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In Memory of Jack the Fish

December 12, 2007 by Janice

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

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Jack the Fish has died.

And this time I am sure.

Since the first night, almost a year ago, when I brought Jackson’s lethargic beta fish home from the store and hid him away for Christmas morning, I have been expecting him to die. And it was not just because flushing fish to their watery grave is the inevitable fate of anyone foolish enough to buy a fish that I thought I this fish was doomed, but because this specific fish looked ready to die from the moment I first spotted him.

But his impressive green and blue scales – he was the only fish in the store adorned in Jackson’s favorite colors – pushed me past my reservations. “Look – he is just fine,” the woman at the pet store assured me as she chased the now dodging beta fish with her net.

By the time I got home I regretted my choice. “Why didn’t I just buy the spunky little red one!?!” I scolded myself. After my mom and Susan took a look at Jack, they agreed he didn’t look like he would make it through the night. But it was Christmas Eve and the store had closed. This was the fish. He had to make it.

I think I checked him ten times that night and to my relief the fish was still alive Christmas morning.

Jackson was ecstatic when I brought out his first “pet.” He squealed, danced, screamed – the whole bit. (He even said that when Julia was three, he would buy her her own fish for Christmas.) When I asked what he was going to name his new fish, Jackson declared, “His name is Jack the Fish.”

But I was worried. How long could Jack the Fish last? Was he just lazy – or were his best days behind him?

To my shock, months passed and Jack continued to live.

But, in the spring, Jack appeared to be very ill. He lay on his side at the bottom of his tank, his gills barely moving. His untouched food collected in the tank. I tapped the plastic next to him and he barely responded. With no fight left in this little fighting fish, I tried to prepare Jackson. “Jack is very sick. I think he is dying.”

Jackson cried at night for a week as we waited.

One day I was sure it was finally over. I told Jackson, Jack is dead. He sobbed and insisted that we had to take him to the sea – I was not allowed to flush Jack down the toilet. I sighed, agreed and went and fetched the net. As I lowered the net to scoop him up, Jack darted away. “He is alive!”

And indeed he was. Jack recovered and lived for months.

But he was aging. No longer bright green and blue, Jack turned a dark and dull navy. He slowed down – if that was even possible – and I began to warn Jackson that Jack was getting very old.

Two nights ago I went to feed Jack and noticed his uneaten food floating on the top of the water. I looked down and saw his lifeless body lying on the bottom of the tank. I tapped the tank, hoping he would jump back to life again. But he didn’t move.

Jackson was already asleep, so I left Jack the Fish until the morning. When Jackson woke up, I checked Jack again. He was really dead this time. His body was even starting to decompose.

Jackson wailed when I told him Jack had died, but I assured him the Jack had lived a very long, happy life for a fish. After several moments of intense grieving, Jackson recovered. He even agreed to let me flush the fish. I didn’t have to take him to the ocean. (I was incredibly relieved about that change of heart. I am so busy right now and the weather is too cold for a trip to the beach! But if I told my mourning five year old I wouldn’t give his fish the burial he wanted, I figured I would hear about it in therapy years from now.)

So that night, after Jackson was asleep, I went and got Jack from his room. I carried him into the bathroom and checked once again that he was indeed dead. By now, there was no mistaking it. I flushed Jack the Fish and scrubbed his plastic tank.

I never expected Jack the Fish to live a whole year. But he surprised us. I won’t miss cleaning his tank, but I will miss him.

Good-bye Jack the Fish. And thank you for living for as long as you did. You made one little boy very happy.

jackthefish.jpg
Jack the Fish in his glory days.
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About Janice

Janice is co-founder of 5 Minutes For Mom. She's been working online since 2003 and is thankful her days are full of social media, writing and photography.

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21 Comments

  1. Nell says

    December 27, 2007 at 12:50 am

    I’ll miss my two when they pass on. I’ve got a red one named Bubbles that we’ve had several months. I swear he is knocking on deaths door. And the newest one looks somewhat like yours…blue and purple though. His name is Flint. I love these fishy’s and I’ll miss them when they pass away. Sorry to hear about little Jack!

    Reply
  2. Sherry says

    December 20, 2007 at 12:11 pm

    Our Beta, Rocket, passed away yesterday.

    Reply
  3. Tiffany says

    December 18, 2007 at 8:17 pm

    Okay we had a beta fish growing up that lived for 3 years. I kid you not! 3 years! Holy cow! So to Jack…may he rest in peace. He lived a good life!

    Reply
  4. Sasha says

    December 15, 2007 at 9:05 pm

    I wish I would have been reading your blog long before this happened. The only post I saw on Jack the Fish is when he had been forgotten because of the births and chaos.

    I have 14 bettas. I have a blue one just like Jack, same colors and everything. He’s been hanging down at the bottom of the tank. He’s bored and a little depressed.

    His colors were fading some and he appeared to have a tint on him. Turns out his water is waaaay toooo cold.

