Kingston and the Goldfish

A great lunch in Kingston. We made it to Kingston on Monday. It took awhile to find parking – oh, city life! 

Chez Piggy

We had a great lunch, despite the fact that it was crowded and very noisy. We'd planned to meet for 12:30, but arrived at 12:45. The noise level was a shock to me! The other patrons cleared out, and we didn't have to yell to hear one another. It was unsettling for people who haven't eaten indoors for months, but we made it through. It was lovely and a great catch-up visit. 

From there, we went to the pet store, and I bought 4 new fishies. They aren't cheap, goldfish, but they give us such pleasure and it is a hobby I enjoy. I avoided the $35 ones, and bought an older, bigger one for $18, and 3 of the $10 younger ones. I explained that I had Percy, and he needed more friends. She asked if he might eat them, but I explained that there were a couple in the tank he hadn't eaten. Then, we headed home. I was so wrong.

We arrived home from Kingston, and settled in. I popped the fish into the fish tank. You're supposed to let them sit in the tank for a bit, while the water temperature evens out. They are pretty tolerant of temperatures. 

As many of my regular readers know,  spring is the time I pop the goldfish outdoors in their little pond outdoors. Often they mate and produce more fishies. The pond freezes solid in winter, and they cannot last the freeze/thaw out there. The common goldfish don't have longevity. I do try to get the fancier ones. Like Percy. He has grown, and like his namesake, my first father-in-law's piranha, he is aggressive.

 

Numbers had dwindled from 7 to 5 fishies over the last year. You can see↑ one of the small ones that disappeared. I blamed Cinnamon for the missing 2 smaller fish. The poor lad. I was so wrong!

I took some photos with my new iPhone. Not so bad!

 

We were watching TV, and I heard a big splash at the tank. I checked, and Cinnamon wasn't there. What a mistake. At bedtime, I went to the 60 gallon tank to say goodnight and turn out the light. The three smaller fish have been eaten. Percy ate his new siblings. I blamed Cinnamon for eating our smaller one in the fall, but it was Percy Piranha. 

Bubbles is the only new fishy left

I popped the last remaining newbie into the goldfish bucket overnight. It was late, and I was stressed, worrying about the proposed gun range vote the next day. I worried about Bubbles much of the night, it was clearly traumatized, huddling in the fake aquarium plants. In the morning I had a plan. Percy went out, by himself, into the cool goldfish pond. He doesn't look happy. He will be fine. 

Percy is in the dog house... so-to-speak. It was near zero overnight. He will survive. The pond won't freeze now. He is nestled into the leaf debris and I hope he thinks about what he has done!

The lesson is learned. I'll debate what to do. Maybe Bubbles needs some time to grow indoors.