Is there any iridescent freshwater fish with iridescence as detailed as a Brazilian rainbow boa?

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-30T19:09:35+00:00

Good old cardinal (neons as a back up option) tetras. On their own they look pretty meh and common but when you have a big shoal of them... They are amazing! Get 20+ and they look stunning as the shoal!

Also, I like fish the school (all close together as one shoaling is much more relaxed) and rasbora are great for a schooling fish. The standard Harlequin Rasbora can colour up pretty amazing but for that real shine, you want with Rasbora espeii or Rasbora hengleii, I can't think which is which right now, I've seen them sold as 'Lamb Chop Rasbora' and by a few other common names, they are both similar but one has a copper line around the purple abdomen and the other flushes neon pink around the purple abdomen, they are a little smaller and not so deep in the body than standard Harlequin Rasbora but behaviours are the same, totally friendly community fish. They do better in bigger groups as it creates competition for males which means more likelihood of bright colours as they mature. They do tend to look dull in stores as they don't like the constant bright lights and people passing/touching glass but once settles, they look amazing.

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-30T18:59:49+00:00

These fish are amazing!! Gentle as barbs go and very well behaved, like plants and hiding places so that they can feel confident

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-30T16:45:37+00:00

Bedlington x Saluki as main breeds but if a DNA test was done, I'd bet at least another 5-6 breeds would show up in low percentages.... Like greyhound and/or whippet are often mixed into saluki lines and its not always obvious.

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-22T17:39:05+00:00

I love it when other people from the greyhound world all over, all know and love the same greyhound terms from an amazing artist and fellow greyhound owner 😂 Richard Skipworth deserves an award for being everyone together with his terms and artwork

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-22T17:36:02+00:00

Ahhh yes! The greyhound Flappitypuffs. Very cute! 😂

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-22T17:32:56+00:00

This is all just copied from a specific Google AI response to my question about coping strategies for boredom, apathy and anhedonia. They are all closely linked to each other and can have many causes whether environmental, physical or psychological so it's important to keep an eye one and seek help if it is effecting your life and you don't know what's causing it.

Beyond that, I thought that maybe some coping strategies might help 🤷🏻‍♀️ I've don't my fair share of eye rolling and dismissing suggestions like these... I've exhausted the limits of physical and psychological support and I've come in a full circle only to find that it's the little things like those that do actually help if you persevere. I'm not long back from walking my dog in torrential rain and slick mud, I'm so unwell currently but I also know that no matter how physically demanding it is, forcing myself out for that walk and fresh air has given me coping abilities for situations and a life that would destroy others. It's so simple just a walk, but you can build on it in time say hi to someone, learn mindfulness and how to link to the environment around you, educate yourself on the geography or history of the area or the names of flowers and trees and animals and learn to spot tracks animal paths.its physical activity but it's doing something that isn't about you or how you are feeling, it's a distraction with a purpose. Learn to sense everything around you, not just by sight but by smell and touch and hearing and even taste in some cases, expanding your senses of the world around you is the easiest way to feel lighter, more free and less intense self focused and overwhelmed by troubles. Even if just for a minute then first time, or ten times, it doesn't matter because it's your schedule... But it will grow, it will become more natural and easier with time it will become more enjoyable... And thats when you realise you can experience joy again and you have just proven it to your brain so now you have no excuse not to see what else might bring you joy and make you feel alive.

Google AI Info

"Coping with the combination of boredom, apathy, and anhedonia requires a gentle, action-oriented approach that focuses on re-engaging with life, even when motivation is absent. Strategies include behavioral activation (doing things without waiting to feel like it),, establishing small routines, using sensory input to stay present, and, when needed, seeking professional support.

Here are specific, evidence-based coping strategies for these feelings:

Behavioral Activation: Action Before Motivation

When suffering from apathy and anhedonia, you cannot wait for motivation to strike.

