My Fish
The following is a story based on actual events. This is the
story of the fish that at one time inhabited my fish tank. The facts have been
dramatized for your enjoyment, although I think they are as accurate as you can
get without being able to speak to fish. Of course if you can speak to fish –
good for you! Read on.
It all started the day that my
children decided they wanted fish. Well that is to say we had some betas at one
point that, since, have died and well we wanted more. We decided that the best
option would actually be put together and aquarium and fill it with a few fish.
The aquarium we picked up from my mother. My sister had said the aquarium was
cursed… Apparently no fish had survived much longer than a fortnight in the
aquarium. Since I don’t believe in the curse, I took the aquarium.
After
prepping the unit appropriately and buying a new filter it was ready for its
new inhabitants. Off to the pet store we went. The fish of choice were African Cichlids.
Below is the cast of characters that would make up the drama that is my
aquarium. I should mention that my children named the fish, or in the least
took part in the democratic voting of fish names.
Orange Cichlid - Bugout
Black with yellow stripe Cichlid – Horizon
Completely light blue Cichlid – The “Doctor”
Black and white spotted plecostomus
– Mayor Sharkfin.
Things went
well within the first days. The fish were happy and enjoyed the castles that
were purchased for them over the next few days. They also had demanded plants
that were purchased for them. The plants were of the plastic variety, and
appeased the water dwellers. An interesting thing started to occur shortly thereafter.
Bugout and Horizon started to build
some kind of bunker, they would take the small rocks
at the bottom and build them up beside the castle. They had done this so much
that they had cleared away a set of rocks straight to the bottom. While this
seemed unsual it provided hours of enjoyment to watch
the little fish suck rocks up into their fishy mouths and drop them off into a
wall.
After a
time, it seemed that Bugout and Horizon had formed a bond, and ruled the
biggest castle (white with gold trim) , also the only
one that you could make entry into (as a fish of course). They would not let
the Doctor into the castle for any reason, so he was banished to the neon
castle of blacklightreactivetacticness. The doctor
did not seem to mind, although some small fights did break out occasionally at
feeding time, as they would sometimes prevent the doctor from food.
We assumed
at this point, that this was some type of fight they had previously when they
lived in the pet store. Although being separated by their colors’ we think they
were able to communicate with one another, and that
they had some deep seeded hatred for the Doctor.
Below is an
excerpt I think was taken from their dialogue from one evening.
Bugout – I saw
him again today Horizon – flaunting his medical degree, trying to tell us whats best for us. I don’t have any gill rot, and he should
not dare talk to me again about over feeding.
Horizon – Bugout,
you worry to much. He does not rule us,
I even spoke with the Mayor earlier. The doctor is just trying to do what he
can to keep a place in our eco-quarium. Besides, the
bunker is almost complete, as the mayor said we must begin our planning for
war.
Bugout – I have
my doubts of the mayors true motives, he is a SCUM SUCKER! His type have always been the evil motivating hand of all the
aquariums, sitting back and giving orders. Trying to make a “Perfect
Design” of underwater life. I don’t trust him anymore than I trust the doctor.
Horizon – The doctor
is the only doctor we have..
Bugout – SILENCE he
approaches
The Doctor – Hey guys!
I just came by to see how your castle is going, you know I thought maybe I
could stay over tonight, make sure you guys are doing allright
and check out the new digs!
Horizon – I don’t…
Bugout – What he
means to say is we don’t need your kind around here. Blue Cichlid… I remember what
your kind did to us in the great transfer! Don’t think I will forget it. You may be a Doctor,
Doctor – but we don’t need
you prodding around with your blue fins.
Doctor – Oh I see…
well okay then I will be on my way – cheerio!
Bugout –
CHERRIOS! The poision of the fish world!
Horizon – I thought
Poison was the poision of the fish world.
The Doctor – Well
then I will just be on my way…
Bugout cuts off the
doctors retreat as Horizon
watches with curiosity. The Doctor is unable to escape either way. As Horizon
goes to talk Bugout down there is a quick flip of fin and tail, and then The
Doctor lawls backwards trying to regain his balance. Soon the life giving fluid all around him is
working against him, as he is held in a low gravity prison created by the
trashing of Bugout. The currents impede his movements as he is hit again and
again with an orange fin.
Horizon Shrieks “What are you doing
Bugout???” as The Doctor screams “My ancillary motivation fin!!!!! Oh Poisiden it hurts! IT HURTSS”. Bugout
then dives forward and drives the doctor to the rocky below. Dragging
his flailing body towards the hard glass that has been uncovered in the bunker.
“This is for the good of the EQ! No longer will we be tormented by his witty
remarks, and his clever use of post fishspearian
ideals!” Bugout cried.
Soon, The Doctor thrashed no more,
as Bugouts eyes gleamed with murderous rage, and satisfaction. Bugout slowly released the Doctor
who floated to the top of the tank. The Doctors eyes were glossy, and the blue flesh
binding his scales was slowly dissipating.
Horizon – Oh Poseidon,
what have you done???
Bugout – Don’t
worry, just take those rocks up to the filter, it should jam it, I have a plan.
Horizon –
Poseidon, Poseidon, what have you done, oh no
Bugout – Snap out
of it man, it is all part of the plan, our supremacy will be known to all!
Horizon did
as Bugout instructed. After jamming the filter, so it would no longer push out
the stream of current, Bugout loaded The Doctors body halfway into the filter.
His plan was in motion, and Horizon was scared, and ashamed – but dared not
contradict Bugout at this juncture. Horizon returned to the castle and urged
Bugout to do the same. They kept a low profile for the next few days.
For us
however we woke up, and the children were shocked and frightened. The Doctor
was missing, as
it appeared also were Bugout and Horizon. We found Bugout and Horizon in the castle. And
found pieces of the doctor in the filter. We assumed it was a horrible
accident, and The Doctor got the standard Fish Funeral burial eau de toilet.
The children were
upset at first but learned to deal with the tragedy in a manner of hours. (or days in fish time).
We fixed
the filter, and feeling the bunker was the cause, we reburied it so that all
the rocks were level. Time went on for
us and our fish, and we had not had any other incidents in weeks. Other than
the fish kept building bunkers that we kept returning to a level surface.
Little did
we know, that Bugout’s plan was merely a 1/3rd
of the way complete…
TO BE CONTINUED!
Check back at www.youwilllistentowhatwesay.com
for more of the drama that is, my fish.
