James the First

James has the goldfish has died and this is J2's first lesson in mortality.

It's never easy losing a pet, even when they are only 2 inches long, live in water and make no noise. He seemed to have some internal problem as he had gone quite thin over a few days then had trouble swimming and eventually his body was twisted, so it was probably a swim bladder problem, and there's nothing you can do for your fish when that happens.

J2 was distraught. She had been meticulous in keeping the tank clean and only feeding the fish the right amount. Those who think fish have no memory have never kept them before. The fish always swam to the side of the tank when J2 came to them, not for anyone else. Yes, they knew she would feed them, but even after being fed they would come to watch her as she sat beside the tank to watch them. If I go to the tank they take no notice.

So when she knew James' time was up she stayed for a long while beside the tank and watched how Matt and Charlie kept nudging him trying to get him to move.

There were tears, of course. I had to look away as my eyes went glassy too. It gets me every time. My budgies Jimmy & Joey when I was a kid, our family collie Judy, all of J1's hamsters when they left this mortal coil, it always gets to me. I'll be heartbroken when its Megan's turn. Even now I can see her ageing: I've had to get her some glucosamine supplements as she seems to have stiffened up in one leg in the last few weeks.

So farewell James we'll miss you.

Busted!

introducing 3 new members of the family, from left to right. Matt, Charlie & James, aka Busted. These are J2's first pets of her own and she's thrilled with them.

We've had so many tanks of tropical fish before in the past, but never goldfish. I can remember how hard it was moving the old tanks up from Gateshead to Edinburgh : the fish were in their normal water in plastic bags in a cool bag, the tank was wedged on the back seat of the car, J1 and I followed behind in another car. We loved keeping our fish, there was no way we were going to leave them behind ( or let them go to the great river in the sky via the loo!) It was a lot of effort but it was worth it. Thankfully we had the flat in Edinburgh already and could get the fish settled before we moved the furniture up.

Our most amazing fish was Lucky who was a platy. Platys are live bearers ( unlike many other fish who just cast their eggs/sperm into the water and let the currents join them together) , but they take no notice of their young , even eating them if they get the chance.

We knew that some of the females were carrying young so we had set them up in a separate tank so that the other fish wouldn't eat them. When the girls had given birth we planned to whisk them out of the tank before they scoffed their babies. We weren't quite quick enough, most were eaten. We noticed a few hiding in the nooks and crannies and tried to put food near them so that they would survive. Only Lucky did and when he was too big to be eaten he rejoined his family in the main tank.

When D was working in Edinburgh I used to have to phone him with updates of Lucky's precarious existence. Lucky lived for several years and it was always fascinating watching him dart away from his parents (some residual memories perhaps?).

J2 had done such a good job looking after her friend's goldfish we said she could have some of her own and it is lovely watching fish again. Matt & James are common goldfish but Charlie is an eye-catching Oranda. We played the Busted CD in the car as we brought them home!

The band as they were in their heyday!

The tank is resting on a crocheted doily made for me in red cotton by my late Gran. Finally, some of her work gets a look in!