About Stumpy's Place
This is a 2 1/2 gallon tank that sits on a platform of bricks in our livingroom on one of the end tables. It has been used as a temporary safe haven for some of the fry that just couldn't cut it in other fry tanks. It's very basic, no gravel or plants. It's sole purpose is so that the fry that are in this tank do not have to compete whatsoever with their larger siblings for food and have a chance to get their strength built up so they then can be reintroduced to other tanks.

The Occupants
Currently in this tank there are 7 Guppy fry, 1 Tiger Barb and the star of the tank, Stumpy. Stumpy is an Electric Yellow Labido Cichlid that by all accounts should not be alive today. Stumpy was stripped from her mother April 10th, 2001 along with 21 other fry. Electric Yellows are mouth brooders and will hold their eggs/babies in their mouths for several weeks sometimes putting the health of the mother at risk. We have one such female that when she is doing this she refuses to give up the fry so I (we) have to strip her. Basically we get her to spit out the fry.

Back to Stumpy.. Stumpy was deformed when he/she came spilling out of her mothers mouth. Stumpy looks like a fish head with a little bit of a body but no tail. Stumpy does have a tail but it is twisted to the point that it turns back toward it's head and is held tightly against it's body. We never thought it would live past an hour or two. We decided to leave Stumpy in with it's siblings and just let it die in peace. Stumpy wouldn't die! We fed the new fry freshly hatched brine shrimp and Stumpy would somehow gets it's share. There were times when we were sure that Stumpy was near the end but the fish would just not give up. Stumpy is in no pain. Stumpy has it's pectoral fins and can manueuver around the tank very well. We keep the flow of the filter low for the most part but do turn it up to "exercise" the other fry and Stumpy on a daily basis. All of Stumpy's organs seem to be functioning although the fish is severly stunted in growth. I know some would consider it cruel to allow a creature to continue on in this condition but I have to say... Stumpy is happy, Stumpy is surprisingly strong, it is not uncomfortable in the least, and even shoo's the other fry away if they come close to Stumpy's territory. I guess as long as Stumpy wants to continue on and is able to in comfort, who are we to end it for her/him. Stumpy has earned the right to stick around. :) I will get a picture of Stumpy's Haven on this page soon.

We lost Stumpy today. May 4th, 2003. No disease or recognizable ailments. It was just his time. Neither Hank or I ever dreamed that Stumpy would survive as long as he did. Even though Stumpy was "just a fish" he taught me much about the will to survive. He may not have been the perfect specimen or even the most graceful fish but he was a joy to have spent time with. Stumpy has a place in our hearts that can not be filled. I will miss Stumpy terribly. Here is a link to more pictures of Stumpy and his home and what Hank had to say about our little friend..