Puffer Fish

Julia wanted a puffer fish for her birthday... Not barbies. Not a new outfit. Not something easy. Just a puffer fish. So.... I learned what I could about puffers. I set up an aquarium in her room while she was at school hoping I could surprise her when she came home. I went to the fish store and purchased 3 puffers (just in case ya know). I found out that they are not nice fish - they are the bullies of the tank. They like to bite - even your finger - and they bite hard. They don't eat regular fish food - they eat worms and shrimp and need to have snails in their tank to help them groom their "beaks". I really love my daughter - did I say that already? Anyhoo, she was surprised and delighted to see her fish when she got home.

Unfortunately, though, I pulled a "Nemo". I mistakenly put the filter in backwards and when we came home from church on Sunday there were only 2 fish to be seen. The third was wedged in the filtration tube - I mean wedged. Certainly dead. "I am so sorry Julia". Dad came to un-wedge the fish for his toilet burial but when the fish popped out he started swimming. He lasted a day but the trauma must have been too much because this morning he is belly up.

Julia and I will be taking another trip to the store for a replacement. Fortunately they are fresh water puffers and cost very little. I feel obligated to replace the little guy since I not only killed it but made it suffer - so sad. And now you know.