Mrs. Berube’s class went to the library to pick up books, a lush hazy tank sits in the middle of the cluttered large room, with a small glance it would show an upside-down blue corn tortilla chip, you wander over to make sense of this phenomenon, and see a luminous charcoal fish on its own head, hidden in the brush. Despite her inverted state, Goldee is alive but sadly she is not well. At the moment, Goldee may suffer from ich or Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, a parasite that is most commonly found in freshwater fish.
“She has a good life,” tank caretaker senior Laynie Aure said. “While she’s really declined recently, she is still eating, and exploring the rearranged tank.”
Former calculus and physics teacher, Mr. Matt Johnson, bought the fish for science club, so, the students could balance and test the chemicals within the water. Mr. Johnson retired last year and, now that the fish lost their main caretaker that may be why Golde
“I also think it is dying because the old teacher who took care of all the fish left,” freshman library assistant Nivi Varanasi said.
For a fish of her condition, she is fighting and persevering. Even while being upside-down and terribly bloated, she is still moving and fighting against this ghastly parasite.
“General cure treats many things including ich cure,” GHS parent and keeper of fish Ryan Lloyd said. “Or just add aquarium salt to [the] tank. Not too much and raise the temperature to 78-80 degrees.”
Whereas there is a possible cure ,it is unlikely that anything will be done because of her age and the fact that Aure cannot afford the time or money to move her into a separate tank, purchase her medicine and other aquatic supplies.
“Taking care of sick fish can be tricky, especially in a public tank, where I don’t have easy access to some necessary equipment,” Aure mentioned. “If this were a home tank, it would be quite easy to fix. But I don’t have that luxury”
These fish will live down in Gretna history but, when Aure graduates in May, who will take care of these fish? Goldee has lived a long and fulfilling life entertaining highschool students whenever they visit the school library.
“The best I can do right now is continue to clean the tank and feed them, ‘ said Aure.
“Goldee is still eating, that’s good for sick fish, it means they are fighting. While it saddens me that she isn’t doing well, I don’t have a good solution.”
For now a goodbye, to a beloved fish who captured many teenagers’ hearts; maybe new beginnings with whoever will now take care of the aquarium when Laynie Aure graduates.