and this will be delivered into my excited clammy hands!

So, have I got any fish owners that pop in?!!!

If Vinnie could speak to me in words that I could understand, this is the sentence I reckon he would repeat the most!

Last night was the last official eye drop and tablets session. As ever, we had a quick bit of tumbling before he submitted to my command, mouth open, one and a half tablets in and chin rubbed.

Eye held open, drops in, chin rubbed.

Vinnie jumps like an olympic gold medal winner to the floor, looks at me, he gets small piece of ham for his trouble and to ensure that the tablets stay down.

This morning, we all get up, Vinnie has breakfast and then comes and sits at my feet after I had walked past and ignored him a few times.

I looked at him and told him that there were no tablets and no eye drops.

He looked at me as I had just told him that he could never eat again.

He snuffled about on the surface looking for his tablets and waiting for his ham.

Unlucky Kentucky!!!!

No tablets, no ham.

He must be feeling better as once he realised that he was not going to get collared, he ran round the flat at 80 miles per hours making his chirping noise and doing some rather grumpy meows!!

I think he was shouting out his disgust at the lack of ham feeding.

We can now safely assume that normal service will be resolved.

Let us hope that he now gets his sense of team spirit back and helps to keep Alfie away. That cat just does not get the message and no matter how many times I pick him up (he freaks out, and hates it), and no matter how often I spray him with water (that makes him swear at me and run like the wind), he insists on coming into the flat and annoying Vinnie.

I am at a loss as to why my boys do not defend their home and get all territorial.

Still, the fact that Vinnie has recovered in full, and that Scooter is now a lot less stressed (I think he could sense that Vinnie was off colour), lets hope the normal chaos continues.

To cut a very long story short, my Vinnie has been a very sick and poorly chap.

It all started last week when he went in for his bladder tests, and I was told that the 21 days on the new food they prescribed, had not been too sucessful and that Vinnie had 92% crystal count in his bladder and was in a right old state again.

I was thankful as I took him to the vets 14 days earlier than expected, explaining to the vets that he was just not his normal self. Now any cat owners reading this will know exactly where I am coming from. Non cat owners will just think that I am as crazy as they are lead to believe.

Saturday Vinnie comes in for his afternoon sleep and I noticed 2 puncture wounds on his face. I gave him a bit of a warm salt water wash and made a mental note to keep an eye on them.

Sunday it started to look like he had an eye infection, so I kept cleaning his eye, the puncture wounds and it all seemed to calm down. He seemed a little down in the dumps, but I did assume it was his bladder making him so listless.

Well, when I got home from work on Monday I was greeted by Vinnie who looked like someone has stuffed a small tangerine up inside his face. He looked so terrible and struggled to even get up to say hello.

He was in his basket and with the vet in 20 minutes. He had a fox bite which had caused a major infection that was taking a real hold of him. His temperature was as high as a kite and he was in a right old mess. His body was trying so hard to fight the infection but he was so run down by his bladder problems that he stood no real chance.

I got tablets, I got eye cream and I took him home to be with me, not in a cage at the vets.

Monday night was awful, Tuesday did not really see any improvement, Wednesday seemed a slight improvement.

I am so pleased to say that this morning, he was awake (which is a first since Monday), came running onto my bird chirping away and rubbing all over me begging for breakfast. His eyes were clear, his fur looked like black velvet again and he was very active.

He ate 2 lots of breakfast which was the first food he has eaten since Monday, he also gulped down nearly 3 bowls of water.

I cannot tell you how relieved I am, and how relieved I am for Vinnie as I really thought that this could have been it for him. In 15 months, I have had 2 occasions where I have really thought that I would loose him.

So now I am looking forward to a good nights sleep and, hopefully, many more great times with Vinnie.

Here is a photo of the silly sod, bless him.