An Experiment (and an apology)

[Anonymous]

Sorry I've been kind of slacking off on posting some of my own photos lately. I've spent the past couple weeks building the stand and canopy for my new 125 gallon system. It's just about done; I'll be moving the inhabitants of my 75 to it this week, hopefully within the next couple days. Just picked up the lighting from Premium Aquatics yesterday! I'm so excited!

In the meantime, here's a little experiment I tried this morning. I got this shot of a tiny little dragonfly yesterday afternoon and thought I'd drop out all the greens of the grass background to see if I could enhance the bright blue of this little fella. I don't know if I like it or not, I'm not usually a fan of partially colored shots like this, but it certainly does show off his color better!

Take care and keep shooting!
-John

 

[Anonymous]

Oh, and while i was out shooting dragonflies, Kelly (my wife) was poking around with a stick in the runoff ditch we have running through our back yard. She found this little guy! :-D

I'm pretty sure he's a hatchling snapping turtle, judging by the spiny ridge on his shell and the jagged edge to it, but I've never seen a snapper so small. Anybody really know their juvenile midwestern freshwater turtle biology?? ;-)

 

[Anonymous]

HOW CUTE! That's a red eared slider, don't know the scientific name. They're in pet stores across the land. I don't know if they're native in Indy (I thought it got cold there in the winter), so it might be a discarded pet. They're easy to care for, and they grow like MAD!

<rambling story> They're actually illegal to sell as pets that small (at least in CA) because kids put them in their mouth, get salmonella, die, etc. So pet stores get around it by saying they're for educational purposes, and not to be handled. Anyway, as long as you keep their water warm, around 75 or so, and clean, and get them to feed they do great. Mine started eating earthworms and then I weaned him onto turtle pellets. He was in a 55 vivarium with a betta pair, some live plants, a fire bellied salamander, and a little toad. Great little diversity tank. </rambling story>
Whew!

 

[Anonymous]

BTW, judging by his shell plates he's been growing, so he must be doing well in that ditch.

 

[investigator1]

That's ok sharky. I have been picking up your slack. How about making me a moderator too. :wink: