Christine and I were in the kitchen this morning making some blueberry muffins for breakfast and I called out to Sushi, our pink beta fish. (he's really Natalie's but she left him here when she went to grad school and like all good moms, I inherited his care and keeping!)He usually does twirls and swims right to the glass when I talk to him and then I feed him his beta bits. Today--no response. Now he is a tropical fish and on cold mornings he moves a little slower and takes a while to warm up, so I wasn't too concerned at first.
BUT, then I SAW HIM and he was on his side flat against his blue and purple glass pebbles. There was no mistaking he was gone. I burst into tears. Amazing how a little fish can just wiggle into your heart! We held a small funeral for him downstairs in the guest bathroom, and then Duff did the 'honors' of proper fish burial. It was very sad to see him at the bottom of the porcelain throne.
We knew he was getting old--almost 3 years--and when I changed the water in his bowl last weekend, Mike and Christine gave me a hard time and said I should just flush him then. I debated it with myself, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. He rallied yesterday eating a lot and swimming around so carefree I thought he might be on the mend.
Funny how now that he is really gone I don't feel any better about it. I don't think I'll run right out and get another fish, but I will miss his greetings. Even fish have personalities I've learned. At least he died in clean water!
