I have done two full water changes since I last posted on this thread. The first one I did, Wednesday this week, resulted from a bit of a scare from an unusually high Ammonia rating from the testing I do before every water change. I had either 1 or 2 ppm and either way I was freaked out. The only good thing from that testing was that both Nitrites and Nitrates were still zero.
I've been keeping an eye on Buck's behaviour, but nothing seems out of the ordinary beyond the reading the test gave me in the tank that one time...honestly Buck's been visibly happier in the time between the first water change and the one I did today. In the time between the first water change and today's water change Buck has; taken to greeting me when I come into the room, doing a little dance for me when I show up in the morning to give him his Breakie, and making the biggest bubble nests I have seen from him so far. I just wish I thought to take a picture the bubble nests before I did the water change. It's been pretty rewarding for me to just watch him, honestly.
Anyways, today's water testing showed that the ammonia levels were not nearly as bad as the ones from the prior test, with Ammonia readings of 0.25ppm. Nitrites and Nitrates are both at zero so that is pretty good as well. Buck's been doing well, and is enjoying the little tunnel decoration I got for him so far. He has managed to remind me of my younger self once by...getting himself stuck again. I don't understand just how, but in the five minutes I was watching him adjust to the new arrangement of decorations in his tank he managed to go from pinning himself with the wall thermometer, to having buried himself under a plant right by the tunnel, both of which were buried under gravel.
He reminds me so much of how I used to be when I was younger that it almost hurts. Fortunately, Buck hasn't managed to seriously hurt himself in his little 'adventures' around his tank. No ripped fins, no damaged scales, nothing. Just bruises to his ego and a minute of stripe time from his panicking.