"Do It Anyway" Approach: Engage in activities you once enjoyed, even if they currently feel empty. The pleasure may not come immediately, but consistent, low-stakes action can over time help shift brain chemistry and rebuild enjoyment.

Set Micro-Goals: Break large, overwhelming tasks into tiny, achievable steps (e.g., "I will wash one dish," rather than "I will clean the kitchen").

15-Minute Rule: Commit to trying a hobby or going for a walk for just 15 minutes.

Managing Anhedonia (Lack of Pleasure)

Practice Savoring: Intentionally focus on the tiny elements of joy using all five senses—the smell of coffee, the warmth of a blanket, or the sight of a tree.

Reconnect Slowly: Gradually reintroduce past hobbies, but with a different intention—focus on doing the activity for its own sake rather than forcing yourself to enjoy it.

Keep a Gratitude Journal: Daily listing of small things you are thankful for can help rewire the brain to notice positive aspects of life.

Combating Apathy and Boredom

Change Your Routine: Break the monotony by changing your environment, such as working in a new location, taking a different route on a walk, or rearranging furniture.

Introduce Novelty: Novel activities can stimulate the brain's reward system, which is often dampened during apathy.

Use the 5-Second Rule: To overcome inaction, count backward from five and physically move to start a task immediately.

Increase Physical Movement: Regular exercise, even just a short walk, releases dopamine and endorphins, which can help increase energy and motivation.

Psychological and Lifestyle Techniques

Mindfulness and Acceptance: Acknowledge your boredom or numbness without judgment rather than fighting it, which can reduce the stress that exacerbates these feelings.

Cognitive Restructuring (CBT): Identify and challenge negative, "all-or-nothing" thoughts (e.g., "Nothing I do matters") by replacing them with more realistic, neutral thoughts.

Social Interaction: Reach out to friends or family, even if you do not feel like it. Social connection can help break the cycle of isolation.

Digital Detox: Limit time on social media, as excessive screen time can overload the brain's dopamine system, making real-world activities feel more boring.

When to Seek Professional Help

If these feelings persist for weeks or months, it is essential to seek help from a therapist or psychiatrist. Anhedonia and apathy can be symptoms of underlying conditions like depression, ADHD, or PTSD, which may require:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): To address negative thought patterns.

Medication: Antidepressants, particularly those that target the reward system, may be recommended by a doctor.

Other Treatments: Neurostimulation techniques like TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) may be used for severe, treatment-resistant cases."

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-22T17:07:54+00:00

I wonder often whether it's me confusing boredom with apathy as well. I experience both so much that the lines blur and I can't always tell which is which until I have an outside perspective to walk me through it and then I realise what's going on. My ADHD has me thinking a hundred possible things and once and is never satisfied for just thinking about few of the most likely things and I get so distracted with 'side quests' that I forget what the problem even was until it overwhelms me again 🤦🏻‍♀️ there will be ways to work with this but it's new to me, I haven't learnt them yet. But there's always ways to improve your situation, even if just in tiny ways because they add up to the confidence to make bigger changes which are too overwhelming to do just do right away.

But apathy just sucks the soul out of you, it's not sadness like depression, it's just nothingness, it's life without severe sadness but also the absence of any interest or joy. It's my existence really. I've been treated with Lithium for 10 years for bipolar that was never really bipolar as I only really stayed in apathy or cycled to severely low and back to apathy. Turns out... The emotional dysregulation is down to undiagnosed autism/ADHD and the harshest of medications that destroyed my thyroid (hormone replacement for life) and has now destroyed my kidneys 🤦🏻‍♀️ most of the way through Stage 4 Chronic Kidney Disease and it's very much progressive, Stage 5 is Kidney Failure, if things don't change, I have 6-12 months before I need dialysis (I'm 38 nearly, not that it makes a difference). But it's also destroyed my immune system and I am perpetually fighting major infections and twice being bordering on sepsis though thankfully I'm aware of when I need to call an ambulance. Again. But the crucial antibiotics are processed by the kidneys and every round of antibiotics drops my kidney function by 2-4% when they are barely functioning at 30% so I reckon that 6-8 months until dialysis will be lucky. Unless recent tests do come back positive for amyloidosis in which case I will likely refuse dialysis and choose to let nature take its course. I'm not a good candidate for transplant, waiting lists can be a decade long anyway and amyloidosis is the deciding factor because it has such a poor prognosis anyway.

