This evening, I tried to remove some flake food that fell into the grooves of the ledge that the hood latch goes down on to when closed. The odd piece of flake food gets trapped there now and then, but they are really awkward to get out because the groove is so narrow. A larger piece fell there tonight, and I managed to remove it out using a pipette - I'd try kitchen towel, but it's quite imprecise and I prefer to wash my hands thoroughly in cold water if I'm messing around with the tank in certain ways; I went for an option where I didn't need to touch anything. I could have even used the tip of the knife that I use to cut pea up and to feed to the fish, but I didn't want to as I'd be messing with it again when I feed pea, and I'd worry about not having washed my hands properly before handling it tonight.
Only, there was also an even older bit of flake food - well over six months - that was trapped in the very corner, and I decided to try to remove that too. It worked, but it flicked into the water. Before I could remove it, one of the Minnows snatched it up and ate it. It was a tiny piece, but I've never cleaned the grooves under the latch, so now I'm concerned what that bit of flake food will do to the Minnow, what with the dust and whatever else might be lurking in those grooves. In the past I've tried to get at it, I might have even touched it or the ledge with hands that weren't properly washed after using soap, or with kitchen towel that has touched those same hands, and now the Minnow has eaten that bit of flake food.
I should have just left it alone, it wasn't causing any harm...maybe I'm absolutely potty for worrying about this, and I can't do anything about it now anyway, but it still concerns me as I try to be ever so careful.
Only, there was also an even older bit of flake food - well over six months - that was trapped in the very corner, and I decided to try to remove that too. It worked, but it flicked into the water. Before I could remove it, one of the Minnows snatched it up and ate it. It was a tiny piece, but I've never cleaned the grooves under the latch, so now I'm concerned what that bit of flake food will do to the Minnow, what with the dust and whatever else might be lurking in those grooves. In the past I've tried to get at it, I might have even touched it or the ledge with hands that weren't properly washed after using soap, or with kitchen towel that has touched those same hands, and now the Minnow has eaten that bit of flake food.
I should have just left it alone, it wasn't causing any harm...maybe I'm absolutely potty for worrying about this, and I can't do anything about it now anyway, but it still concerns me as I try to be ever so careful.
