RIP Middlefish. He carried his bloated self to behind one of the fake plants last night, and sometime during class, died. 

Here are the barrels he used to hide in, when he was distrustful of the humans for always trying to poke at him to keep him away from bothering the other fish. 

 And here's his ceramic vase home he started to live in when he became the only fish left and the humans started giving him more loving attention. Empty now, no fishy black-and-silver striped body inside looking out.

He was always dark and broody, but recently had really become active and curious like his sibling fish. He would spend all day watching the human activities, following them around the room. He'd even started dancing to attract attention for food. Maybe the humans fed him too much, feeling guilty for having treated him like a second-class fish for so long?

Goodbye poor unloved Middlefish. Wish you could have stayed here longer, but thanks for the few nice weeks of closeness we had here at the end.

 

 

Middlefish was the last of the fish family line. He joins his family in the burial spot by the human's old apartment, along with parents Bogo and Pyojina, and siblings Munchung and Babyfish.

Thus, no more news remains to follow here. Maybe the humans will buy another fish group from the market, and their exploits catalogued here, but not yet. For now, the tanks will sit empty and dry.

The last few days, Middlefish suddenly became super fat. I thought it was because of his voracious appetite, always coming out now to dance and encourage us to give him food (over time, his personality really opened up in this way). But maybe I overfed him, and made him sick? I put him on a diet, but he doesn't get any better, just more lethargic. Today he stayed in the bottom and just allowed the sinking food to hit him in the head and bounce off, just as Munching would do when she was sick.

Babyfish got fat like this too, the died a few days later. I don't know what causes it or what, if anything, I could do to make him feel better. All we can do is wait and see. How sad to think this fish family line, with us so many years, might finally come to an end.

Rest today, Middlefish. Try to get better.

Middlefish, the last remaining of the fish family. Middlefish seems to have become more social and outgoing lately, maybe because the humans pay more attention to him now. Though, he's still remains cautious. Best not to take too many chances. The human snapped this photo while hiding aside.

Mungchung was buried a few nights ago in the plot with Bogo, Pyojina, and Babyfish. A whole fish family, just waiting for Middlefish to bite the dust. But he's always there, up and at'em every morning, coming out of his caverns just long enough to be fed. He outlived them all.

The water still sits, unmoving, in Munchung's tank. It's hard to pour it all out and remove the tank. We still half expect to see her swim over to her get-our-attention spot in the morning. You were a good fish, Mungchung.

Goodbye little Munchungie. RIP in fish heaven with Bogo and Pyojina.

Munchung's been lying on the bottom several days now, but still breathing, still struggling to wave her fin a bit to acknowledge us. She seems to like to see people still, as she always has.

Little Munchung appears too weak to even eat now. I dropped some food in for her. She tried to raise her head from the gravel floor a bit, but the effort seemed to tire her out. She only has the energy to keep breathing now. The stupid human moved the waterfall filter, and the sudden rush of current sort of blew her farther back in the tank. Poor little girl struggled to stay upright, but just couldn't, and just let it take her. Now she lies under the shade of rock and plant, body a bit curled up where she's lost all her weight. You can start to see through the skin a bit to the organs beneath. But she's still breathing, still flapping that one little fin now and then when we peak in, to show us she's still with us. What a strong, weak little fish. We'll just keep watch over you, Munchung, until you've had enough.

Poor Munchung spends most of her time now just lying on her side on the rocks. Here she is resting in her house. Since yesterday she seems to have stopped eating. This doesn't bode well. She's been struggling and hanging on for awhile now. I don't know how much more she'll endure. We love you so much  Munchung.

아픈 멍청...

Munchung spends lots of time lying on her side now. Too much time... Poor little fish. We love you Munchung, please get better.

New year, new plants. Munchung gets one, because her earlier plants are doing well. Middlefish gets two, since his mostly died, and since he likes hiding, he also gets a ruined Greco-Roman jar to hide in, though he seems to ignore it and prefers hiding under the birdge, now moved to the back.

Madison's fish, Munchung and Middlefish's American cousin. A fish family separated across the ocean just like the humans' family. He's so big! More space to grow in that big lonely tank. Hope the Korean-living fish are doing well.

Munchung looked up from inside her house to wish us bon voyage. Middlefish just hid. Goodbye fishies! Be good while we're gone.

The Internet said that fish lopsidedness is often a bladder gas issue caused by over-feeding. The human felt guilty because he sure had been over-feeding lately, to compensate for the cold weather. Maybe fish don't naturally overeat to put on a layer of blubber in winter like the humans do. So, Munchung underwent a fishy fast for two days, before slowly being given small amounts of food again. A few days later, and she was right-side-up again. She now swims happily and normally, to the relief of all. Happy fish.

Mungchung seems to be lying on one side lately, and swimming lopsided. We hope it's nothing serious. It might just be a swim-bladder constipation, but you never know.

Winter isn't a good time for the fish. The cold season seems to be hard on them. Let's hope she survives this winter.

The heaters have been replaced, and the tanks are keeping at a nice summer temperature even as the nights get colder now. The green zone is good, right? Maybe a bit too warm then, need to tone it down.

The plants seem to have gotten on well now, with new little unfolding leaves and stronger-looking stalks.

Finally, our Munchung-fish, having come to investigate the camera, looking old and with her cloudy cataract eye, but still our dear and our little beauty. She likes taking meals in her house, waiting, patiently or otherwise, inside when meal time comes.

Well the humans seem to have forgot. Happy birthday, remaining baby fish! Hope you're enjoying the new heaters they bought for you, since the nights are getting a little too cold in the living room.

Mysterious Middlefish hesitantly investigates the camera.

The water plants' big leaves withered but small ones grew anew and now all face the sun. Maybe they just needed some time to acclimate themselves to underwater fish tank life.

We bought some plants that supposedly can go in the fish tanks, but I'm not so sure. One floats (it's in middlefish's tank) so that makes sense; the other was in soaked soil, which we were recommended to rinse away before installing. That sounds "fishy" and Munchung-fish agrees, investigating its tangled mass of roots suspiciously.