Tuesday, April 14, 2009

I'm not making this up...

Back in August my brother in law and sister in law decided to buy us a couple of fish, they were named "Li'l Aric" and "Li'l Jess".

IMG_0919

We are not pet people, I'm more of a human person vs. animal. But since they were a gift I took care of them as best I could. Within the first week or so Li'l Jess committed suicide. I was cleaning out the fish bowl when she took a giant leap straight into the garbage disposal. I screamed when she did it and called Aric right away to tell him. He wanted me to put my hand in the garbage disposal to see if she was still in there. Yeah Right!

So for the past eight months Li'l Aric has been all alone. He even survived being ignored for nine days while we were in South Carolina. We thought for sure he would have starved to death...but nope.

Last night while I was doing the dishes we had a crazy storm roll in. So I thought I would take a couple of pictures...

This was the sight just outside my kitchen window. That is snow.

IMG_3608

Ten minutes later it looked like this. That is sunshine.

IMG_3613

Just after I took that picture, I looked down and saw this:

IMG_3615

I have to admit it, I screamed like a little girl and called for Aric. But seriously...how does this happen! How many goldfish have you known that have committed suicide? He jumped right out and landed on the counter...so CRAZY!

I had Aric carry the stiff little sucker and put him in the toilet to be flushed out to sea.

IMG_3617

You would think that the story ended there...but no. As soon as Li'l Aric hit the toilet water his fins perked up and he started moving.

IMG_3618

So we quickly took him out and put him back into his bowl.

IMG_3619

He seemed a little slow, which Aric attributed to brain damage from being deprived from the water for so long.

Unfortunately, by this morning, he was a goner.

IMG_3620

Aric flushed him this time, even though Eden could see his fins barely moving. It was just the right thing to do. Clearly he would of had a DNR order if he could've.

So we are back to being a no pet family and that's the way it should be. We obviously are not cut out for it, as our only pets have taken their own lives because we are so bad.

Now I just have to convince Eden that it is okay to use that toilet again. She's afraid that he might come swimming back and she might find him in our toilet...while she is on it.

28 comments:

♥Shally said...

TWO suicides!!

What is going on at your house that would drive two fishies to their death!! ;)

I hope Eden can use the potty soon, poor thing.

Erin said...

Oh my gosh that is SO funny. My sister's fish totally did that. Only they jumped out and into her dresser and she didn't notice! Until it started stinking of course...

Jessica said...

He heard how you were talking about him on Friday night, and decided life was not worth living. Good going, Jessica.

Shirley said...

OK. That is very SAD and HILARIOUS at the same time. I hope your girls get over it quickly (especially the toilet thing). I am 100% with you on the "no pet" people. Although we tried fish (died of natural causes...kind of), a puppy for 3 months when I had a 6 month old...HA, and the longest running pets we had were snakes (courtesy of my wonderful insane hubby). As of know....just like you...we are pet free! HOORAY!

the wrath of khandrea said...

the irony of all this is that just last night i was watching 7 pounds, where will smith commits suicide for noble yet self-indulgent purposes. and the whole time i kept thinking to myself "wow. rosario dawson is so hot. she really reminds me of that girl jessica that i'm starting to blog with."

and there you have it. suicidal fish, suicide movie, rosario dawson, you. uncanny, really, when you link it all together.

Penny said...

That is the funniest thing I have read in a long time! We had an aquarium once (don't ask, long story) and we had these cool "elephant nose fish" that looked like dolphins, which I love. You had to have 3 of them because they can't see, they use sonar to see. One morning- POOF- one was gone. Never found him. Mind you the aquarium had a lid and everything. I think the evil sucker fish ate him up. Darn thing threw the whole sonar thing off, and the rest is history- no more aquarium- ever.

The Hansen Clan said...

I am laughing so hard... tell Eden she can come and use our bathroom if she needs too.

Jean McKendrick said...

Gives a whole new meaning to the children's book, "A Fish out of Water". Your could've written a book on your suicidal, maniac fish. :) I am NOT a fish person. My neighbor in CO had me feed her fish when she was on vacation once and I went in and he was upside down. I totally didn't know what to do so I gave him a few more drops of food and left her a note. :)
I am sure Eden will have issues with that toilet for a LONG time to come. :)

Melissa-Mc said...

I never knew goldfish could jump out of their fishbowl. They must have had a huge chemical imbalance. That is some serious depression!

