Fish Tales

Since I have a family full of fishermen, I have heard more than my fair share of fish tales. Although their stories are interesting and usually highly embellished, I must admit that my fish tales are more unusual and completely true. I have a barrel pond in my backyard that I have enjoyed keeping goldfish in over the years. I have had many unusual experiences with my fish...for instance Big Old Stupid Crooked Mouth (yes, that was his actual name and believe me he earned it) would get bloodshot eyes and act drunk for a day or so and then recover and be completely fine. He attempted suicide once by jumping out of the pond and though he looked dead I was familiar with his theatrics so I simply picked him up and put him back in the water where he floated for awhile and then began swimming and had a complete recovery and lived for many more years.

Then there were Smoky and Casper. Smokey was black and Casper started out completely white, but ended up with a black stripe down his back. They were prizes I had won from the state fair and I had them for a couple of years when one day they just disappeared. Well, I tore the pond apart looking for those two. I took out the plants, half of the water, and cleaned the pump...still no fish. I blamed their vanishing act on the pesky neighborhhood raccoons that were spotted a few days prior to my fish disappearing. I decided not to get more fish because I was heartbroken. Well, 6 months later while cleaning out the pond filter for the second time since the fish vanished, I spotted some movement in the bottom of the pond. Imagine my surprise to find Casper alive and well. I honestly thought it was the strangest thing that could have happened...that is until a few minutes later, I spotted Smokey too. These fish lived 6 months without being fed and with me looking in the pond and cleaning it and never seeing them!!

Then Kyle moved back to California from Texas bringing his 2 goldfish from his aquarium. Well, unfortunately, one of them didn't survive the trip, but the one that did we put in the pond with my two. They all got along great and were growing into big fish. Every morning they would all be waiting at the surface for their breakfast. Then one morning I went out to feed them, and much to my disappointment, no fish skimming for food!!! The plants around the pond were all knocked over as well as the plants inside the pond. My fish didn't give up without a fight, but this time I knew the raccoons had gotten them because they left their muddy little footprints across the patio and took a bath in my dog's water dish. Not taking any chances though, I completely dismantled the pond to make sure there were no hidden survivors, and unfortunately there weren't. I had to tell Kyle the critters ate his fish as well as mine. Thoroughly discouraged, I vowed NO MORE FISH!!!

That was several months ago and I didn't get any more...that is until today and it wasn't by my choice. Perhaps the most bizarre fish tale of all...my husband discovered a live catfish lying on the gravel path in our back yard this morning!! How did it get there? No idea. What to do with it? Put it in the pond of course. I know this sounds like a whopper of a tale, but it is the absolute truth!! Anyone know what to feed a catfish?