Rest in peace, Miss Mellie
Mellie
January 27th, 2002 to November 19, 2008
My dear old matriarch goldfish, Mellie, passed away this morning. She was the last of the original five goldfish that I started out with. She was by far the longest-lived of any of my fish. Her swim bladder hadn't worked for a couple of years so she just sat on the bottom of the tank, but when I took the gravel out she could scoot around just fine on the glass. For the last year I've had to hand-feed her twice a day because she couldn't get to the food on her own.
She wasn't the smartest fish I've had, but she was gorgeous and so sweet. She was more aloof in her younger years, but after her tankmate Addy died, and especially since I've hand-fed her, she's been much friendlier. I became her "other fish." She was in the tank an arm's-length away from my computer desk, so we spent a lot of time together. If I got up and went into the kitchen, she'd "follow" me as far as she could and then sit in the nearest corner until I came back. She'd wiggle like crazy to greet me when I came home, and I'd laugh about getting "fish hickeys" on my fingers when she'd nibble all over getting her food.
I joked that she had more lives than nine cats, and she did survive a lot of minor illnesses in the last few years. The last several days, however, I could tell it was different. She was very red across her hindquarters and fins, and she was breathing heavily. She still ate right up until the end, however. Her appetite wasn't great, but she had supper last night with no real problems. She was still with us when Dad got up to go to work early this morning, but by the time I got up she was gone.
Hopefully the ground isn't frozen so solid that we can't dig a spot in the backyard for her.
As sad as I am to lose her, I've known for over a year that she wasn't in very good health, and she was a very old fish. The average lifespan for a fancy goldfish is 5 to 7 years, and she was over seven. I have no regrets. She lived a long, full life in my care, and had the absolute best of everything. I'm very fortunate to have had her in my life. I'll miss her very much. I am relieved, however, that she didn't have to suffer very long, and that she stayed right-side-up until the end. I hate to see them upside-down. For her sake, and mine, I'm glad she didn't linger.
In addition to the people who are waiting for me on the Other Side, Mellie joins Tony, Jackie, Sammy, Addy and Fergie (as well as numerous bettas). I love and miss them all.
I've drained the tank and cleaned everything once. It took me almost three hours. Not how I had planned to spend my day off, but it can't be helped. I'll let it all dry now, then clean it thoroughly again before setting the tank back up. Hopefully I can get it running by the weekend and find two new babies in next week's shipment to the local pet store. As sad as I am about losing Mellie, I'm really looking forward to getting two tiny baby goldfish again and raising them. It's been many years--since Addy, I guess--since I've gotten babies.
So today was the end of an era. Thank you for many wonderful years, Mellie. You were one in a million.