Taking it down.

[Richard Wyman]

It has been a week since I found a home for my goldfish.  It was a month before I asked for that home that I knew they had to go.  It was about two months ago the water started to warm a little and they started the wiggle dance at feed time. It was about three months ago I was out in the cold, trying to keep the water flowing in minus nineteen f.  It has been five and a half months since all their friends were netted out and eaten. Great care was taken not to cause undue stress  as the tilapia were netted around them. It has been eleven months since they became part of our home. I knew then they were going to have to go in a year. I knew we wanted to move back to Cal.

I didn't know how hard it would be.  Three little ( big now! ) orange fish.  They don't even have names.  Even so, they seem like a big part of my life.  They have been for the last year.  They were supposed to be for cycling.  I didn't know it would be like this.  I watched my Dad kill a pig on the farm when I was three.  We raised rabbits, chickens, and horses throughout my childhood.  Animals coming and going, through whatever means was a part of life.  These wiggly little fish will not even die when they leave. And yet its hard this time.  They got my system going. They taught my Tilapia to eat on the surface when they were still looking for the sinking fry food on the bottom.  They have supplied dozens and dozens of good salads with all the fixings. 

 

Oh, did I mention they are wiggly!!!  

 

Good-bye fish, and thanks for all the salad!!

[Raychel A Watkins]

David see how addicted you are, We just can't help it.  Maybe we ought to promote this to rehab places "Replace your drugs with Aquaponics"  Seem rather comical but I bet it would work.

[Sylvia Bernstein]

Wonderful post, Richard...I actually got a little chocked up...hope your move goes smoothly!

[David Hart]

Odd, how we get attached to litlle wiggly fish :-)