I have had two gold fish for several months who have a very nice, big and beautifully decorated gold fish bowl. When I bought them I wasn't aware of the fact that "Betty" was handicapped. Somehow she lost her fins on one side. She swims upside down and has a hard time swimming and usually floats to the top. She usually finds a leaf she can lie under so she can rest and breathe without floating to the top but isn't always successful.
Now, "Bob" , her mate, watches out for her. When she is still too long, Bob comes along side her and nudges her so that she moves and swims. Betty has actually laid eggs and Bob makes the bubbles for each little egg then he moves them to hid them under leaves and such. I am moved that Bob takes care of Betty. If she dies or gives up it won't be because Bob didn't care for her. Who knew that fish did such a thing?
I would say, it is a symbiotic relationship because they DO need each other. Betty is kept alive by Bob and Bob doesn't get lonely. Let's just hope that one day, they don't all feed off each other. I'm betting that God's love is even in these creatures.
My cat, who innately knows the fish are pets, drinks the fishy water without ever bothering them or threatening them. She also watches my pet birds but never bothers them either. This is the amazing world of pets in a household of love.
Symbiotic? Who ever uses that word?
Tehe. Wink. :)
Shep
Posted by: Shep | June 06, 2004 at 10:19 AM
Shep, you know I just had to use that word once Logos challenged me. :)
Posted by: Diane | June 06, 2004 at 01:59 PM
Maybe kitty knows where the fins are.
Posted by: Ball | November 24, 2004 at 05:23 PM
That's really cool. I've never owned a fish til now (I own a Betta) and I never thought of fish as really having anything more than instinct... I didn't think of them as having much for emotions, but now that I have my own fish I can see that they do have emotions and feelings. It's really interesting and pretty encouraging aswell.
Posted by: Cassidy | August 19, 2005 at 09:46 PM
I tended to place my wife under a pedestal.
Posted by: premature ejaculation | September 18, 2005 at 04:15 PM
All marriages are mixed marriages.
Posted by: antiaging therapies | October 18, 2005 at 03:06 AM
i have eight gold fish three are in a 20gal tank they are handecap as well they take care of each other i have five in a 80gal and they all differant .
Posted by: timothy j page | November 02, 2005 at 05:47 PM
All marriages are mixed marriages.
Posted by: cefixime | November 17, 2005 at 04:44 PM
is it normal for the tank to smell really really bad? ive been searching online for like 1/2 hour now. i just got them 2 days ago and the tank is putting off a smell that is so nasty.
Posted by: noel | December 29, 2005 at 10:15 PM