Debbie's Blatherings - Goldfish and violets: EXPERTISE NEEDED!

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Goldfish and violets: EXPERTISE NEEDED!

Mar. 13th, 2007 at 9:43 PM

Any goldfish and violet experts out there?

I am babysitting a goldfish named Ernie and two violet plants for two families, and I've never babysat fish or violets before and am terrified of killing them. One of my nieces once asked me to babysit her Sea Monkeys (tm) for her and they all died, one by one; the last one had the gall to kick the bucket THE DAY BEFORE SHE GOT HOME.

Is anything special I need to know about goldfish? Ernie is already pretty special since he only has one fin and sometimes swims upside down. His young owner warned me that I should not be alarmed if he turns purple and gets bumps and lies at the bottom of his bowl upside down sometimes; she said I should knock on the bowl to make sure he's alive.

The young owner of the violets told me not to get their leaves wet, and to keep them out of sunlight.

If anyone else has any goldfish or violet expertise to offer that might help extend the lifespan of my hapless charges, I would be most grateful.

Comments

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folkmew wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 01:53 am (UTC)

Can't help much with goldfish but I can tell you this about "Sea Monkeys (tm)": They always die.

First of all they were invented by God to teach children that life isn't as good as you think it will be. You read the comic book, you look at the cool ad in the back! You see these swell little creatures in their sartorial splendor!
Eagerly you send away and wait....

Only to get brine shrimp.

What a bite.

They die. It's the second lesson God teaches with Sea Monkeys (tm).

Cruel isn't it?

Good luck!! Hugs ;-)

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aryana_filker wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 07:18 am (UTC)

Whoa - when I was a child, I always wanted those sea monkeys, but I never ordered. So they are really just brine shrimps? *sigh* Yes, that IS cruel. I think I would get my child a real aquarium if I'd had a child who wants sea monkeys.

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oreouk wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 09:54 am (UTC)

Ah - no - Sea Monkeys are cool! And they come in these fun little habitats!! And have special gear for feeding them!!!

I now have a set of Sea Monkeys on Speed, AKA triopes, but haven't started them off yet. I got them in the Filk Fund auction this year :-)

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aryana_filker wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 01:05 pm (UTC)

:) Will there be a chance to upload a pic when they are grown?

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ohiblather wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:52 pm (UTC)

Ooo, are you planning to post updates on their progress once you start them off? I named all mine when I had some.

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oreouk wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 08:25 pm (UTC)

Hmmm - not so sure about that...:-) Guess I need to start them soon anyway - I'll see if I can prod Alex into giving them names...

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folkmew wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 10:27 am (UTC)

I suspect your child, once they got over the shock of finding out Sea Monkeys (tm) weren't little funny monkey-like creatures who wore tiaras, would be MUCH happier with an aquarium. To be fair, my parents had a way cool aquarium, two of them, one of which had an African Jumping Frog named Roscoe who was WAY cooler than Sea Monkeys (tm). Until he jumped away and was never found that is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_monkeys
:-)

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aryana_filker wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 01:08 pm (UTC)

Thanks for the link! :)
Oh, poor frog! We have four large aquaria, and from those, too, fish vanish from time to time.

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ohiblather wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:53 pm (UTC)

Roscoe is a VERY cool name for an African Jumping Frog.

:-D

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folkmew wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 03:05 pm (UTC)

Yes, I wonder where it came from? I should ask my sister and brother. He was a pet from my youth along with Christopher Columbus Cat. (called Christopher) Christopher liked to sit in the milk chute and look out at the birds flicking his tail. We never used our milk chute for milk but the cat loved it!

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cellio wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 01:58 am (UTC)

I had goldfish when I was a teenager and they were pretty resilient. Don't overfeed any fish (I assume the owner gave you instructions on amounts). I assume you won't be fish-sitting long enough to have to worry about tank cleaning. If there's a pump, make sure it doesn't lose power. If there's a screen/lid, keep it on except when feeding. Other than that, I can't think of anything.

I am incompetent with plants, so I have no advice there.

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ohiblather wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:53 pm (UTC)

Thanks for the advice! There's no screen/lid; it's a fairly small fishbowl.

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tuto wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 01:58 am (UTC)

Liquid Plummer! It's the wonder liquid. Good for both Goldfish AND violets. Also, Goldfish Love to be Juggled. I know, it's probably more than you are willing to do for a fish but believe me, The fish will thank you. or look at you in a very fish like way....

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folkmew wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 10:29 am (UTC)

You are extremely naughty!!!!!

