It's a frog eat frog world
Today is pond cleaning day. Drain pond, remember to remove fish at last minute, move frogs out of the way (tons of little frogs and a few fat, happy bullfrogs...little did I know), scrub rubber liner like a fiend, clean filter, etc.. While I cleaned some of the accumulated junk from the bottom I found myself squatting next to a big ol' bullfrog. In an attempt to strike up a conversation I commented on the abundance of bugs this year, especially bees.
"Do you eat bees?"
<frogSilence>
"How about fish? Can't seem to find the brown fish this time.
<blink nictating membrane>
"Doubt it. He's bigger than you."
</frogSilence>
At which point the bullfrog jumped a half foot up the pond edge. I turned to see the legs of a smaller frog clamped firmly betwixt bullfrog lips. What followed was the slow, steady progress of moving froglet into gullet. For a fleeting moment I had the urge to reach down and try to save the little croaker. Instead I ran and fetched the camera.
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how could you be so cruel, insensitive. don't you know frogs are going extinct but not bullfrogs. last year I was there to help you. did all the big fish survive. do you have to get a new tank for them. the normal norman kids and abnormal mom, plus marvelous me
I wasn't the one eating frogs nor would the bullfrog be persuaded from his frog eating ways by something I said. Lots of frogs this fall. Our dinky pond has at least a dozen and the beaver pond down the road is hopping with them.
The brown fish isn't missing after all, at least in the typical sense. After two years of being a dark brown/black fish it decided to turn orange like its peers.
No idea on winter quarters for the fish yet...the twenty gallon tank is pretty tight.