I've been away for a long time and LadyMinion and I have been out of the hobby for three or four years.
All the tanks taking up space in my tiny, tiny little terraced house just got a bit too much and after the death of our beloved Martha we decided to call it a day.
We sold all our tanks, equipment and remaining fish for £180 the lot, just to be rid.
in early 2010 we moved out of that pokey little place in the centre of town to a large bungalow in the Suffolk countryside where we keep chickens in our third of an acre garden.
In June 2010 LadyMinion and I became Mummy and Daddy to a little boy then in October last year I lost my job. I was fired after taking time off for post-natal depression (yes, dads can get it too!)
I'm still unemployed at the moment but trying to make a go of things as a freelance illustrator. I recently did some work for the author Jasper Fforde.
I also have a webcomic called Odd-Fish
So now we're in the position with the offspring being a little older (almost 2) and a bigger home with loads more room than the old place to start up fishkeeping again.
Some of you might remember we were into oddballs and plecs. At our peak we had about 12 different freshwater puffers including Martha, our pride & joy Fahaka who we raised from a tiny thing to a huge beautiful adult puffer.
At the moment we have just a small three-footer with simple, pretty fish in to keep The Sprog amused. Neons, Dwarf Rainbows, Bumblebee Platies and a couple of Golden Bristlenoses for clean-up. Nothing too challenging or fancy.
I doubt we'll go back to monsters or high specialist fish like Martha but you never know what the future holds.
All the tanks taking up space in my tiny, tiny little terraced house just got a bit too much and after the death of our beloved Martha we decided to call it a day.
We sold all our tanks, equipment and remaining fish for £180 the lot, just to be rid.
in early 2010 we moved out of that pokey little place in the centre of town to a large bungalow in the Suffolk countryside where we keep chickens in our third of an acre garden.
In June 2010 LadyMinion and I became Mummy and Daddy to a little boy then in October last year I lost my job. I was fired after taking time off for post-natal depression (yes, dads can get it too!)
I'm still unemployed at the moment but trying to make a go of things as a freelance illustrator. I recently did some work for the author Jasper Fforde.
I also have a webcomic called Odd-Fish
So now we're in the position with the offspring being a little older (almost 2) and a bigger home with loads more room than the old place to start up fishkeeping again.
Some of you might remember we were into oddballs and plecs. At our peak we had about 12 different freshwater puffers including Martha, our pride & joy Fahaka who we raised from a tiny thing to a huge beautiful adult puffer.
At the moment we have just a small three-footer with simple, pretty fish in to keep The Sprog amused. Neons, Dwarf Rainbows, Bumblebee Platies and a couple of Golden Bristlenoses for clean-up. Nothing too challenging or fancy.
I doubt we'll go back to monsters or high specialist fish like Martha but you never know what the future holds.
I used to admire her all the time, such a beautiful fish 
Real good to see you back, sounds like you have more room for upcoming projects, as well as future aquarists in training! 
. Martha the puffer looked really pretty, very vivid colors! 
