I had three fat and healthy goldfish. They started as ninty-seven cent runts from Wal Mart, but had grown to chunky orange eating machines. They could go for days without food for they would forage on their own. When the pellets hit the water they finished them off like a kid eating jelly beans. I didn't name them. Didn't really want to get emotionally attached to the three. I am glad I didn't. Yesterday morning they were gone! Not a trace. No signs of a struggle. No fish blood or scales. Gone from the backyard pond they called home.
We haven't reported them to Chief Jayroe as missing or kidnapped. I doubt that Tim would send a fingerprint squad to the scene of the crime. I am curious, however. Here are the possibilities:
1. A goldfish snatcher. there are low-life folks stealing copper and reselling it. They come into yards and strip air-conditioning machines. Maybe the price of goldfish has gone up. Every thing else has.
2. A neighborhood cat. Cats are fish lovers, but no cat could have caught these three on the same night. It is a fairly deep pond with a place to hide under a rather large rock ledge. No, it wasn't a cat.
3. Raccoon. We do have them and they are good at catching fish. Again, I doubt that one coon could catch three on the same night. They were a bit skittish.
4. Night Heron- Number one on my list of suspects. A night heron fishes at night. He can stand still as a tree until he shoots out his neck and stabs his prey. They are in the area. I have never seen one in the back yard, but that means nothing.
5. Great blue heron - A killing machine. They can eat a tiny perch or a mullet weighing two pounds. They have infinite patience and swallow their victims whole. I doubt one goldfish would have satisfied the hunger of a great blue. Three might. A real possibility.
6. A snake - Perish the thought. Anyway we haven't seen any and three healthy goldfish would have been an overeat. As much as I hate them, they are marked off the list.
Got any ideas? Send them to dnapogue@clearwire.net. Please don't give me any goldfish. I don't want any more. Thanks!
