Fierce will to live!

Ever seen the cartoon movie Finding Nemo? Remember the scarred and battered Moorish Idol fish named Gill that presides over the aquarium in the dentist’s office?

Well, we now have our own Gill: a female black Molly. Our Gill has the strongest will to live I’ve ever known.

We are having a problem with the fish tank heaters, the temperature keeps creeping up. So when DearHusband noticed the temperature was at the top of the green (ideal temperature zone), he opened the glass tops to let some heat out. That seemed to be working well until SonMySon noticed our giant black molly laying on the floor of the dining room. He picks her up, lays her out on his palm, runs over to the couch and puts it into DaughterA’s face to tease her.

Yes, there was shrieking! A lot of shrieking, DaughterA because SonMySon is waving a dead fish in her face. And me, too, demanding custody of the small body. I sadly slipped her into the toilet, about to send her off with a “Bye ‘Ya, Mickey” when she suddenly started swimming around the toilet bowl!

This was a fish that was not moving, stiff as a board and dry to the touch!

More shrieking as I scoop her back up and run to the bathroom sink to rinse the toilet water off her. Yes, adding insult to injury, I, not thinking, subject her to a cold shower! Then yelling for a glass or something, I spy the cat’s water bowl on the counter. Into the water, splash! Then DearHusband, who is trying to warm the tap water to something more than freezing and less than boiling, says “Not in there! Let‘s just put her back in the aquarium!” .... I’m thinking, “Ewwww! Ich! Toilet Water! That won’t be good for the other fish…“ So when SonMySon crowds into the bathroom with the glass I’ve been calling for, we add fish to clean, warmer water and then run her down the hall to the tank that divides the living room from the dining room. In she goes!

I was sure she’d expire after all that! But no, tonight she’s swimming around the tank, eating and doing the usual fish-stuff just like before.

Well, now that I think about it, NOT just like before. As I sit her on the couch, looking at the aquarium, I'm noticing I’m not hearing the occasional splash I’ve grown accustomed to hearing. Guess she’s decided to stay IN the water for awhile!

How long does it take a fish to dry off completely while laying on a cold wood floor?
How long can fish go without breathing water?

This fish is amazing! Maybe we should call her Lazarus!