So, What's The Strangest Thing You Have Ever Put Into Your Oven?

I baked fish rocks last week for the first and "last" time in my life

Our goldfish, Moe Moe, has been feeling a little under the weather for awhile. First there was that upset with Aunt Nee Nee's dog Jake and now, poor Moe Moe has went and got himself a fungus. The poor guy has been swimming around like a crazed maniac and rubbing himself all over the rocks and his lone little plant in his tank. (You never have had a good laugh until you watch a goldfish scratch his head frantically on a plant -by the way!)

Being a responsible pet owner, I sought the advice of a fish expert. In my case, this happened to be the guy at the local Pet Smart store. I took in a sample of his water (in a recycled plastic palm oil container, no doubt). The result, Moe Moe was in imminent danger. Moe Moe's tank needed a complete overhaul.

You see, recycled plastic containers do come in handy. The only container around my house , that would hold a huge goldfish, was a five gallon bucket. Don't worry, it was cleaned thoroughly and did not contain artificially flavored chocolate dipping sauce.

Moe Moe swam around and around and around in circles for about two hours.

I was instructed to take all of the rocks from his tank (easily scooped up by my palm oil container), wash thoroughly, bleach in a mild solution, rinse, and then bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. I never thought I would be baking rocks. Fluorescent pink rocks at that.

In the end , Moe is is now happy and swimming along in his freshly cleaned tank. All chemicals are balanced, levels are correct, and I am relieved. We even got into the whole "redecorating thing" and bought him a background picture for his aquarium. Now he has a star fish with google eyes staring at him all of the time. Life is good for Moe Moe.

And in case you are wondering, baking fish rocks, smell like strawberries- don't ask me why but it is true.