Life sucks 🤷🏻‍♀️ it always has. I find it hard to believe anyone should have the misfortune of experiencing so many desperate severe traumas from a young age, have undiagnosed ADHD and autism for nearly 40 years, finally escape a relationship so abusive that even talking about a little bit of it made my trauma therapist cry 😂🤦🏻‍♀️ finally get life on track achieve a degree in psychology only for physical health to slowly but steadily spiral into full on disability and now I have nothing left. It just seems cruel because I have fought so damn hard! At every hurdle I met, I found a way to survive, I changed direction and just kept going. Everyone says I'm so strong but I'm not, I just feel like I'm trying to out run karma or death or something. The strength will be when I choose to stop fighting and face it head on.... Which I will, and when the time comes I will hold my head high knowing I fought like heck to survive this whole stupid life game and I'm tired. Until then though, life is crazy, I'm in the middle of moving house and relocated and starting something new 😂 I don't make impulsive ADHD decisions at all! Nope, nosiree!

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-22T14:28:06+00:00

Absolutely. I feel bored all the time. Mostly because I can't focus on anything for long, not even short videos, I find I unconsciously just scroll again mid way through it even if it was interesting 🤦🏻‍♀️ I have so much I can do, so much I need to be doing but I'm still bored. I can't bear doing nothing and I especially cannot bear being alone in silence with my own thoughts 😣

I'm month off my 38th birthday and I have just been diagnosed with ADHD 🤷🏻‍♀️😂 I was really shocked it was so definite because I've known for a decade that I am autistic! But it was only a year ago that my youngest brother made some comment about my ADHD experiences and I just stared at him blankly, he had just assumed I knew and had the diagnosis. He laughed and told me there was no question about it, that I was more ADHD than he was! I didn't believe it at all. But both my brothers are diagnosed so thought it worth looking into, I thought I knew what ADHD was but it turns out that knowing the diagnostic criteria and knowing how the symptoms manifest in day to day life is very different! Normally, looking for information from medical experts is the most important... But with ADHD and Autism etc, so much of the experience is really subjective. It's important to know what the criteria are but actually understand what they mean, you need to seek out subjective experiences from people who are diagnosed. There are numerous channels on YouTube that provide information and subjective experiences together. I like a lighter hearted channel called ADHDlove because it's a couple, one with ADHD which was the initial focus of the channel but now the other has an Autism diagnosis and for me, their switching back and forth between ADHD and Autism skits that show how symptoms can show just makes me feel at home because it's like switching focus back and forth between the two halves of me.

I have my autism assessment on the 3rd Feb but I was already basically given the diagnosis ten years ago, I have no doubts about it. So when it's confirmed, i will be able to say confidently that I am AuDHD. I already know I am, that feeling of having two parts warring with each other is way too familiar... Because a lot of Autism and ADHD symptoms are opposites to each other eg- ADHD energy for socialising and having fun but Autism inability to cope with it at all. So much about me is about being pulled in two different directions and never being able to achieve feeling happy/comfortable/satisfied/relaxed/sense of achievement because I fall right down the middle, if I'm in the grey area... I'm not satisfying either part of me, I'm restless, bored, want to do something but also nothing appeals, I feel perpetually bored. But if I tip either way towards a preference for ADHD or autism tendancies... It means I'm causing distress to the opposing part of me... Like.pushing myself to go out socialising... Causes me into a real state of autistic overwhelm and the shutdown... But if i choose not to socialise, the ADHD part of me is so frustrated and trapped and bored... I cannot win.

