# I've got aqua babies! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 10, 2000, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933 "2000-06-10T03:49:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2000, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/21 "2000-06-10T15:51:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > Hey! All you people stop lurking and **help me name my fish!** > \*\* Your not the boss of me. šŸ˜› Having worked in a pet store, I dont like fish and frogs in such small confines. I wouldnt mind getting a crab one thoughā€¦ that would be cool. ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2000, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/22 "2000-06-10T17:39:59Z")
It looks like I missed out on the naming part, but the fish seem cool. Iā€™ve been thinking about getting some fish, but I didnā€™t want to have to dump a bunch of money in an aquarium, filter, rocks, plants, etc before I could even start looking at fish. Aqua babies seem perfect. About how much do they cost? I didnā€™t see anything on the link, did I miss it? ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2000, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/23 "2000-06-10T18:14:28Z")
Shayna, I found the pricing on the website. Please disregard the previous post. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Phosgene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Al\_Phosgene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Phosgene)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2000, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/24 "2000-06-10T19:07:00Z")
Iā€™ve got one of those, but the stupid cleaning crew moves it by the window when I leave. Someday theyā€™ll overheat that way. ---
**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2000, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/25 "2000-06-10T20:02:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > I was going to suggest you name the fish after the husbands on the SDMB message board that you ā€œreeled inā€. > \*\* Well, DRY, I donā€™t want to quibble, but how could you name a fish DRY? Even fish tend to live up to their names, and letā€™s face it-if a fish lived up to THAT name, he would- well, he would die. And break your loving un-spouseā€™s heart. Better to name it wet, or moist, orā€¦oh, nevermind. Scotti ---
**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2000, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/26 "2000-06-10T20:07:01Z")
Hi Shayna- I wanted to congratulate you on the new additions to your family, but I couldnā€™t find a card that said God Bless Your Newly Acquired Finny Friends. Go figure! I used to have 3 aquariums, and I had live bearing fish so I had a baby tank and raised them. It was really fun, but when I bought my teeny-tiny house I really didnā€™t have room for them. I still miss the whole thing sometimes. Enjoy! Scotti Say, is anyone in the market for an ant farm? ---
**Author:** ![tubagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b77776/32.png) [@tubagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tubagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2000, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/27 "2000-06-10T20:13:04Z")
all little animals need to be named **THOR** god of thunder!!! ---
**Author:** ![WallyM7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5e925/32.png) [@WallyM7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WallyM7)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2000, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/28 "2000-06-10T20:26:42Z")
I already have an ant farm, Scotti. Weā€™ve been invaded. I donā€™t like pesticides, so Iā€™m thinking of collecting some spiders from the yard and bringing them in. Of course, Iā€™ll eventually wind up with too many spiders, but thatā€™s no problem. Iā€™ll just get some frogs to take care of the excess. I can get a few lizards to take care of the frog overflow, and when _they_ get out of hand, a few birds willā€¦ ::segue:: Mutual of Omahaā€™s Wild Kingdom ---
**Author:** ![Catrandom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@Catrandom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catrandom)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2000, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/29 "2000-06-10T20:32:12Z")
I like ā€œStripes,ā€ short and to the point. Of course, I let my mother name my goldfish Abner, Crombie and Fish, so what do I know :0 I also have a plecostomus (algae eater) named Ed. Congrats on the new finny friends, Shayna! Catrandom ---
**Author:** ![WallyM7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5e925/32.png) [@WallyM7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WallyM7)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2000, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/30 "2000-06-10T20:52:46Z")
And, oh yeah, congrats on your pets, Shayna. Donā€™t forget to take them out for exercise occassionally. ---
