Holy Cow! I'm Cycling a Gold Fish Bowl!

Andyandsue

First let me say I do NOT think keeping a Goldfish in a bowl is Ok, nor is this MY personal fish. But I am amazed by this.

Some of you may remember my post from months ago. I care for this poor Goldfish in a bowl when my neighbors are away. I even performed surgery on him when I pulled out a piece of metal from his gill, then nursed him back to health with twice daily water changes, melafix and a little salt. They turned down the suggestion of a small tank for their son's birthday and it even gets worse. I happened to see them leaving for the summer to go home (out of the US) and they were going to leave the fish to die! I offered to take him and of course when they had taken out the cycled gravel I put in the tank...

So now, I've put a tiny bit of cycled gravel back in, he has a plastic plant anchored with a part of a small clay pot. I was cleaning the bowl every other day, but not rinsing the gravel or decorations, just replacing the water when I decided to water test for the heck of it and it showed 0 ammonia and the presence of nitrites! The tank is starting to cycle! Of course the owners are coming back in a week and that will be the end of that.

willow

you poor thing !
i don't know how you do it.!!!!!
there is no way i would give the fish back,
i think i would tell them it's died of some contagious thing
that fish get,then hopefully they won't get any more.

beetlebz

i say stuff your neighbors into a 500 gallon bowl, lock the door, and throw away the key. see how they like the tight conditions.

i second the great philosopher willowicus... tell em it died and give them the bowl back. with a hole in it. or try to educate them as best you can about how inhumane they are being to that poor fish.

Amphitrite

Sorry to hear you're having the same problems all over again!! I remember you posting about this the first time round.

I would go with what willow suggested, and tell them that the fish got sick or something. Okay.. it's a little white lie, but for the sake of the fish I think that's what I would do.

Do you have anywhere you could keep him, or know anybody who could take him off your hands and give him a good home?

Oh - and good on you for all the care and attention you've given this fish!

Lupin

I'd follow Willow's suggestion. Hope everything will be okay, Susan.:)

willow

i would so hate to be inyour position.
i still maintain the fish lurgee story.

marinebiologist21

My dear. That poor fish doesnt deserve this!
Yes, unfortunately this is the case for a little white lie, perhaps.
I would do it for the Goldfish's sake. That poor thing is being tortured.
Props to you for being a good person!

B

Andyandsue

Telling them that "Fin" died is just too easy. I forgot to mention that Fin belongs to a 9 year old boy who is friends with my 8 year old son. What a way to teach your child responsibility, huh? Just let his fish die. There is no way my son would keep his mouth shut on that one, Hence the BIG problem.

I changed his water again tonight and tested and 0 ammonia! All I can do is laugh at the fact that I'm actually cycling a Goldfish bowl. I've changed his water so much now that I have a special bond with him...I don't even use a net anymore, just gently scoop him in my hand. When he sees me he knows he's going to get food, I can hand feed him a blood worm.

It's very bizarre and very sad all at the same time.

I'm going to ask if we can keep him, but I don't know what they'll say. I can put him in my tank for a bit and then give him to a friend with a huge tank.

Andyandsue

My neighbors arrived back to the US some time overnight, and they came and picked up Fin this afternoon. My son must've told him that Fin was doing great. I wasn't home thankfully, but my husband handed him over. I'm going to mention to the mom that if they ever don't want Fin anymore that I'll gladly take him. Back to his crappy life. :(

Lupin

Awww..That really sucks!:(