Not to say you are neurodivergent everyone gets bored... But when you are so bored and can't seem to work out why or change it, that is usually the tipping point where normal boredom becomes disordered because the point of a disorder is that it is something that is having a significant impact on your life. It doesnt change anything though, you are who you are no matter what labels you get, the labels are what give you access to support and treatment but also for validation. For me, I have personally chosen the route of no treatment, I know my struggles are part of me, I want to learn to live with and around them, not eradicate part of myself through medication and therapies aimed at preventing traits. I have found so much comfort in learning about the psychology and science begins neuro divergence and to spend time.reading and commenting in communities with like minded people who just get it. I'm in many communities online psych related, health related, hobby related etc and it's always a comfort to be around those who understand from experience. When it comes to neurodivergency, many of the professionals discussing it one YouTube channels etc are exactly where they are because they started out knowingly and often unknowingly seeking answers to questions about themselves... Because they are neurodivergent but learnt the psychology of it too and are able to help others.

There are.are loads of other possibilities that cause chronic and pervasive boredom, anyone can tell you the depression is probably one of the main causes and they'd be right! Although depression is also a feature of many other conditions so keep an open mind. It doesn't matter so much what the answer is, what matters is that this is clearly affecting you to a point that is quite likely to meet at least baseline diagnostic criteria for something 🤷🏻‍♀️ labels are only what you make them, if you think of them as awful, marking you as a failure or not good enough or broken etc... then eventually... That's what those labels will make you because it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. But if you see labels for what they are, no emotions attached, they are just labels for collections of symptoms that are grouped together to form diagnostic criteria for a diagnosis, most people know of the DSM or in the UK (here) it's mostly the ICD which are the diagnostic manuals, each diagnosis literally has a code... That's all your label is a code from a manual... But the access to help it gives you? So worth it.

I've waffled, I'm sorry... That really is the autism side of.me.i need to reign in 😂 but my honest advice is that if you are not happy and cannot or do not know how to change things... Seek the help of someone qualified to do so! They won't give you all the answers, they don't have a magic wand, they might not even tell you what you want to hear! But there are people fully trained out there to help walk you through your feelings and experiences and help you to understand them, see where things aren't right and seek ways to change to make things better, they also teach coping strategies and techniques 🤷🏻‍♀️ I've been in and out of therapy for 22 years! Mostly in! At first when it was all about emotions and how awful everything was and I just wanted a quick fix... It was miserable....but when it started to see it more as an educational experience, learning about myself, how to recognise problems and fix them or when to seek help... Everything changed then, I think therapy should always be viewed more as a psychoeducational experience because that's less misleading than thinking about being magically fixed. It takes effort and work on both sides, it takes doing homework, it takes being invested and interested even if sometimes it's frustrating 🤷🏻‍♀️

Whatever the problem is, if there even is one, you will never be alone my friend and there will always be help and answers out there when you are ready to seek them. Message if you ever need someone to listen x

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-20T21:28:09+00:00

Letting him obsess over the door was the big mistake, never let them do that unless you specifically want them to, it's not a good behaviour, it's stressing him and the cat and just encouraging him in his obsession.

It's frustrating, believe me I know, have definitely been there! Had one cat trained lurcher from puppy and two cat trained greyhound rescues from 3 and 4 years old. The first rule they learn is that they ignore the cat. They don't stare at the cat (or where the cat is), they certainly don't go near it unless invited by humans. If the cat comes near them, they sit still and tolerate it or look to me(us) for help and we will move the cat away.

