Elusive fish

I am fairly certain that most of you won't care a hoot about my fish.
But, seeing as how it "pond life in my backyard" is right there under the title I decided I better throw a bit of that in while you are waiting for chapter three of the wedding saga.
I promise I am working on it!!

I must admit that I have a love/ hate relationship with my fish.

Here is the deal, for some strange reason I have an unreasonable fear of fish.
(I am assuming it was because I was viciously attacked by fish in my youth, but I am not willing to pay for an in-depth psychological analysis to find out for certain.)
Looking at them scares me a bit.
I know this is a personal oddity.
It must have been a really vicious attack!

On the other hand they are so fantastic to look at!
This may strike you as a bit of a conundrum...so be it!
Going to an aquarium is practically a life threatening adventure for me because I find myself equally horrified and fascinated with the glorious variety of fish and all of their colorful variance.

In an effort to feel less anxiety with fish, I try to be friendly with mine in the backyard.
Are you laughing at me?
I think I hear you sniggering!
That is okay, I have a strong constitution and can handle it.
Yes, I go out and feed them and try not to look them in the eye, because that really creeps me out...when they look at me...in the eye...shudder!

I am highly dissatisfied with my current camera and find myself taking shot after shot of my fish that look like this...
nice huh???

They are just so fast. That, combined with the delay on the digital camera make for frustrating picture taking situations.

This is a fairly new batch of fish which we got at the end of this last summer, as the other ones all got eaten or died. That is a whole 'nother post all its own!
These fish didn't seem to have the knack of coming to the surface when I approached to feed them, but have acquired it mysteriously just this week. It must be something deep within them, like salmon returning to spawn or something. Yeah, something like that.

So, I got the bright idea (duh) to shoot a little video and thereby escape the frustration of yet another missing fish photo!
I walked out, they came over to see me...nice fishey fishey, don't look at me as I get really close to video you in your natural habitat.

We currently have 10 fish.
Eight of these are from a chain store and cost .23c apiece with an average length of one and a half inches upon purchase. Most of these have no readily distinguishable features, but upon inspection a few have a couple of visual treasures to discover. I can't help but love the little white one with his orange helmet. He is usually one of the last to rise to the surface and I find myself waiting to see him before I leave to get on with my day.

Two of these fish came from a specialty store and cost more than I am willing to mention in a post about someone who fears fish. I chose to pay more for these as they were larger than an inch and a half and I was still in mourning of the good sized, recently deceased fish I had cultivated a liking for!!
One is a large greedy gray and white beauty which has a few orange spots, so that he is color coordinated with the other members of his family.
Another is a large orange one with a white underside and a beautiful swishy tail.

Here is their internet debut. It is kind of boring...but if this year is anything like last year, you will be hearing quite a bit about my fish and will need to have a ready reference!!



Did you hear that splash near the middle?
It was the large grey one trying his best to scare me.

He did.

I will have to work up the courage to go out there again!
Kidding,

I am kidding...



kind of.