Fishes

As I was feeding my goldfishes, Yoke & Apricot, I started wondering whether fishes will suffer from gastric-related problems (which are similar to that of human), if they are fed irregularly. I know of someone (Mr. Sun) who has adopted the following method to reduce the frequency of changing his tank water.

Mr. Sun. felt that food pellets will clout the water easily if the fishes do not finish consuming all the food. He realised that this happened often if he were to feed them everyday. Moreover, more food consumption will mean more defecation, thus clotting the filter easily. Therefore, he chose to feed his fishes every two to three days.

Mr. Sun’s feeding habit isn’t rare. It is a common practice for people to not feed their fishes if they are away for a short vacation, (which are usually shorter than a week). If those fishes’ owners are away frequently, will their fishes suffer from gastric pains?

I am quite baffled by that. Does anyone have the answers to my questions?

(I will try to ask my family vet when I see her, but I highly doubt she has the answers as there is only one vet in Singapore who specialises in treating aquatic animals.)

On a side note, I feel that fishes (in comparison to other domesticated animals) are relatively pitiful. They are not able to communicate their joy, pains and sorrows to their owners. Most importantly, they do not have the ability to relieve themselves of any stress or frustrations. Not that I know of.

For instance, my dog bites her paws when they itch, or when there are ants crawling on them. I once have a goldfish with a parasite that was stuck between its fins and the parasite was clinging itself on my goldfish’s flesh, which was near its dorsal fin. That poor fish could not do anything to remove it at all. In the end, my father had to remove it with a pair of tweezers.

Even animals which are though to be quiet are able to express themselves. A fine example is my boyfriend’s hamster, Pixie. When Pixie was first introduced to Sugar (my pooch), Pixie stared at Sugar with an astonished look in her eyes before giving out a loud sharp squeak and quickly reversed into the safety of my boyfriend’s palms

I do not remember hearing any fishes scream when cats are near their tank. Maybe the fishes do not know what kind of trouble they are getting into, or maybe the fishes did shouted for help, but their voices are not within my audible range.

Most fishes are not able to ask for help when needed so; when a cat starts sticking their fur paws into the fish tanks, it will be Doom’s Day for most of them.

Sighs. Life of a fish!

To make up for their inability to express themselves, I tried to observe my goldfishes for various tell-tale signs of what they are experiencing.

After half a year’s worth of effort, I have come to realize the following.

When my fishes are hungry, they will start swimming to the surface and begin sucking the air, creating a ‘plop’ ‘plop’ sound. I have the tendency to not remember feeding Yoke & Apricot if I do not hear the ‘plop’ ‘plop’ sound.

I know my fishes will like to be served worms instead of pellets for dinner, if they do not swim to the surface of the water excitedly for food each time I reach out to the packet of fish pellets that is placed just beside the tank.

There are times when my fatty goldfishes will attempt to swim out of the water before heading in with a loud splash. This often means that they are sick of swimming in their own urine, and will be glad to have the quality of their living environment (or rather water quality) improved.

This behaviour will usually cease for a short period of time after I change their tank of water. (If you are thinking of praising my fishes or I for being smart, think again. According to one of the books I have read, this is one of the reactions that fishes will display due to the unbalanced pH levels in the tank.)

Then again, life of a fish is not that bad when you have an observant owner, like me. =P