Through the glass

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Avatar for CoquiCoin
2 years ago
Topics: Nature, Blogging

Hello, amazing people at Read.cash. How is your first week of the month going?

I'm a little dull today; I've been up late for two days doing paperwork for my son's college applications. I finished most of the work last night, and today, I had been wandering from tab to tab on my laptop for a couple of hours, getting a little lost in my thoughts. But then I read @Eylz2021's latest article and said to myself it's time to stop thinking without acting, and I'd better get to write a post.

The last couple of days, much of my time has been spent filling out tedious forms, but I have had the company of Cora, who, when she is not sleeping, lies next to me while I work. Of course, as long as she doesn't run out to the window trying to chase the birds that come to the plants on the balcony. I don't know how she hears them because all the windows are closed. It is as if she senses them, and no matter how far away she is, whenever some birds are there, she comes out, and her hunting instinct kicks in, and she stands there for a while looking through the glass.

Nature is so amazing and speaking of which, I am going to tell you about some fascinating creatures, probably some of you have never even heard of them, the axolotls.

A few days ago, we had to go to the pet store to buy some sand for Cora, and I was amazed because the store had a few fish tanks with axolotls. I had never seen them before in my life, although I knew about them from illustrations and pictures. Of course, I could not tear myself away from there before staring some time at the axolotls through the glass of the tanks.

The axolotls are amphibians native to Mexico. Their only natural habitat is the lake and lake canals of Xochimilco, near Mexico City. I knew about them because they are Mexican and Aztec culture icons. The axolotl is a creature present in Aztec mythology. A legend says that the axolotl is the reincarnation of the Aztec god Xolotl, represented as a dog-headed man who guided the souls of the dead; he was the god of fire and lightning, and the legend said he disguised himself as a salamander to avoid being sacrificed.

But axolotls aren't only important as mythical creatures. They are invaluable to science because of their natural ability to regenerate lost limbs and injured tissues and organs. This makes their study of great importance in the field of medicine.

In addition, unlike other salamanders that undergo metamorphosis, axolotls maintain a juvenile appearance throughout their lives and retain their dorsal fin. Although they have gills, adults can also breathe through their skin and live up to 15 years.

The axolotls are usually black or mottled brown, and albino and white ones are also common among those grown in captivity. They are predatory in the wild, feeding on mollusks and smaller fish.

The guy at the pet store told us that if you want to have more than one, they should be about the same size, so they don't cannibalize each other.

We have an empty fish tank at home because the last fish died last year during quarantine, and we didn't replace them. Of course, my husband came out with the idea of taking an axolotl home from the pet store. But I talked him out of it, and I think the argument that Cora is home and it wasn't a good idea to have anything in the tank at this time worked.

I find axolotls fascinating, but I don't want one in my house for some reason.

Maybe because they bring to mind a story by the Argentine writer Julio Cortázar called Axolotl. Perhaps I don't want to end up like the character in the story, spending hours staring at an axolotl and becoming obsessed with them. And as in Cortázar's story, ending exchanging my place with one axolotl.

If you want to read the story Axolotl by Cortázar, go here. (the story is in Spanish).

Have you ever seen an axolotl? Would you like to have one?

Thank you to all my awesome sponsors and my amazing readers. You all rock!

All images and writing are my own unless otherwise stated.

Some of the images and writings were previously posted by me in Hive.

© CoquiCoin  

You can find me also at Noise.Cash ⊛ Hive ⊛ Torum ⊛ Twitter

Until next time! ;)

January 6, 2022

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2 years ago
Topics: Nature, Blogging

Comments

I haven't seen axolotl but I find them cute, like underwater dolls :D

$ 0.00
2 years ago

I must admit I would like an aquarium

$ 0.02
2 years ago

I think it is something you would enjoy; you have to practice some chemistry to keep the water in optimal conditions for the fish to live without stress;)

$ 0.00
2 years ago

We also want to have an aquarium because it's a stress-reliever to see fish swimming but sadly our house is not done in renovating yet but I hope we can have an aquarium :(

$ 0.02
2 years ago

You don't need much space if you only want to keep small fish; our fish tank is not big, so we can keep it anywhere.

$ 0.00
2 years ago

Luckily have an aquarium to feel it more closely. But this creature is different one.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

I have guppy and some other fish in the aquarium, but I have never had an axolotl, or rather I have never heard of it. My interest is mostly in setting up a marine aquarium and growing live coral.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

My husband's dream is also to have a marine aquarium. The axolotls are not easy to find; here is the first time I have seen them because they are an exclusive species of Mexico. I hope that someday you can have your marine aquarium.

$ 0.00
2 years ago

Wow, I never knew they are native to Mexico! They sure look interesting but I'd have to say no to keeping it as a pet because I'm not really fond of them as well.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

I also find them interesting and even fascinating, but I don't want to live with them, lol

$ 0.00
2 years ago

Have you ever seen an axolotl? Would you like to have one? No to both questions hahaha I don't think I'm that adventurous enough to have a pet like that lol

Thanks for the tag sis

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Haha, me neither;) you are welcome sis! xoxo

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2 years ago

Perhaps the myth was true my dear :) That creature actually looks so weird to me, we don't have that here in the Philippines.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

They are quite unique and exclusive from Mexico, so who knows maybe there is some truth in the myth ;)

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2 years ago

That would be so awesome then, my friend!

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2 years ago

The picture can't allow me to know how big they are cause I heard they feed on smaller fish, how big is the salamander

$ 0.02
2 years ago

These were very small, but in the wild, they reach 20 cms

$ 0.00
2 years ago

Oh, I see, they are that small, they look cute too, like tadpoles

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2 years ago

Yeah it's my first time to hear that name but I guess I saw this creature before on tv. It's really so mythical. 15yrs? That's too long for a small fish.

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2 years ago

They are not so small in the wild. And maybe you have seen them in a research documentary on TV. They are very used in scientific studies because of their regeneration properties.

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2 years ago

Lots of forms to fill out can be exhausting sis, glad that you got through most of them. Cora looks serious looking out the window hehe. And the axolotls still fascinate me :) Wish I could personally see one someday :)

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Cora looks and looks to see how she can get to the poor birds, she has tried to open the window several times, and we had to put some small pieces of cardboard to secure them because they are sliding and they don't have a lock. It's funny to see her as long as she doesn't catch one.

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2 years ago

She must really like to catch the birds haha. Her eyes look like she won't let go if given the chance, lol

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2 years ago

I never seen these earlier now it's my first time to see these and it felt informative

$ 0.01
2 years ago

I'm glad you found it informative.

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2 years ago

I've never seen salamander until now also it's my first time to know about axolotls, it also looks like a living cucumber hahaha

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Haha, the dark one body could seem a cucumber yes 😂

$ 0.00
2 years ago

It's my first time seeing that one, I'm new to it. Thank you for sharing.

$ 0.01
2 years ago

You are welcome! :)

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2 years ago

It's my first time hearing of axolotl,well I've never ventured into knowing about some mystical creature, I'll like to have one at home.

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2 years ago

This is the first time I have seen them here in a pet store; they are not easy to find.

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2 years ago

This is great! I heard about salamanders some 10years ago but havent yet known what it is and the way it looks like but i've known and seen it now

$ 0.02
2 years ago

These do not look like a common salamander, they are even more interesting to watch.

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2 years ago

You have an amazing babies, like cat and the fish. They're too cute 💖

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2 years ago

Well, the truth is that none of them are mine, Cora is a guest, and the axolotl stayed at the pet store, but they are both cute, ;)

$ 0.00
2 years ago