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Skippy

We have spent the last 3 months trying to get an aquarium setup and running correctly.  We cleaned up our tank and got all new gravel and decor and a new filter, but not a new pump.  We even added a bubble bar for dramatic effects.  We let it run for a month and thought it was good.  We went over to PetsMart to get our fish because our local WM was caught doing their weekly inventory of fish - it involved taking each fish out of the tank and putting them in a small container and the putting them back again.  No wonder there are so many dead fish in their tanks!

Aquarium with 1 Mollie
Anyway, we talked with the PetsMart fish lady and told her about our tank and how long it had been up and she said yes, we could get 6 small fish - no problem.  Well, we had a problem.  One fish died and so we drove back over to PetsMart (a 30 mile trip) and replaced the fish.  However, they refused to check our water because it had the dead fish in it.  2 days later, the fish start dying again.  By the end of the week, all except one fish died.  We gathered all the dead fish and took them to PetsMart with water straight from the tank without dead fish sitting in it.  Well, the water tested off the charts for nitrates which are poisonous to fish.  So we got a refund and some test strips to monitor our tank.  This time the sales associate told us we should not have put so many fish into a new tank.  A little different than the other sales associate.
 
Anyway, while at PetsMart on Saturday, we visited the animals for adoption because C loves to look.  There was a cute little terrier.

Candy - Terrier Mix ~1979
2 weeks later, after several aquarium water changes and adding plant bulbs and adding all sorts of chemicals, we still have high nitrates and one fish.  We headed back to PetsMart to see what else we can do.  This time, instead of bulbs, the sales associate recommended already grown live plants.  This visit also happened to occur on a Saturday.   The adoption people were again at the store and this very cute little terrier, who happened to look almost identical to my childhood puppy, was still there and looking very very lonely and sad.  After we left the store, I made the comment that if they keep that puppy very much longer, we might just come home with him. 

Well, C caught on to this idea and we talked all about it on our journey through Costco.  It finally came down to, if he's still at PetsMart when we finish shopping, we'll ask about him.  They were gone when we got back.

Max - Shetland Sheepdog aka Sheltie
We spent the next week growing live aquarium plants and talking about what a new puppy - 1 year old - would mean to our family: changes, responsibilities, not alienating our current dog, etc.  By the time Saturday rolled around, the kids had counted all their money and offered it to us to pay the adoption fee and we decided if the terrier was still there, we'd try to adopt him.  If not, we'd find another one like him.



Well....... the terrier was still there.  His name is Skippy.  He is 1 year old and very playful and likes his children and loves to run and chew on this.  He has learned "Drop" very well!

 
 




Welcome Skippy..........


PS: the plants are growing well, the aquarium water is still apparently toxic, according to the last test, and we still have one fish. 



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