**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2000, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/31 "2000-06-10T20:58:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > I already have an ant farm, Scotti. Weā€™ve been invaded. > \*\* Hey Wally- Please see my ant thread-I was just looking for a new home for some of the little critters, before I set off my bomb. I thought that it would be kind to give a few of them a chance to change their evil ways. Most likely, your ants and my ants are related and are going undercover to prevent us from posting our insightful and erudite thoughts. (giggle) I canā€™t figure out how to give you the link, but it is in MPTIMS. FTR, I canā€™t figure out how to do just about ANYTHING around here, but I am learning. Let me know if you want me to pick up another of them there bombs for you, although I am not sure they will allow me to send it through the mail. Scotti ---
**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2000, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/32 "2000-06-10T21:02:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > > I canā€™t figure out how to give you the link, but it is in MPTIMS. FTR, I canā€™t figure out how to do just about ANYTHING around here, but I am learning. > \*\* See, I told you I am clueless. I meant MPSIMS. Sheesh ---
**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2000, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/33 "2000-06-10T23:34:38Z")
> [@](#): > > DIANE!!! Iā€™m so glad youā€™re here. I was watching my weekly soaps tape last night and guess what I found on it? Monday nightā€™s Ally, which was The Car Wash Guy - Part II! If you missed it and would like to have it, Iā€™ll copy it onto a blank tape and send it to you. Let me know. THANKS!!! Fortunately, I found out that one of my girl friends taped both episodes and promised me a copy if I would let her borrow my weed eater. They keep changing their website, but I bought the butterflies, ladybugs, and the frog from [http://www.toysmart.com](http://www.toysmart.com) I think they probably still sell them, at least they did last January when I bought my latest batch. My favorite are the butterflies. They send them to you as caterpillers in a sealed cup full of food. They eat the food and begin to grow bigger and fatter, within a week or two they attach themselves to the lid of the cup and change into cocoons. This is when you take off the lid and attach it to the inside of the butterfly home. A few days later you can watch them emerge. It is really cool. We always keep ours for about a week and itā€™s funny how you actually grow attached to the little things. You can watch them unroll their long tongues when they eat. Weā€™ve also learned that they love sunlight on their wings. As soon as we place their box in sunlight, they begin to fly about their home. The best part though, is releasing them. In fact, we just released ours. They tend to stick around the place they are released. One was buzzing me as I mowed the yard. Just like a good mommy, I worry about the cats getting them, but Iā€™m sure they will do fine. The ladybugs are in their new homes as well, my rose bushes and flower gardens. They seem to be doing fine. The frog is fun to have, but the instructions specifically warn against releasing him because he canā€™t survive alone. He seems happy enough in his home. He has a pond and a beach and even a surf shop to hide out in. I also forgot to mention my other little critter that died a few years ago. My son found a little lizard that was almost dead. He brought him home and we nursed him back to health. He lived for a few years in a large glass container of sand and water and lots of those creepy crickets that pet stores sell. One day I noticed that he hadnā€™t moved for a while, the cricket population hadnā€™t gone down much and his eyes looked a lot darker than normal. Looking closer, I noticed that his eyes looked dark because they were rotted out of his head. He was just standing there all regal looking and dead. It was kind of funny in a sick way. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2000, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/34 "2000-06-11T01:09:01Z")
