[meanjean]

Just thought I would share--this is Fishers, a 11-year-old feeder goldfish. Science could learn a lot from this once little guy--he started life in 1994 in a high school art still-life, and has been living in a 10 gallon tank ever since. Up until about 6 months ago, he lived with only an undergravel filter and monthly water changes. When my parents moved, I purchased a small Whisper filter and some new plants.

The pictures don't do his size justice: his body is about 7 inches long, and his fins are at least that.

He doesn't swim much because the length and flow of his fins don't do much propelling, so he sits at the bottom and looks around. My mom hand feeds him every day, and he wiggles his way up to the surface.