proudnb:

The name you choose for yourself is your real name.

The gender that you identify as is your real gender.

The pronouns that you prefer are your real pronouns.

What you have chosen to do with your body (staying as is, transitioning, etc.) is exactly how said body is supposed to be, and is your real body.

Your definitions of yourself are what makes the real you.

Always.

scalestails:

Goldfish Myths


Introduction

 Goldfish (Carasius auratus auratus) are one of the most popular aquarium fish. Unfortunately, this is because people are lead to believe that they can be kept in small aquariums or, even more popular, fish bowls. These bowls are unsuitable for almost all fish. Keeping a goldfish in one will result in it’s premature death. There are many varieties of goldfish, but they can be split up into two different groups. Fancy goldfish and common goldfish. Fancy goldfish do not get as large as commons, therefore they are more suitable for tanks. Goldfish also do not make good children’s pets because of the large amount of space and maintenance they require. So here are some myths about them and their care that are dangerous to the life of your fish.

Myth #1: Goldfish will only grow to the size of their bowl.


Truth #1: Goldfish will grow to the size of their tank, becoming stunted and unhealthy.

Stunted fish live short, unhealthy lives. You never want to stunt your fish.
So this myth has a little but of truth to it. When a goldfish is put into a bowl, it is creating too much waste for any water change schedule to keep up with. There are a few theories around goldfish and why some are stunted when kept in small bowls and tanks. One theory says that because it has no room to grow, it releases hormones that make it grow slower, stunting it’s growth. Another is that a build up of nitrates are the cause. Either way, the fish will die either due to being exposed to deadly amounts of it’s own waste before it can reach a certain size, or is stunted living a shortened lifespan. Both of those deaths are easily preventable with proper care.

Sources:

Myth #2: Goldfish have a 2 second memory span.

Truth #2: Goldfish have a 2 month memory span, possibly even longer.

This myth has no scientific backing. There have been countless studies involving goldfish and their memory. Goldfish have a normal memory span, they can remember their way through a maze for months; and if the maze is changed they can find their way through with minimal problems.They also associate objects or actions with events like feeding, and can even be taught tricks!

Sources:

Myth #3: Goldfish do not make a lot of waste, and do not get very large so they are suitable for a small tank.


Truth #3: Goldfish make a lot of waste for their size, and some get around a foot long! They are only suitable for large, well filtered aquariums.

 This could not be further from the truth. A full grown common goldfish is around 12-20 inches long. A full grown fancy goldfish is 5-12 inches. These are not small fish. If they do not reach their adult size, as with all animals, something went wrong. Goldfish make a lot of waste for their size, therefore they require large volumes of water and frequent water changes with a strong filter.  A single common goldfish should be kept in a minimum of a 100 gallon tank as an adult. A single fancy goldfish should be kept in a minimum of 20 gallons. Sometimes it is hard to get people to believe that they reach such lengths, but when kept properly they can and should get to be quite large. Therefore, keeping them in a bowl is unacceptable if you value their life. It is extremely unfortunate that this myth is so well known- and believed.

image

Sources:

Myth #4: Goldfish are short lived.


Truth #4: Goldfish are long lived animals, they should live to be 15-25 years old.

This myth also has no truth to it. It’s the exact opposite of what is true. The longest lived goldfish on record died at the age of 43! Now, that doesn’t mean your  goldfish will live that long, but they still live for quite a while. The average goldfish lives for 15-20+ years. That is about as long as a dog or cat. Therefore, when purchasing a goldfish, you must think about whether or not you will be able to care for it during it’s whole life. It’s not something to be taken lightly. A lot of people complain about their goldfish only living for a few weeks or months. This usually happens because the goldfish is kept in a bowl.

Sources:

Myth #5: Goldfish do not need filters.


Truth #5: Goldfish need strong filters.

It is recommended to use a filter for twice the volume of water the fish is actually in. Goldfish are notorious for making waste. When dealing with goldfish, you want to get a filter for a tank twice the size of the tank the goldfish are in. Anything less and you will have problems keeping waste levels down.  When a goldfish is alive, it creates waste 24/7. As a fish exhales, they exhale ammonia. They also release waste into the water. This ammonia builds up pretty quickly, and it is your job as the owner to make sure it does not get to dangerous levels. A goldfish in a bowl can create enough waste to make the water dangerous to live in within a day! After being exposed to this dirty water, the fish becomes stressed and ill. It will then die if the water is not cleaned. It is impossible to keep a small tank clean enough for a goldfish to live in it and be healthy for 20 years. Therefore making bowls not even an option.