:-) Only Sea Monkeys (tm) love Liquid Plummer. In fact, I bet that's why mine died! Liquid Plummer hadn't been invented yet!!

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ohiblather wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:53 pm (UTC)

I really miss you, Luis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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peteralway wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:00 am (UTC)

His young owner warned me that I should not be alarmed if he turns purple and gets bumps and lies at the bottom of his bowl upside down sometimes

Why do I find myself thinking "you'll need to ask the parents which pet store they secretly buy all the new Ernies from."

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ohiblather wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:54 pm (UTC)

The first thing I thought is that I'll never be able to find a replacement fish because he would have to be missing a fin and know how to swim upside down!!!!

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artbeco wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:10 am (UTC)

African violet? With roundish hairy leaves? Water by putting in the sink and gently running warmish water in until you get water coming out through the bottom of the pot, maybe once or twice a week. Keep soil moist but not soggy. Definitely not bone dry hard soil; if that happens, gently do the above several times until soil is good and wet. If the leaves get droopy and squishy looking, too much water and probably bound for death.

And I've had people tell me not to get their leaves wet, but that's a myth; mine have always loved having the leaves gently washed with water when they get watered, or sprayed with a squirt bottle when watered. But other people may say differently. I had several violets that lived for years until finally giving up the ghost.

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artbeco wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:11 am (UTC)

Oh, and good indirect sunlight; if you keep them too dark, they'll be unhappy.

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vixyish wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 04:52 am (UTC)

Mine love sunlight. Now.

I think, from watching my violets as I've moved house, that they do best in what they're already used to. When we moved in here, and one of my violet boxes got put in a sunnier window, they didn't like it at first, and most of the leaves died... as new and slightly different colored leaves grew out underneath at the same time.

So Debbie, if you know what they're usually in at their own house, keep them close to that, as far as light conditions. That's safest.

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ohiblather wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:51 pm (UTC)

Thanks so much for this useful advice!!!

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cutest_sandgirl wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:25 am (UTC)

No advice but I wish you lots of luck. I was asked to watch my friend's two cats and two betta fish while they went on vacation. Both fish died and one cat had to go to the vets and stay overnight. O_o

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ohiblather wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:54 pm (UTC)

Ouch! That must have been stressful!!

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jhayman wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 03:14 am (UTC)

Not too much water for the violets and not too much food for the goldfish. Or is it the other way around? Hmmm.

Here speaketh Judith of the Ten Black Fingers, Mighty Destroyer of Fish and Houseplants.

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ohiblather wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:54 pm (UTC)

HAHAHA! Love that nickname...

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folkmew wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 03:07 pm (UTC)

Good with cats though.

:D

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tamarak wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 03:42 am (UTC)

Godspeed.

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ohiblather wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:55 pm (UTC)

Thank you. I'll need it.

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aryana_filker wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 07:22 am (UTC)

Just a little advice, as the others said - not too much food for the fish, only so much he can eat within a few seconds. Too much food leftovers degrading in the water makes it bad for the fish to live in. Is there a pump in the bowl? If not, I'd suggest to change a bit of the water every two days or so to remove food leftovers and fish...pooh. How big is the bowl?

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ohiblather wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:55 pm (UTC)

Thankfully, they aren't gone long enough for me to have to change the water. I'm still convinced that's what did the Sea Monkeys (tm) in.

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aryana_filker wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 05:22 pm (UTC)

:) Good luck with Ernie!

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clothsprogs wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 12:29 pm (UTC)

I'd be no help, all my goldfish died within short spans and my one attempt at violets resulted in them taking one look at me and wilting, shortly followed by dropping dead.

Teddy

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ohiblather wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:55 pm (UTC)

LOL!!!

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erinwrites wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:03 pm (UTC)

Yes, too much water = very bad for violets. I have one that was on the verge of death, but has bounced back quite nicely in the new apartment. I think it has the perfect amount of sunlight now. I also have one of those pots that waters from the bottom, which seems to work for me.

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ohiblather wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:56 pm (UTC)

Thanks for this advice!!

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pafuts wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:47 pm (UTC)

I am reminded of when Scott and I went to London for 12 days and left our aquarium in the care of my co-worker who was also our neighbor.

All the fish died. I called her "Kelly the fish killer" for weeks.

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ohiblather wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 02:51 pm (UTC)

AAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YOU ARE SO CRUEL!!!!!!!!!!

:-D :-D :-D

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oreouk wrote:

Mar. 14th, 2007 08:28 pm (UTC)

And this is news???? *g*

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