Baby Orangejello: Thriving in crib

Our baby Molly was officially named Orangejello on Friday after a division-wide search for the best name. The little fish is growing steadily since his discovery last Thursday. Just four hours after being removed from the tank for the safety of a bowl, the little fry was placed inside the aquarium in a net-walled crib that offers protection from the fish who would eat the baby fish.

Orangejello is doing well on a diet of "First Bites," a powdery food made specifically for baby fish. His arrival has warmed the hearts of all PlattFormers, who were informed of his birth Friday in this broadcast message:

"The folks at PlattForm Deuce (the internet teams) are pleased to announce the first live birth in our fish aquarium. One of our mollies gave birth overnight on Wednesday. By the time we arrived at the office Thursday morning, only one baby fish remained. We rescued the surviving baby and have named it Orangejello. Please join us in welcoming Orangejello to the world."

Hatchetfish gets the ax

Sadly, Betsy Wilhite's hatchetfish died over the weekend. The fish was diagnosed with ick late last week and on Friday was taken to Dorothy Jean Memorial Hospital. Medication was administered but the little silver fish never rallied.

Several community fish have died of Ick. So far, medication has failed to successfully treat a case of Ick among our fish.

Betsy's fish was buried at sea Monday morning. All events private.

Baby!

The community tank welcomed a new arrival overnight. A baby molly was discovered early this morning hiding behind the green plant at heater-side. It is not known which mollies spawned the fry, but given the tail markings, a Mickey Mouse Molly was definitely involved.

The small fry is bright yellow with the distinctive "Mickey Mouse ears" markings on the tail. Other fry likely were spawned and eaten by predators overnight. Because fry are small, this one managed to survive by hiding behind the plant. The water's recent murkiness may also have helped the small fish elude predators until he was caught and placed in an isolation bowl at 8:40 this morning.

Only yesterday the tankkeeper was commenting on the need for a fry cage in the event that fish would spawn offspring.

And then there were six

When we started our community aquarium with the purchase of 10 fish on April 15, 2005, we had such high hopes. We journeyed to PetSmart with visions of fish dancing in our heads. We shopped. We browsed. We came back with 10 fish. Ten beautiful, seemingly healthy fish.

Now, a mere month and a half later, we have seen four of those original fish die. The six that remain have been joined by more recent additions. Of those, some have also come and gone. But the original six have remained largely unfazed by the constant change that is aquarium life. If there is a common theme, it is that life is short.

Even fish know that life is to be lived to the fullest. You can just see it in their eyes. Look at the way they swim -- fast and with purpose.

Look at the way they eat -- like they've never seen food before, and may never see it gain. Look at how they court -- like spawning young is something to do TODAY. Who knows if there will be a tomorrow.

The fish have also taught us that the one thing you can't change is change, and the one thing that is inevitable is death. And death, whether it comes by the fins of bullies, or by the scourge of ick, is not the end. These fish live on in our memories. We see their favorite swimming areas and remember them. We see other fish like them and that brings them back, too. We know that life is a cycle with a beginning and an end. And change, always change.

For these lessons, we thank the original 10, the surviving six and all residents of our aquarium -- past, present and future.

Where they are now: The original six:

Frank "Blue Eyes" Platt
Species: African Dwarf Frog
Owner: Rachel Platt
Most Often Found: Hiding under the big green plant at tank right
Favorite Food: Not Sure. We rarely witness his feeding
Best Friend: He appears to be a loner
What We Love Most About Him: His ability to fend for himself

Frozone
Species: Glass Catfish
Owner: Nourisha Wells
Most Often Found: Hiding within the branches of the big green plant at tank right
Favorite Food: Not sure. He only starting eating in the open a few days ago
Best Friend: The other Glass Catfish
What We Love Most About Him: We can see his insides! (This fish REALLY wears his heart on his sleeve)

Whino
Species: Loach
Owner: Tracy Benbrook.
Most Often Found: On the tank bottom
Favorite Food: Pellets
Best Friend: The Artist Formerly Known as Phish (Andy's loach)
What We Love Most About Him: Who doesn't love a noodle that swims?

The Artist Formerly Known as Phish
Species: Loach
Owner: Andy Schiller
Most Often Found: On the tank bottom
Favorite Food: Pellets
Best Friend: Whino (Tracy's loach)
What We Love Most About Him: Who doesn't love a noodle that swims?

Coral
Species: Marble molly
Owner: Terri Spears
Most Often Found: Bullying the other mollies
Favorite Food: Anything that she can find
Best Friend: Any available molly (Coral gets around)
What We Love Most About Coral: She's a medium-size fish with a SUPER-SIZE attitude.

Fatty Arbuckle
Species: Balloon Belly Molly
Owner: Cari Heelan
Most Often Found: Pooping
Favorite Food: Loves see food (he sees food and eats it)
Best Friend: Appears to be a loner
What We Love Most About Fatty: He's a little teapot, short and stout.

Luke dies suddenly; Irwin clinging to life

It's been a tragic 24 hours for the community tank. Luke the dwarf gourami died suddenly of a gill fungus that was noticed Wednesday evening. Luke was taken to Dorothy Jean Memorial Hospital, where anti-fungal medicines were administered, but he never rallied and died overnight.

Meanwhile Irwin, Jamon's Bala Shark, is swimming upside down and isn't expected to survive the morning. The cause of his ailment remains unknown.

Princess Leia, Luke's sister and fellow dwarf gourami, is said to be bearing the loss of her brother well.

"The Force runs strong in that family," said a close family friend. "Luke and Leia were close but she's showing the kind of courage one would expect from a princess/senator. Their father would be proud."

Other tank members are being watched closely for signs of distress given the recent tragedies.

Kong packs up his shit, heads for greener algae-laden pastures

Kong was banished to Waldo Pets by a community that was literally tired of his shit. A petition started in early May, soon after Kong's arrival, was signed by nearly every member of PlattForm II: The Deuce. On Tuesday, petitioners were glad to see the big algae eater was gone.

"We were frankly just all pooped out," said Rachel Platt, who created and distributed the petition. "If I never see a long, trailing strand of shit again, it will be too soon."

A few staff members were sad to see the big fish go, but there's no denying the tank is more harmonious since the big brown plecostomus departed.