Sources:

Myth #6: Goldfish are tropical fish.


Truth #6: Goldfish are cold water fish, preferring temperatures of 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Goldfish are descended from Prussian Carp, a cold water carp living in parts of Asia.  While goldfish can tolerate a wide range of temperatures, keeping them in warmer water can speed up their metabolism and stress them, making it a poor temperature to be kept at. Goldfish thrive at 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit (18-21 degrees Celsius). Common goldfish can be kept in cooler temperatures during the winter like koi, but fancy goldfish do not tolerate it well.

Sources:

Conclusion

In conclusion, goldfish should never be kept in bowls. They get too large, they need strong filtration, and they make too much waste to be kept in something small. Keeping a goldfish in a bowl will kill it. Keep in mind that even if a goldfish lives for 5 years in a bowl, it still didn’t live to half of it’s expected lifespan. If you truely value the life of these living, feeling creatures you will do research before purchasing them and give them an acceptable place to live and level of care.

General goldfish information sources and good reads:

shrineart:

nice-and-blue:

mysteriousgiantwoman:

fearthesillypeople:

thebiscuiteternal:

direhuman:

aztechnology:

everybody chalking up pewdiepie’s use of slurs to “gamer rage” get honestly fuck right off because I’ve been playing video games for quite literally over 20 years of my life and not once have I ever used a racial slur.

“you know how it is!”

no

i don’t

gotten so mad that a boss fight has been 15 solid minutes of me yelling “fuck off!” at various lengths, pitches, and decibels? hell yes. yelled racial slurs? no. 

to quote a favorite Twitter account “I say ‘fuck!’ like a normal person”

I literally called one of the Colossi in SotC “bitcho bell grande” and I frequently scream “senpai don’t notice me” when playing MMOs and getting chased by mobs but I’ve never used a racial slur when gaming like how hard is it to just be fucking creative with your rage screaming or at least stick to fuck????

Lmao this is gold

Like honestly, I got into using slurs because of gaming with dudebro gamers. After I stopped gaming with them, after I learned why that was wrong as fuck, etc? I never use racial slurs.

Things like son of a bitch, cunt, etc sure. But even then? That’s not at real people.That’s at monsters in the game or bosses. If I’m in a game with real people? I don’t say shit because fuck that.

If anything, if someone is rude to us first I’m like “Rude much?” or “Relax man it’s a game”

I’ve stopped throwing shit at people pretty much because it’s a bad habit and it’s shitty to other people.

Also using racial or sexual slurs is just gross.

A dog called Odin survives California wildfires after refusing to abandon his goats

parisiansunrisemoroccanmoonlight:

thejusticethatissocial:

As the raging California wildfires encroached upon Roland Handel’s home, he had to make a split-second decision — try to force his dog Odin into the car, or leave him behind.

Odin is one of two great Pyrenees who take turns guarding the family’s eight goats from coyotes and mountain lions, and he was on duty the night the fires broke out.

“I had my 14-year-old daughter and we had to get out,”

Handel

said between sobs.

So he opened the gates so the animals could flee, then drove off with his daughter, their three other dogs and two cats all packed into the family car.

“By the time we were going down the road, you could hear the twisting metal of transmission towers falling and propane tanks exploding,” he said. “I’ll never forget it.”

He returned the next day, circumventing roadblocks to get there.

He discovered that his home and everything else on his property was completely destroyed.

Except for Odin, who was there waiting for him — with all eight goats.

The dogs paw pads were burnt and his bright white fur was singed orange. 

“He looked small and he was limping. He was lying down a lot. He was clearly exhausted.”

A group of deer had gathered with Odin and the goats, Handel said, perhaps also taking advantage of the brave pooch’s protection. The deer scattered when Handel approached.

He believes the dog led the other animals to a clearing at the center of a high outcropping of rocks to avoid contact with the flames.

“Its amazing he’s in such good spirits. He doesn’t show signs of being traumatized at all. He’s just really happy,” Handel said.

“He’ll make a full recovery. He’s going to be back with his goats.”

Handel is now raising money on YouCaring to rebuild the animals’ barn and water supply before winter. 

Well now I’m crying at my dining room table over a dog and his goats

He has a fitting name.

A dog called Odin survives California wildfires after refusing to abandon his goats