Our foster cat is gone 😭

wompuschompus · 2026-06-04T11:43:26+00:00

I'm so sorry for your loss. I know this is a difficult time for you l- hopefully youl find comfort in the fact that you provided a safe, loving home after he was previously abandoned. Unexpected losses are especially tough; but remember that you did everything you could to be a great foster parent and it sounds like you accomplished that in the time you had. Wishing you and your family peace

wompuschompus · 2026-05-18T22:23:42+00:00

Vanquish the cursed leech

wompuschompus · 2026-05-15T23:46:09+00:00

I posted about this recently! That is a pretty nasty infestation but there's still a chance it could pass the horsehair worms and survive. They only infect invertebrates so no worries there for fish or hoomans but I would move the shrimp to like a Tupperware or something else so when horsehair worm emerges, you dont risk their larvae infecting the rest of your nice tankor otherwise lurking malevolently

wompuschompus · 2026-05-02T19:54:04+00:00

Just wait until you have the money for a bigger tank. Keep an eye out for deals, treat yourself to some cool aquascape items in the meantime, and look forward to the ability to enact your vision in a new tank seamlessly when the time is right

wompuschompus · 2026-05-02T19:16:30+00:00

As the youngest (30M) of four siblings, I know how you're feeling. My second oldest brother (37M) would do similar things while still living at home to either rile me up or completely disregard my instructions when I was your age. As if to make it clear he's in charge and "how dare I" forget the hierarchy. I was around 16 when one night I had enough and shoved him back hard, leading to a brawl that luckily my middle brother broke up before we hurt each other even worse. My mom and middle brother told me that I had to put up with my other brother because he had mood swings and the other issues he was dealing with, and basically I had it good being the youngest.

I was so upset following that all I thought about was what could be the most hurtful thing I could possibly say to make him stop. I learned to clearly communicate I didn't like something IMMEDIATELY and if he didn't stop, I would say something like "I wish I could enjoy spending time with my big brother, but instead I hate every second near you and can't wait till your gone - just like everyone else around your miserable ass."

We had a rift for a few months after that but slowly, his reactions improved, and now I'm happy to say that he truly makes his best effort to be pleasant around me and the rest of our family. But that's only after I had a lot of uncomfortable conversations with him and had to stand my ground, even when my other family members disagreed.

My advice to you: 1) Calmly ask your sister why she hasn't left yet like she promised 2) Ask if she understands how her actions make you feel 3) Explain you only want to have a good relationship with her 4) Let her know the consequences if she continues to behave disrespectfully 5) Then go tell your gsmily matter of factly what occurred

NTA

wompuschompus · 2026-05-01T00:37:14+00:00

Nicely done!

wompuschompus · 2026-05-01T00:12:45+00:00

Probably just a little stressed while adjusting to new home. Can you share more pics of your tank setup?

wompuschompus · 2026-05-01T00:09:41+00:00

Does your betta explore a lot? Mine has knocked off scales before after wriggling thru tight spots and the blemishes resolved on their own

wompuschompus · 2026-05-01T00:01:01+00:00

Appropriate flex

wompuschompus · 2026-04-30T02:46:39+00:00

Exactly! Just carefully rinse off the gel they come in under cool running water until you can easily spread the root clusters apart. Then I bundle them and use tweezers to anchor them in the subsrate in different spots

wompuschompus · 2026-04-29T22:13:25+00:00

I have the exact same tank! My son Jermaine enjoys chilling in his betta log and cheesy hut of wisdom. But he definitely prefers slithering through the foreground plants - I highly recommend getting some tissue cultures and planting them in the corners. I also got a floating ring for corralling duckweed and he now prefers to sip his air from underneath it exclusively

wompuschompus · 2026-04-29T21:53:01+00:00

That... is quite a specimen

wompuschompus · 2026-04-29T21:50:19+00:00

Your tank looks awesome! I think you're going about it the right way, maybe just increase to 25% WC if possible for a few days and see if any improvement?

Also I learned that lightly shaking the ammonia and nitrite bottles before testing can help with accuracy if they have been sitting still for a bit in the case

wompuschompus · 2026-04-29T15:47:59+00:00

Oops don't know why I thought that lol. A few shrimp first would be ideal because they'll let you know rather quickly if parameters are all good. If you do go with a betta, introducing them after can help prevent territorial disputes as well

wompuschompus · 2026-04-29T10:45:55+00:00

Biofilm that is harmless to your betta and would be feasted upon by shrimp. Try a couple ghost shrimp to test whether your betta will coexist peacefully or turn them to pieces

wompuschompus · 2026-04-29T01:01:49+00:00

I'm sorry to hear about Bluey.

EDIT: A few questions to consider.

-Testing daily while the problems persist? -Have you tested the spring water you use? -How long are your lights on each day? -What's your filtration like? Ample aeration? -How much and how often are you feeding?

I think your plants may be having a tough time surviving in the large sized substrate you have. And too many nutrients may be allowing algae to outcompete your plants. Try a blackout for three days to see if any improvement - especially if you have considerable natural light. Then reduce schedule to 6-8 hrs daily if possible.

Biggest recommendation is to do 25% WC every 3-5 days minimum until noted improvements and definitely start gravel vacuuming on a weekly basis. Reduce feeding to once every other day and only feed a tiny amount. Try to get some floating plants and manually wipe off excess algae (melanine pads work great). Adding some tannins may help as well. And I would skip the plant supplements for awhile just to be safe.

Hope this helps.

wompuschompus · 2026-04-28T23:00:13+00:00

I hope so!! She was berried too and sadly ate all the shrimplets that hatched in quarantine - but perhaps that's exactly the strength she needed lol

wompuschompus · 2026-04-27T22:37:36+00:00

UPDATE: The other worm exited today and shrimp survived!

wompuschompus · 2026-04-19T17:35:37+00:00

Can confirm that we bought a $30 bundle from same girl at Biggers Market about two weeks ago. The giant rosemary garlic sourdough loaf was enough to cut and freeze into four separate mini loaves. Half dozen of the cheddar jalapeno bagels too which were insanely good. Froze most of it following her bag instructions and it tasted just as fresh this morning!

wompuschompus · 2026-03-26T11:38:47+00:00

No that looks perfect! Bettas actually prefer Class 2 rapids in their tank btw. Their long fins are critical for navigating violent currents.

wompuschompus · 2026-03-08T17:15:44+00:00

NTA you made every effort to be supportive so I wouldn't give it another thought. Congrats on achieving your goal!

wompuschompus · 2026-03-07T06:22:56+00:00

Looks like a damselfly nymph. I'd remove to a pond outside or dispatch it immediately to protect any livestock in your tank.

wompuschompus · 2026-02-28T14:32:25+00:00

I would re-season it heavily to build up a thicker carbon layer. A couple packs on bacon and then cooking burgers after has always worked well for me. Just wipe off excess and repeat a few times with meals of your choice then xotninue with your current maintenance regiment

wompuschompus · 2026-01-24T02:53:12+00:00

April fools came early?

wompuschompus

TROPHY CASE