SOMEWHAT ALIVE

I spoke too soon. After my last post I went to flush the final fish who was in fact not quite dead. He was so pitiful that it was hard to look at him without getting sick. First thing this morning I went into the aquarium store and asked if they had any “magic goldfish medicine”. They did not. The owner listened carefully to all the symptoms that the fish had before dying and gave me some helpful bacteria and salt to put into the tank. He informed me that a goldfish who stops swimming has about zero chance of surviving but suggested that I perform “therapy” on him to help him out. Several times daily I am to net the fish and help him swim around the surface.

The minute I added the magic potion the fish (that was so listless that I thought he was dead) started swimming around as though I had given him speed. My first thought was that he was having a seizure before dying but he settled down and swam semi-normally for a bit. He still looks like death, but he is definably alive and moving a little on his own. It is still breaking my heart to watch him.

The fish man thinks that it’s a ph issue that is killing all our fish. He said that even though friends in the same town on the same water supply don’t have problems, no one has the same pipes. Having scoured my brain and the internet over every possible cause of death this is the only theory that makes any sense.

For some happier news we are going skiing again tomorrow. I am taking 11yr old, 9yr old, 9yr old, 7 yr old, and 6 year old, and leaving Gary home with 3 yr old. It will be fun! It will be fun!