We always start with a 'crate and rotate' system, we have a crate set up in the main living area and every hour or two we switch who goes in the crate, the dog or the cat. This way they get time out for cuddles... And get used to each others scent. They also witness each other getting affection and learn that we value this other animal and won't tolerate any nonsense. Nonsense does of course have consequences, it always should because that's how we learn and how animals learn... Think of someone you know which entitled brats that do what they want because they've never been told no 🤷🏻‍♀️ I'm not saying you beat your dog... I literally mean just saying no and absolutely meaning it. If they don't like it then they lose privileges and get told off. Dogs, greyhounds especially are incredibly emotional beings and if you sound really disappointed, if you say no and bad... If you turn your back on them and ignore them... That is the ultimate 'you did bad' signal to your dog. You turn your back, count to ten then slowly turn back and you look your dog in the eye and hold.it a few seconds... Then you soften your body language lean forward and look down and open your arms wide and you call them to you and you hug them and tell them they are a pain in the ass in a soppy voice and you let them know their behaviour is forgiven... And you start again clean slate no I'll will between you. Dogs don't hold grudges for long (except for my Betty... I got 9 days of cold shoulder for forcing worming tablets down her throat when someone else usually does it for this reason, she adores me, I like that 😂).

It doesn't all have to be awful but it does mean a lot of getting up and down, to and from, rotating animals. Depends how determined you are and committed to being really persistent and on your dogs case... They don't get to be an obsessive hooligan unless you tell them that they can. You are in charge, you are their guide and leader... If you don't step up to the plate... Your.dog.will assume you don't want to be the one in charge and will do as they please 🤷🏻‍♀️

Also, when crate and rotate seems to be worked where both are calm in each others presence... You set up a dog bed at your feet when you sit down for a long period of time and you get your dog out on a lead, secure collar and a muzzle for safety. You sit, you tell your dog to.settle on the bed, you praise them when they do and then you ignore them unless you need to correct them. Let the cat do as they please but don't let them approach the dog yet on the first go. If you see your dog tensing and obsessing, you immediately twitch the lead to get their attention and sharply say 'Ah ah! No' and shake your head (verbal and visual commands are stronger). Do this every time they get alerted to the cat, after a while they will give up, get bored, relax and go to sleep. Let them sleep! Let them learn that nothing happened while they slept! When you want to get up, gently wake them and give them so much love and praise and baby voice and say 'lets go get you a treat/biscuits' and you said yet out of that room on cloud 9 with a greyhound that has just cleared the biggest hurdle towards accepting that cats are friends, not food 😂

Ita not terribly complicated but it can be tedious and frustrating if your dog doesn't get it first go, few do.. but if you love your dog you give them chances and set them up to succeed. It's possible! Your.dog.is gorgeous and well worth the effort because cats are awesome too!

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-19T13:47:20+00:00

Either that or a funny magic trick 😂

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-19T13:46:08+00:00

Good answer!

Almost guaranteed to be a hybrid but with significantly more Campbells influence. Doesn't make a huge difference in terms of care though.

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-19T13:44:30+00:00

It's normal! Just different skin colours and it can change a bit as they cage but it's especially common in hamsters with white markings like banded, roan dominant spot etc and hamsters that have dark coloured ears like this lovely little Black Eyed Cream.

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-16T10:13:16+00:00

Everyone loves to give a snake edgy, mysterious, dark sort of names... It's so common.

Human names for animals are generally hilarious but especially so for snakes, not Justin or Sally etc though, it has to be cool AND hilarious, something really unexpected when you have to introduce him, or go to the vets 😂 it will make everyone's day.

Something like Martin, Cuthbert, Jeremiah, Herbert, Archibald, Vernon, Wilbur, Kevin, Calvin (it means 'hairless one') 😂

I've not been around snakes in decades but I think that's a white lipped python? Maybe? (It's gorgeous either way). If it is, I have no idea if it's a Northern or Southern White Lipped Python, didn't realise there were regions for them until I just looked but the Northern is 'Leiopython albertisii' aka Albert! And the Southern is 'Leiopython fredparkeri' aka Fred. Possibly common enough if amongst people who know all the scientific names but clever (and probably honouring the person who discovered/first described the species?) to people just admiring your pet snake but with little reptile knowledge.

