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So now I'm home. My tanks are in a terrible state. I am doubting that my mom cleaned them at all in the four months I've been gone. Well, if she did it was a while ago.

Let's start off with the betta. The poor dear is over three years old. He's still alive. I am amazed. I just got done cleaning his bowl as an emergency because when I got home everything was covered in BGA. His java fern, the rocks in the tank, he even had a little bubble nest in there that was infested with BGA. The surface was all scummy. Poor little guy. So I gave him a thorough water change and scrubbed at a little of the algae. Tomorrow I might do more.

The 20 with the brichardi was doing ok. Probably because the water change supplies were right next to it. No taking an empty bucket and dechlor up and down stairs I guess...

The two tens in my room - bad condition. The plants (except the java in one) have not grown (in four months!), the algae in both is all over the place. Well, the pennywort has grown, but it's not looking too happy. Not such a bright green color anymore. Sort of yellowish with algae growing on it. And reaching in to help get rid of dead leaves - found the surface scummy (in one, the other more than covered in water lettuce... which probably helped a lot with the whole algae problem but not much for the pennywort) and then when the gravel is disturbed, clouds of detritus. Yuck. I will clean these tanks as soon as I have time.

Oh and my little magnetic algae scraper - sitting with the side with the string on it on the outside of the tank, and apparently not used for a week or two because I got a good layer of algae off with a quick pass of it.

It's not like it takes much time or effort to clean these tanks, if done regularly. Just about a half hour to 45 minutes once a week. I am not happy with my mom's care of these fishies. We'll set up the 60 with plants and such, but if she's going to neglect them like she has these it's not going to look any prettier. I know she doesn't want to take care of the plants much, but how much could it hurt to take some water lettuce out once in a while? And cleaning the tank will help keep the algae from taking over like that. Get rid of phosphates - and then add ferts and things are fine. Anyway, at least once the 60 is running she'll only have two tanks and a bowl to take care of. And larger ones so they can handle it better.

I guess the good news is, all my fish are still alive.

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