I have a terrible confession to make. I love those little crabs in aquariums (even w/o drawn butter and lemon), but I once deliberately slaughtered one. It was a case of mistaken identity. The crab was the prized denizen of the Childrenā€™s Room aquarium. (Yeah, guilt city.) Who knew the little cuss could crawl out the lid, drop off the table and blithely hike around the library? I was working the ref desk, the hell-and-gone on _the other side of the library_ when I spotted this disgusting big field spider crawling across the floor. Being sincerely terrified of spiders, I was quite proud of myself for being brave enough to stomp the thing with my very own shoe. (With my foot in it at the time!) It crunched more than usual, thoughā€¦and yes, flattened on the bottom of my shoe was The Crab. I scraped off the evidence with a tissue and played stupid. ā€œThe crab is missing?! Oh, _my!_ā€ But hey, at least it wasnā€™t the gerbil! Veb ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2000, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/35 "2000-06-11T04:58:22Z")
Hey, thank you guys so much for the help with names! Ok, Iā€™ve done some re-thinking and hereā€™s what Iā€™ve decidedā€¦ I am going to leave one of my fishies name **George** cuz I really do like that name. **Kat** , I like the idea of dog or cat names for my fish. Very clever. One of them will now be known as **Fluffy**. **Ruffian** , one set is kindof translucent with an orange tint and orange colored tips on the fin and tail tips. The tail looks like an open pair of scissors (but the bottom isnā€™t longer than the top so thatā€™s why I didnā€™t think they were swordtails), and on the inside, from about 2/3 of the way back to the tail, theyā€™re black. The other set are really skinny and long and theyā€™re kindof a yellowish beigey pinkish color. Very hard to explain. Donā€™t know if those descriptions helped at all or not. The instructions say to change the water once a month and to use only bottled water so as not to worry about chlorine or having to treat the water with chemicals. If that doesnā€™t seem to do the trick, Iā€™ll stop at the pet store and pick up some of the stuff you recommended. Thank you for all the helpful tips! **elelle** , that is so cool that your folks are marine biologists! I donā€™t know why - it just is. LOL. Anyway, I like your name suggestions. One of my fishies will now be called **Guinness** (Guinny for short). **DRY, Monster & soulsing** , to be fair to everyone who has so kindly offered name suggestions, I donā€™t have enough fish to name them after all you lovely men here. But I am absolutely going to use the name **ā€œHebxxrektidi11123zxxkdoroopdlss323vvbxqwewlaā€ and pronounce it ā€œTimā€**. That is absolutely hilarious! And another will be **Kermit**. So where does that leave me? 2 snails, one named **Speedy** and the other, **Garlic Butter**. 6 fishies named **Ahab, George, Fluffy, Guinness, Hebxxrektidi11123zxxkdoroopdlss323vvbxqwewla (aka Tim) & Kermit.** I will now start naming my plants and rocks. There is one plant in each aquarium, 1 large rock in one and 3 semi-large rocks in the other. I absolutely must name one of the plants **Audrey** , even though it wasnā€™t one of the names suggested here. **Athena** , the other plant will be named **Purina**. šŸ™‚ **BratMan** , the price on their website is $25.00, but they were only $19.99 at Target! Check it out and see if they have them in St. Louis! **Al Phosgene** , I sure hope your fishies donā€™t boil! Canā€™t you leave a note for the cleaning people to leave your damn fish alone?!!! **Scotti** , in honor of **DRY** , even though he doesnā€™t get a fish named for him, he will henceforth have a gorgeous green and black striped rock named in his honor. And hopefully heā€™ll be glad for that because rocks are strong, solid and never, ever die! **tubagirl** , rock #2 will now be known as **THOR**! Great name. I think the fish will like it, too. **Wally** , I am not letting you anywhere near my fish! **Catrandom** , I just LOVE those names! I wish I could use them on my fish. Maybe the next batch. But I will name rock #3 **Abner** cuz I think itā€™s so cute! And rock #4 will be **Wally** just because. šŸ˜ƒ **Diane** , thanks for the scoop on the butterfly houses. I will definitely check those out! Iā€™m glad youā€™re getting the tape of The Car Wash Guy. Woo Hoo! **Veb** , you are very lucky I donā€™t tell Wally on you. Hehehe Thanks again everybody! I knew I could count on you guys!! ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2000, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/36 "2000-06-11T05:20:45Z")
Shayna, Iā€™m glad you chose Guinness, that was my favorite of the lot. As far as it being cool to have marine biologist parents; well it was a great upbringing outdoors. But the travel factor with six kids in a station wagon full of dead fish (in Mexico in the summer) has permanently vetoed any enjoyment of seafood for me. Another suggestion for an aquatic plant name: Aqualung. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2000, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933/37 "2000-06-11T13:43:13Z")
Two days of suggestions on naming fish and Iā€™m the first one to mention **Wanda**. This is definitely the wrong crowd to go to the next time the Jamie Lee Curtis question is asked. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-aqua-babies/21933.md?page=1)