Wet Pet

Today, after an adventurous time at Chuck E. Cheese, we stopped at Wet Pet. Lucky for me, Wet Pet is only 8 miles and 18 minutes from Chuck E. Cheese. The kids didn't last very long, again. Ben is a nightmare in that store. But this time it wasn't crowded. I managed to snag the same dude who helped me last time. Not sure if that's good or bad.

I told him he'd sold me my 55 light but that I'd switched the bulb to a 6,500k. He said, "Yeah, an actinic isn't going to do your plants any good." Well, dude, why the hell did you sell me one?!?!? What kind of dog and pony show is this?

I got a glass lid for the 5.5 gallon. It as $20. I'm pretty sure it was only $13 online. (Plus shipping, so it evens out.) I asked him to get me a plant light, but that required me buying a fixture and then buying a separate bulb because the included bulb was garbage. And he was out of the necessary bulb. I passed on the whole thing. I got the lid, and then ordered a light on Amazon. $79 marked down to $21. How can you go wrong? It's an adjustable daylight lamp with a 6,700k bulb. I think it's for people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, but the fish forum people said it was perfect for a nano tank.

I asked Wet Pet Dude for a carpet plant that would work without CO2. My options were limited to moss. He sold me a hunk of Riccia fluitans, also known as Crystalwort. It's a moss. We'll see how it does. I got a tightly-packed ball that, when opened up, was enough for three tanks.

I also got a Red wendtii (cryptocoryne wendtii).

More shots of the riccia.

 

The tank is looking pretty full right now of plants. I'd say it's time to stop, at least in the 55. When the plant light arrives for the 5.5, I may throw more stuff in there.

Meanwhile, Shawn and I discussed switching the betta to a 10-gallon. The problem is finding a proper stand. We don't have one. If I had a10-gallon, I could have gotten a school of those darling little pygmy cories I saw at Wet Pet today. They were beyond adorable. The cutest fish I have ever seen. I was genuinely sad not to bring them home. My only options are to bring up a stand from the basement - those old yellow cabinets - or to find one on Craigslist. Or, to just shut the hell up and be satisfied with Rhaegar's nanotank. A 10-gallon would require more sand, more money. Maybe a bigger heater. (Wait, I have one!) Anyway, I just bought the glass lid for the 5.5. So that's it. I'm locked in. Shut up, Laura. Get your sh*t together.