Sick Goldfish at Wal-Mart

[Suzie-Q]

I work at the local Wal-Mart where the goldfish have come down with
something. They seem to be developing what look like huge sacks of
air (or water) under their eyes. I know that isn't much of a description,
but that's all I can see that has changed about them. I thought I'd ask
you folks about it and maybe together we could help the fish.

BTW, I was told that the pet department people aren't allowed to
euthanize sick fish. They have to allow the fish to die of whatever
is ailing them.

Thanks in advance,
--
8^(~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/
http://www.intergnat.com/malebashing/
http://www.intergnat.com/pussygames/

[Rocco Moretti]

Suzie-Q wrote:
> I work at the local Wal-Mart where the goldfish have come down with
> something. They seem to be developing what look like huge sacks of
> air (or water) under their eyes.

Are you sure they aren't bubble eye goldfish?

http://www.bristol-aquarists.org.uk/goldfish/bubble/bubble.htm

This is normal for this particular "breed" of goldfish, and isn't
indicative of anything wrong with them. (Besides selective breeding by
aquarium enthusiasts.)

> BTW, I was told that the pet department people aren't allowed to
> euthanize sick fish. They have to allow the fish to die of whatever
> is ailing them.

.... thus spreading the disease to the rest of the fish in the same tank/
connected water system.

[David Zopf]

"Suzie-Q" > wrote in message
...
>I work at the local Wal-Mart where the goldfish have come down with
> something. They seem to be developing what look like huge sacks of
> air (or water) under their eyes. I know that isn't much of a description,
> but that's all I can see that has changed about them. I thought I'd ask
> you folks about it and maybe together we could help the fish.
>
There is a variety of goldfish which is bred for this feature; Carassius
auratus var, the Bubble Eye Goldfish. Check them out here:

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/goldfish/BubbleEye.php

The 'bubble' begins to develop at age 6-9 months... Note the lack of a
dorsal fin. Check to see if maybe you have a mis-labeled variety. A
missing fin on its back would be an indication that the bubble is not a
"defect", but rather a "feature", and you'll need to adjust your pricing of
the stock appropriately. :-) A common goldfish with some form of illness
will still have a dorsal fin...

> BTW, I was told that the pet department people aren't allowed to
> euthanize sick fish. They have to allow the fish to die of whatever
> is ailing them.
>
Maybe they had a few incidents with employees flushing fish bred for
exotic features, mistaking them for illnesses? ;-)

Regards
DaveZ
Atom Weaver

[Logic316]

Rocco Moretti wrote:

> This is normal for this particular "breed" of goldfish, and isn't
> indicative of anything wrong with them. (Besides selective breeding by
> aquarium enthusiasts.)

You've got that right. Why would anybody in their right mind breed any
animal to have useless pieces of flesh obstructing their vision? I guess
it's the same type of enthusiasts who breed dogs into animals resembling
rodents and sausages with legs.


>> BTW, I was told that the pet department people aren't allowed to
>> euthanize sick fish. They have to allow the fish to die of whatever
>> is ailing them.

Doesn't make sense, since nobody would want to buy a sick fish anyway
(though I might, just to see if I can revive it).

- Logic316



"A multitude of laws in a country is like
a great number of physicians,
a sign of weakness and malady."
-- Voltaire

[[email protected]]

"Doesn't make sense, since nobody would want to buy a sick fish anyway
(though I might, just to see if I can revive it)."---Logic316


Ahh, but who says that all the customers KNOW the fish is sick?

[Suzie-Q]

In article >,
Suzie-Q > wrote:

-> I work at the local Wal-Mart where the goldfish have come down with
-> something. They seem to be developing what look like huge sacks of
-> air (or water) under their eyes. I know that isn't much of a description,
-> but that's all I can see that has changed about them. I thought I'd ask
-> you folks about it and maybe together we could help the fish.

You folks are right. The fish aren't sick -- they're the bubble eye
variety.

The "illness" was detected by someone who knows very little about fish
and who isn't familiar with the fish we're selling at Wal-Mart. Today
I noticed that the photo/info card shows these bubble eye goldfish. I
hadn't noticed that yesterday.

No one flushed any of them, btw!

Thanks for all your responses.
--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/
http://www.intergnat.com/malebashing/
http://www.intergnat.com/pussygames/

[coolchinchilla]

Logic316 wrote:
> Rocco Moretti wrote:
> I guess
> it's the same type of enthusiasts who breed dogs into animals resembling
> rodents and sausages with legs.

For the what-it's-worth department, the dachshund (weener dog) was
originally bred as a hunting dog. They can chase badgers into the
hole with their long bodies.(at least I think it was badgers) Their
skin is loose fitting so they can back out of the hole easily.

Linda and the zoo

[Logic316]

coolchinchilla wrote:

> For the what-it's-worth department, the dachshund (weener dog) was
> originally bred as a hunting dog. They can chase badgers into the hole
> with their long bodies.(at least I think it was badgers) Their skin is
> loose fitting so they can back out of the hole easily.

I guess at least they had a practical purpose, but it still looks so
unnatural. Without us humans to depend on, how would such a breed
survive? I can't really imagine packs of wild weiner dogs, poodles, and
chihuahas out roaming the prarie fending for themselves and taking down
prey :-)

- Logic316


"Bureaucracy: The process of turning energy into solid waste."