Becky said...

You make me laugh...just scrolling down the pics cracked me up. Yes, fish are known to commit suicide (some call it sideways). We had a goldfish that wouldn't die, he should have, he basically got eaten alive by another fish (which we promptly took back to the pet store). He lived a long time. We called him Gimpy because he was never the same after that incident. RIP Gimpy.

Becky said...

You make me laugh...just scrolling down the pics cracked me up. Yes, fish are known to commit suicide (some call it sideways). We had a goldfish that wouldn't die, he should have, he basically got eaten alive by another fish (which we promptly took back to the pet store). He lived a long time. We called him Gimpy because he was never the same after that incident. RIP Gimpy.

Unknown said...

Poor fishie. I'll miss changing his water. It made me feel so charitable. I'm sure he'll thank me in the spirit world.

Unknown said...

Poor fishie. I'll miss changing his water. It made me feel so charitable. I'm sure he'll thank me in the spirit world.

Randi Kay said...

I'm sorry for your loss. My snail, Shadowfax died today. But my beta fish is still kickin. It will be a year on friday since I've had him! Thats a record.

Leah said...

I didn't know goldfish could do that. Too funny! (Oops, I should say sad.)

I love your cute easter outfits and how only in Spokane will we wear short sleeves and sandals on easter so we can look cute when we're freezing our buns off!

Leah said...

PS I think parakeets are thousand times easier and more fun than goldfish.

Lauren in GA said...

I am pleased you gave him a burial at sea. That is the way it should be.


*moment of silence*


Okay...I also have to apologize for laughing out loud and yelling, "NO WAY!!!" about two fish suicides.

Maybe Li'l Aric just couldn't take it anymore after Li'l Jess ended it all in the garbage disposal.

Mrs Ana said...

If you should ever decide to try another fish....try a Beta fish.They're pretty hardy. I go days without feeding mine and he just keeps on kicking! BTW his name is Youk after Red Sox Youk.

kthom said...

What a fantastic post. I'm imagining Lil Aric flying for freedom...riiiiiiiiiiight, when the high note hits. I'm a no pet person as well, if I have to.. I show love /"pet" with my foot(that has a shoe attached).

just the five of us said...

That is so funny...Like Nemo jumping out of the bowl. At first, I thought maybe lil Jes, and lil Aric had a little maya, eden, and little camden and that you would show 5 fish:D

Laurie said...

Crikey!!

Thanks for cracking me up. Who knew fish could have such deep personal issues.

Leah said...

HAHA! That's so funny! I do have to say though, that's absolutely amazing that the fish lasted 8 months! You must be doing something right, every fish I know like that die after a week or two.

Mrs Ana said...

Not true LeeLee, Fishy lived for at least a year. He only died because we went on vacation. I guess he missed us.

Anonymous said...

how long did you wait to turn the disposal on after the first 'incident'? Maybe they were like Romeo and Juliet. Couldn't live without each other and it was supposed to be a synchronized jump...Goldfish are smart like that.

Ilene said...

I don't blame Eden. I mean, that fish has an uncanny leaping ability. That would make me look twice before using the toilet too.

kir said...

Fantastic and moving photo montage of the fishy "cirle of life"--we cannot do any more fish here, as our previous attempts (both were gifts) have resulted in imminent death for our little swimming friends and severe trauma for the children that like to watch said fish...
I do have a question for you--I am the one sister that Kari/KThom has adnd I saw that you commented about windows live writer. I have been trying for 2 whole nights to get all hooked up with it because it looks so grand, but it will not accept my blog with my user name, etc. I have a question into Microsoft Technical Support and am waiting with baited breath for a super-quick response, but my question for you I guess is were you able to get hooked right up? Did it go for your user name and password or is there some special and super secret trick that I've missed? Just wondering--thanks!
--Kirsten

Bridget said...

Oh, my. That was hilarious! Fish suicide. I think you need a pet psychiatrist to get to the bottom of these depression issues. And how traumatic that he started to make a rally when he was going to be flushed!

Elena said...

Oh my goodness, I couldn't stop laughing. That fish had some real issues. I think he was trying to freak you out on purpose. As you know I'm not a pet person either. As I used to tell people, we don't have pets because we have children. Kudos to those that do, but as for me & my house we will just have children. I can see Edie being concerned about the potty. Thank goodness, she has 3 other toilets she can use at your house :)