On Friday September 9, 2016, Sapphire our orange goldfish jumped out of the fish tank.
We had the tank completely set up except for a top. Of course now I would never put fish into a tank with an open top, but then...I had.
I walked into the main room where Sapphire and Ruby's tank is and saw Sapphire on the wooden floor about two feet away from the tank wide-eyed (well, they are always wide-eyed, but this time it was in a bad way...) and not breathing.
I started crying. We had had them days and were already really attached. I picked her up with a paper towel and wrapped her gently. Russ and Amanda and Abby were out shopping together, and I did not know how I would tell them. I decided to call and tell Russ, but asked him not to tell the girls yet.
I opened the paper towel to look at Sapphire - she really is a beautiful fish. I could not believe I had let this happen. On a whim, I filled a small bowl with dechlorinated water and placed Sapphire into it. I knew she had been out of the water too long to survive, but even if she had a slim chance, I wanted to try. I gently brushed off the debris from the floor and let her float to the top.
Sapphire flipped her tail, dove under the water and started swimming slowly around the bowl.
I screamed. Then cried again. Then called Russ and yelled that Sapphire was alive.
I gently tipped her back into the tank. She and Ruby swam in circles together, and I stared at them until the family came back with a tank lid.
Apparently my children are very astute. When I had called their Dad once crying then again yelling, they knew something was up. Now with both fish swimming happily together again, I felt like I could tell them - Sapphire had died, but she had also survived it. All was well again, just as it was when they had left.
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Post from one year ago today...
January 15, 2016
