On Saturday we all got up early, ate a quick breakfast, and headed up north for the River City Aquatics year end sale. We’re after one thing: Clean Up Crew.
We got there a few minutes after 10:00 and found everything was in full swing. The BBQ out front was decimated (the owners had sent someone off for more) and there was already a line fifteen people deep at the register. We fought our way to the back of the store to the tanks with snails, crabs, and assorted shrimp. After waiting for twenty minutes or so one of the workers was able to get back there to help us (and about four other people) get our chance at the livestock.
Our goal was to pick up two animals: crabs and snails. Each one has the same price: 1.99 each up to 10, .99 each for 20. So, buying 20 is the same price as buying 10. We’re going for a full restock here, so we picked up 20 crabs and 20 snails. We also picked up 5 more nassaius snails (little guys that do a lot to mix up the bottom of a tank). There was another cleaner that caught our eye: the peppermint shrimp.  One of the hardiest shrimps, which is a great thing for our tank. We nearly lost out on him as the people ahead of us put in an order of “All the peppermint shrimp you have”. The worker that filled that order didn’t dig around in the tank enough: he missed one! I don’t blame him though; our shrimp must have just molted or something, the striking red color associated with this shrimp is nearly invisible. A bit of food will help that out.
Anyway, we made our way through the line, talked tank with a few people, and made our way out front. We found the restock of the BBQ had happened, so I made up a quick plate that we ate before leaving. The trip home was quick and we started to acclimate the new arrives to our tank. (open their bags, insert drip line for a few hours to slowly normalize the pH/salinity/etc levels ) After a quick water change, everyone was added to the tank. I always enjoy adding new hermit crabs to a tank; they are very enthusiastic about spreading out and exploring everything in sight.
So, up to that point, everything was going peachy. Then, a bit after supper, The Bug struck. I’m not sure if it was something I picked up at the fish store, something form the food, something from work… whatever it was, my body didn’t like it. I went from ‘feeling funny’ around 10:30 to ‘feeling bad’ around 11:30 to “I’ll just stay here in the bathroom…” from 12:00 to 4:00. I was able to go to bed because I didn’t have anything left to expel.
Sunday was spent in bed (for the most part) drinking water. I ate a light (rice, beans, chicken) dinner.  Mostly I was fighting dehydration. And fighting the upset stomach after expelling the entire contents. Rebuilding the gut flora is not unlike building up a fishtank: put in certain addatives to help, avoid these lest you lose all progress, and keep tabs on it all the time. Fun times.
Anyway, I’m better now. The tank is looking good too.
Good for the tank, bad for you… At first when you said the bug hit i thought you meant the tank. Is it terrible that i was relieved when it hit you? 🙂 Well, you will get over it. If a bug hit the new inhabitants of the tank, they probably wouldn’t.
Chris did have a Man Illness and he did get over it after we stuffed him full of Electrolytes and Probiotics for two days. I think it may have been kin to Rotavirus. Nasty, evil, strikes this time of year… and thankfully the rest of us seem to be doing ok.
This was not Chris but he was really out of commission for a good while.
All my friends were sending me this to cheer me up…sorta.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXLHWmjA5IE
It did make us laugh quite a bit.
that was a good one. Laughing …..
Oh .. and I hope you’re all better and will stay all better? As miserable as being sick is, it’s worse when it’s holidays and you have company.
Sounds like you’re on the mend, though. Which is good.
Much better now.
The new additions to the fish tank are getting things cleaned up nicely and the shrimp is starting to look much better these days.