Sunday, May 12, 2013

Are you a suitable person to have fish?

I was in the garden yesterday - you can't call what I was doing gardening - but I leaned forward a little and my back went ping. Ever since then I've been walking with a slight tilt. It's a little disconcerting, imagining a day when I am old and haggard and bent over. 

Also in garden news, we have new fish in our pond. Of the eight originals only three remain and while they've taken advantage of the space and food available to grow into baby sharks Husband had a yen to get some more so we trotted along to Pets-r-us.

You wouldn't think it would be so hard to buy goldfish. For goodness sake, you can win them at the fair. But  the assistant almost refused to sell us any. I blame Husband.

He happened to mention that we'd had a heron in the garden at one stage and we suspected him of eating some of our previous fish. It was then that the cross examination began. What had we done to protect the fish? (Nothing.) Did we have a net over the pond? (No.) Did we intend to put a net over the pond? (Probably not.) Much head-shaking followed. She couldn't sell us fish unless we told her we'd put a net over them. 'Otherwise it's irresponsible of us. We'd just be selling them as food.'

Didn't like to point out the frozen mice they sell as snake food as we did really want some fish. Husband already hadn't helped by going on about the heron, and then, when he'd assured her he would provide adequate protection, he started talking about algae and silt and muddied ponds and blocked filters. I could see our dreams of a fish-filled pond flying out of the window or, more likely, going down the drain. 

When we'd signed all the paperwork - yes, seriously - she let us bring home 6 little fish, and true to his word Husband has put a net over the pond. Now when she said a net I had visions of a discreet fine barely-visible affair; Husband has used - well, see for yourself:
It just won't do.

11 comments:

Leslie: said...

Oh gee, I see what you mean. Just a very fine mesh over the water area would do nicely. Men! lol

Katney said...

I had goldfish in my classroom one year. At the end of the school year I sent a note home with the kids to find one whose parents were willing to have them take the fish over the summer--since I had two cats.

Two little cousins--Rebecca and Michelle--came with a note, and on the last day of school we packed the fish up and I drove the girls home with them.

Later on, I happened to come by during summer school and I asked the girls how the fish were doing. They were silent.

When the new year started, I asked about getting the fish back. "My aunt's cat ate them."

Michelle works at one of the restaurants we visit somewhat regularly. We laugh about it.

Liz Hinds said...

Indeed, leslie!

Like our cat ate the gerbil we were looking after, katney!

Furtheron said...

Be fair no heron is going to get through that good solution I say!!! ;-)

James Higham said...

6 little fish can become 6 big fish in no time.

Rose said...

Love your pond, though I must admit it's the first one I've seen with a big net over it:)

Good thing the pet store never asked years ago why we kept buying another hamster every few months. They probably wouldn't have sold me one either if they knew the cat had eaten all the previous ones:)

Ole Phat Stu said...

If they'd asked me all that I would have played koi about it ;-)

BeeWild said...

Yes, well, we know how well you and Husband would get on, furtheron!

If they live that long, james.

Oh no, rose!

Ha ha, stu.

Jay at The Depp Effect said...

Hahaha! Any self-respecting heron should be able to get that harpoon-like beak through that mesh, no problems!

Seriously, I kind of like the fact that they try to make sure you will be able to look after the fish, but as you say, there they are selling mice - and probably live insects - for reptiles and to my mind they really don't have a leg to stand on ... rather like your fish, really, but unlike the herons!

BTW, we don't use a mesh. Herons like to wade into water, so we simply string wires across the water about three inches in from the edge and about two inches above the surface. Works a treat!

NitWit1 said...

among ailekinI suspect the fish will live a long life. I see CAPTSH or whatever is back on a lot of the blogs I read.

Anonymous said...

Dropping in to check on you and George. This is a great post. You still make me laugh (as does Stu). I think of you and your family often. Peace. Elsie