.

Peace is everyone’s responsibility.  We must all go beyond violence and care for one another.  One is different from, but not separate from, whom one perceives.

.

I’m 63 years old and I’ve kept tropical fish ever since I was in the 5th grade.  I even had an aquarium in my college dorms when I went to college.  For a long time now, I’ve been keeping, raising, and breeding, various forms of miniature catfish called Corydoras (“Cory” catfish).  In terms of peace, all of the species of the genus Corydoras are totally peaceful and non-belligerent; I have never, in all the years that I’ve had them, ever observed them acting aggressively or being hostile to one another, or toward other fish.   I was taking photographs of my miniature Corydoras Reticulated Julii Catfish when I noticed them laying eggs.  In the bottom photograph, the female is with a male (doing their thing); look closely at her bottom ventral fins; she is holding two eggs in those fins (as the fins are held together in a prayer-like fashion).  Later (after they are fertilized) she will (carry them around for quite some time) and then secure them to plant leaves or upon the aquarium glass.  (These catfish are definitely good for going green while keeping aquarium fish.  They do not require aquarium heaters, and two separate aquariums can be maintained with a 4 watt air pump.)  Corydoras are, like I mentioned, extremely peaceful… (plus they are beautiful and are always comical in their actions).

Trio of Corydoras trilineatus. Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2015

Corydoras trilineatus mating with eggs below clasped in female’s bottom fins. Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2015