    I feel so bad for Bettas. There is a misconception that they are to be kept in small bowls and even some believe they can eat plant life but the fact is none of that is true.

    I put a tiny bit of Melafix in his bowl and some warmer water and he was darting all over the place. Now when he settles at the bottom, I put some warmer water in. They are a tropical fish and even though we may be keeping our homes warm, their water gets ice cold.

    I know this is long enough, but I just wanted to say I’m sorry about Jack. He was beautiful.

    Reply
  5. Haley says

    December 15, 2007 at 4:35 am

    I never thought that a sweet blog post about a fish and his death would make me cry, but it did! 🙂

    This was one of your best posts, so personal and sweet. Being a pet person I can totally relate to your’s and Jackson’s pain.

    May he rest in peace.

    Reply
  6. So Blessed... says

    December 13, 2007 at 4:53 pm

    This has to be by far one of my favorite posts you have ever posted. I am in love with ‘Jack the Fish’.

    Being a mom of four children, we too have had our share of tiny creature funerals. One of my favorite pictures ever is of my then 6 year old son, he is looking down on his dead baby frog who we had laid to rest in a tiny makeshift coffin (a black velvet ring box).

    These memories are what parenting is all about.

    Blessings, Joanne

    Reply
  7. Jennifer North says

    December 13, 2007 at 10:55 am

    I read your blog this morning and we JUST had our fish die last night. My daughter was crushed this morning when I told her. I have a feeling, we’ll be shopping for a fish replacement by the end of the weekend.

    Reply
  8. sara says

    December 13, 2007 at 10:45 am

    lol I’m crying over a fish, what a sweet story. Oddly enough, this it the ONLY thing my son wants santa to bring him. I’d almost rather have to buy something ridiculously expensive then something that just might die and make him think Santa failed him. I’m going to do the same thing you did and hope for the best. our aquarium is already up, I had taken it down a few years ago after the last fish died, and alex was too young to appreciate it, so i’ll either have to buy another bowl, or how it will live in plastic at least till alex goes to sleep

    Reply
  9. Melissa Markham says

    December 13, 2007 at 10:04 am

    I love the blue and green betas too. They can live for up to three years, so it definitely sounds like this one was not well.

    I enjoyed reading the story of Jack the fish…long live his memory:)

    Reply
  10. amydeanne says

    December 13, 2007 at 9:10 am

    hehe funny, I remember you buying jack last year.. go figure! Glad he lasted the year!

    Reply
  11. Kathryn says

    December 13, 2007 at 8:44 am

    Our family has the blessing (some days it is more of a curse) to raise baby wild animals. From an early age, my children faced death. Not all the babies that make it to us will survive, and it doesn’t take them long to become attached.

    They are very strong kids though, and they say a prayer, remember the good times, and then go on about the day.

    Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all do that ;).

    Reply
  12. Carrie says

    December 13, 2007 at 8:37 am

    That first pet death is always hard. I still remember when I was 5 and my hamster died. Grief is a tough thing!

    Reply
  13. Carey says

    December 13, 2007 at 8:11 am

    Sorry to hear of your pets passing. It can be hard on kids no matter what type of pet it is, and Jackson will get past it.

    Reply
  14. Colleen says

    December 13, 2007 at 7:52 am

    Our Beta fish hung one for at least a week before officially dying, but I’m sorry to hear about your loss!

    Reply
  15. Twisted Cinderella says

    December 13, 2007 at 7:44 am

    ((hugs)) poor Jackson

    Reply
  16. meg says

    December 13, 2007 at 1:24 am

    I’m sorry for Jack the Fish. I told my DH I want to get my DS (who will be three in Jan) a fish for his birthday, I got a very odd look!

    Reply
  17. ter says

    December 13, 2007 at 12:55 am

    I’m very sorry for the loss of your son’s first pet. He will cherish those memories for a long time.

    Reply
  18. Shera - A Frog In My Soup says

    December 12, 2007 at 11:53 pm

    Poor little Jackson, what a brave little soul! Is he getting another one for Christmas this year (heehee)? I hope that he recovers quickly and good for you avoiding one more therapy session!

    Blessings and Merry Christmas!
    Shera

    Reply
  19. Jill T. (The Well-Read Child) says

    December 12, 2007 at 10:19 pm

    Poor Jack and poor Jackson. 🙁 We had a goldfish, one of those .25 cent feeder fish who lived for three years before I found him floating in his tank one day. When I put him in to toilet to go to his final resting place, he suddenly started flipping around. He lived for another year after that!

    Reply
  20. Lynn says

    December 12, 2007 at 10:10 pm

    Thank you for sharing that story… but…

    No, Jack II???

    Reply
  21. Fresh Girl says

    December 12, 2007 at 8:54 pm

    Awww, Jack was a beautiful fish! Bless Jackson’s sweet heart. I hope the pain passes soon.

    Maybe he’d like a dog for Christmas! 😉

    Reply

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