Day 7: Red & Stumpy

Stumpy

WE MADE A WEEK!

We had another great night! Both boys are doing well. Things are quite uneventful which is just how I like my things.

Stumpy from above.  Doesn't he look "thicker?"

Eating is still a bit of a pain. I have stopped with the shrimp brine, and am now trying only bloodworm and pellets at meal times. Stumpy continues to eat whatever I put in front of him (although he seems to prefer pellets to worms). Red completely ignores pellets still... they fall right next to him and he keeps on swimming until I have something nicer to offer him. He is starting to pick at some bloodworms though, so we are making progress. I figure it's not natural instinct to let themselves starve, if he is hungry enough he will eat what he's offered. They both continue to be round about the belly, but they definitely cleared out their systems yesterday and I am confident that they are not stopped up in any way.

Red's tail is regrowing!

Both boys tails and fins are looking different to me today... Red's look longer... just a little. ;) And Stumpy's tail has these tiiiinnnyyyy little orb shapes at the tips which are odd, but I guess they're like new tissue growth?

Stumpy still spends a great deal of time on the bottom of the bowl and often still makes the C shape, but the more I observe him, I realize it seems less of a reaction to illness, and more to do with his little spine I think. Even when floating he's pretty curved. I am keeping an eye on it, but feeling less concerned that it's a sign of something sinister.

Red

I think they may be bored though. Red less than Stumpy as he enjoys his cave, but Stumpy literally plonks himself down at the side of his bowl and stares me down for hours while I am working. If I listen closely I can almost hear him saying, "I'm boooorrreeedddddd. Feed me or something!" Their hospital tanks are pretty bare aside from the coffee mug cave. What else can I give them as entertainment? We do about 5 mins of mirror time every evening. I have them completely blocked off from each other though... should I give them a little peep hole where they might glimpse each other? Or is that cruel?