My curiosity about the creek system is rapidly turning into a shtick. It’s taking me a long time to get anywhere in town, because I’m constantly stopping at bridges and culverts and peeking over the side. And when I’m hanging out with friends, instead of going out and drinking like a normal person, I’m always suggesting that we go check out the nearest creek and look at the fishes.
Even this far into the summer, with most of the creek system as dry as a bone, there’s still pools here and there. In the case of Waller Creek, there’s a population of platies that live in what looks like the overflow from Shipe Pool. It means they only have an inch of water in most places, but they thrive nonetheless.
Here’s a typical scene on the UT campus. The streambed, which is cut into the limestone bedrock, is dammed up into discrete little pools by warty mats of cyprus roots.
Did you spot the yellow-crowned night heron? The heron was doing pretty much the same thing I was, patiently watching the little fishes, and it didn’t particularly mind that I was there.
Editor D was talking about how he had a mosquito larvae problem in his city-provided rainwater barrel (that’s one thing that they don’t mention about the rainbarrels, their ability to foster pests. They also don’t mention that it never really rains here) and how he could use some of those mosquito-eating fish. So I caught some for him.
Last I looked they were happy and thriving. When you think about it, a rainbarrel filled with scuzzy water and fallen leaves is pretty much their home environment.
I had a death in the simulated creek aquarium. For a few days the female platy was looking pregnant, with a huge swollen belly. And then I found her dead with a deflated belly and a hole.
Did her babies burst out of her? Was it just an infestation of worms?
We may never know.