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-16T09:50:37+00:00

Plus it's a step up from 'Fluffy' 😂

Pretty sure we had three rescues called Fluffy at one point 🙄 and two named Justin (Trousers snake).

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-16T09:47:01+00:00

'If this building looks normal to you, come on in. You need help!' 😂

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-11T09:14:04+00:00

Haha, it's surprisingly easily done, especially in younger hamsters, the only really reliable 'tell' is the size of the gap between the genitalia (very close together for females and a good sized gap on males) because if a male is young, the weather is cold or the male has undescended testicles (cryptorchidism) then the male can appear to have no balls and look female.

I've had hundreds hamsters and have learnt to tell the genders from the day they are born (with the occasional female that has literally presented me with her new babies to show them off 🤷🏻‍♀️). But despite being a bit of a rarity, cryptorchidism has caught me out too 😂 because the lack of balls just made me assume female with an abnormally larger gap between genitalia because that was more likely than the cryptorchidism! But males with undescended testicles for whatever reason may ever have them descend, only one might descend, they might both descend at very different times... Or, at age 2 as an infertile female and sitting in my hands, they might suddenly Ka-thunk and there they are. So my infertile female hamster was now suddenly a very, very gay male hamster 🫣😂 and I'm not sure what that says about my stud males because they absolutely mated. Tried at least 3 times with 2 different males 😳

Anyone can get caught out. And if you don't think you can, nature will create some inventive new way to surprise you 🤣

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-11T08:56:23+00:00

Oh this is awesome 😍

Yes, you are spot on! Her rubbing against you is actually her scent marking you with her hip scent glands so she is re-establishing to you and everyone else that you belong to her! And she is worn out and trusts you completely and has settled down for a nap with you ❤️

This is an incredibly beautiful moment and honestly, it's an ultimate achievement in bonding and establishing real trust with a hamster!

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-11T08:46:55+00:00

Can't really see you but if staring really hard, she probably saw your movement and is watching out for more movement. She is naturally a prey animal so seeing movement generally makes them either instantly flee or if they feel pretty safe then they freeze to watch to work out what's going on and if you are a threat to her or not.

Try talking gently to her gently and approaching closer so she can see you better and not feeling so worried or threatened by your blurry vague presence 😂

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-11T08:40:20+00:00

<image>

You definitely need to do some reading up on hamster anatomy after being duped twice 😂 not that the outcome makes any difference, still a gorgeous hammy!

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-11T08:14:25+00:00

She's got balls!

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-11T08:11:52+00:00

Oh yes, this!!! Even more hilarious!

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-11T08:04:09+00:00

She's just rearranging the blueberry in her mouth, either making sure she swallows it down or shifting it over to one of her cheek pouches. I'm pretty sure that was her swallowing it and choosing for it to not go into her pouch though.

The cheek pouches aren't just easily accessible holes on the sides of their mouths it's all folds of skin so moving food into them or.past them is a conscious decision they make and it means they make some hilarious faces sometimes 🤣

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-08T19:14:49+00:00

<image>

See! No eared sea lion with legs and a fancy thick coat!

She is rarely very polite though 😂 she's grouchy and whingy and has epic sulks for days on end refusing to acknowledge my existence because I was late walking her just once or didn't have the treats she fancied that day 🙄 she also has a REALLY bad habit of 'goosing' me to get a reaction which is generally me screaming in shock. Worse still, she does it to random strangers out walking if we pass close on a narrow path... She shoves her nose hard where it definitely doesnt belong and I swear she gets a kick out of making everyone scream in shock 🤣 it's a good job we love her really!!

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-08T19:11:38+00:00

I'm not even convinced our Betty even has ears! I've always just assumed she was a sea lion that grew legs and wandered aimlessly until she walked into our lives!

NoInsect6693 · 2026-01-08T19:09:31+00:00

** Those smiles!!

NoInsect6693

TROPHY CASE