MTM - fishtown

I have a mystery in My Town. Sometimes we look close to home for a good story.

We have goldfish in a fishtank. Once upon a time they went outdoors into our pond. I built a beautiful pond in Nepean, where I lived near Ottawa. The pond was built from stones from the front stairs that crumbled with old age and frost.

I bought dime-store goldfish who thrived in my new pond, and survived, a long trip (450 km) here to Muskoka. I was so sad to leave this structure behind...

We would bring the fish in before the Fall. They seemed happy to come in for a break from marauding raccoons. I began with 3, one didn't hide well. It could have been the fisher, too. The pond pump broke last year. It dumped oil into the pond, and I couldn't clean it up. Now, my fish are restricted to the fish tank all year.

I have never had any problems with the tank. I bought it from a Nepean mom & dad whose son had skipped town and left his carp behind, excuse the pun, without living fish. They sold it to me. Mitzie, our weird cat, loved to 'fish' when she was healthier.

It is a beautiful tank. I have had fish since I was in high school. My parent's friend, the late Uncle Bob Arden, first showed me how to set up the tank. I started with guppies and had a variety of fishies over the years. My late-ex-father--in-law raised tropical fish and gave me some cichlids. Just gorgeous. He had a pirhana named Percy. When you entered the basement room, it housed perhaps 20 fish tanks, Percy would slowly turn you way and stare at you. He ate goldfish.

My goldfish must be nearly 5 years old. Unfortunately, the fish water keeps turning green. It was bizarre the first few times. I have to change about 50% of the water every few days to ameliorate this problem - I cannot seem to get rid of it entirely. Except between November and February it did not occur. I am quite curious. My hydrogeologist daughter cannot figure it out, either. We think the pH is prone to fluctuations. I tried with pH balance chemical but it did not help.