DOG - NO! FISH - YES! (Fancy ones at that).

Over one month ago...

Esme: Can I have a dog?
Me: No.

Four weeks ago...

Esme: I can't have a cat can I Mummy, you're allergic...
Me: That's right.

Three weeks ago...

Esme: Can I have a fish?
Daddy: Mummy will have to clean it out...

Two weeks ago...

The tank without fish

It was all rather exciting when the fish tank arrived. The filter, weed and water were installed. And then it had to sit. And we had to wait. Something to do with the fish going into a PH balance that wouldn't cause them a Pretty Harsh imbalance. (For we all know that an off-balance fish is heading straight down the loo).

The girls have been sat looking at the tank without fish all week. Who would have thought that an empty fish tank could hold their attention such as? I did begin to wonder, should I bother putting fish in at all?

And the fish with a tank

New arrivals, Tallulah & Frederick

Anyway, one week ago I did, and we now have fancy fish. Here are two of the five being carefully introduced to their new home. (The others are stripe-like-pipe-like teeny things which I'm praying won't get eaten). They shouldn't get eaten should they? They get enough food - but not too much. Oh the responsibility! Feeding them all is exciting. The fish certainly seem to get excited at breakfast time. And before you think I've gone soft, actually, the fish man at Haslemere Aquatics (now he knows a thing or two), informed me that fish are intelligent.

Fish myths & feelings

On asking the aquatics chap, were we buying the right amount of fish - too many - overcrowding? - too little - companionship issues? I joked, "Everyone knows that a goldfish has a memory of 0.3 seconds, so should I really care?" He reprimanded, "That's actually not true. Fish have a consciousness." I stopped grinning immediately. (Or really tried hard to). So there you have it. You heard it here first: fish have feelings. 

Fish guts brains

I'm concerned that they're concerned. Are they worried every time Fia (my mischeivous toddler) approaches their abode? Hand outstretched, banging on the glass, rudely awakening them, all the while squealing with delight. Hey - she's a work in progress. Darla and Twinkle twinkle little star! springs to mind. I'll push the tank out of reach a little more.

Fish are friends, not food

Finding Nemo is a fave film so there's been one or two lines this week that I couldn't help but quote. But I've began to wonder, are fish our friends? Certainly, with Tallulah & Frederick, once their initial nervous behaviour was over, clearly down to a) settling into their smaller, less crowded abode, and b) realising the toddler that kept making a grab for them was actually unable to get to them, they've seemed to happily swim up and greet us, whenever we arrive down, fresh from slumber, cheerily saying "Morning Tallulah, morning Frederick, morning you other pipe-y-stripe-y ones." *

Think twice before going for a dog

A dog, man's best friend... pah! A fish though, for sure! I would definitely say don't get a dog, but do go for a goldfish any day, as it would appear there's a bit more to the whole fish thing than first meets the eye. 

Next time you peer in to a fish tank, remember that they're peering right back at you, and that they're either thinking, "Hello. How do you do?" or "Oh why don't you just sod off!" How very human of them.

*That'll be the kids then, I'm never cheery 'til I've had my caffeine fix.