The Case of the Disappearing Silverfish

Prior to our departure for Tamworth I discovered that one of our goldfish was ailing. Lying sideways on top of the water. On first inspection I thought it was dead, but once I walked over to the tank it would wriggle and swim a little. Matt thought I was crying wolf - so many times I have told him that the snails are dead. The snails are dead! But just two minutes later they're seen cruising around the opposite side of the tank. He soon discovered that for once my prognosis was spot on.

It didn't take long for the fish to resume it's position on top of the water. Matt and I wondered what we should do. We didn't have the heart to exhume its still breathing body and boom-toss* it down the toilet or whatever you do with dead/half-dead goldfish.

My son was of course very interested. Being a three and an almost half year old apprentice doctor with a very unsterile toy doctor's kit, he was keen to get in on the action.

So we left it there. Our little dude told us that we should buy a doctor's kit for the other fish so they could look after the sick fish. Too cute.

While we were at home, we mentioned the sick fish to my Mum. Well to be accurate, I told her that the silver fish was looking a little worse for wear, and we thought it was dying. Mum was astounded. I couldn't figure out why. I told her we didn't know what to do with it, should we have removed it? We didn't know. We're no fish doctors. She was astounded that I had left a silverfish in the tank at all. Mum was confused with the fat critters that I am breeding in my linen cupboard - supersized silverfish - the insects, not the fish.

Anyway - I will get to the crux of the story.

We arrived home, and I was expecting to greet a very dead fish. I searched the tank. Nothing. Just three healthy, functioning swimming fish. No silver fish doing backstroke.

I asked my mother in law if she'd removed it, and she hadn't... No one else has been here in our absence.

So now it's a case of the missing silverfish. It's not in the tank. I've looked everywhere. Where can a half-dead silver fish go? Are goldfish cannibals?

And now my son keeps asking where the fish is (how do you explain death when there's no lifeless body to show??). He then told us that we should get another dying fish so that it can die too. And the poor little dude meant it too.

PS - Totally unrelated shot of the evening sky taken while we were away. I didn't really think you'd want a shot of our goldfish. Particularly not while the forensics are searching for the missing fish-member.

* Boom-toss - initially my son's word it means to throw something out, or jump on it - now firmly part of our family vernacular.