moments of panic

Last night I had one of those little moment where your heart dropped.. I went in to where my fish are kept and I saw my beautiful Angelica (above) lying behind/underneath a biggish rock I have in their tank. Cue me bursting into tears, throwing the lid off and shoving my hands (sleeves and all) into the tank. I don't really know what was wrong with her, whether she was asleep or stuck or something, but she was lying on her side sort of tucked underneath the side of the rock. The thing that bothered me most was that she wasn't really moving, even when my hand came close to her, and she normally swims right up to my hand looking for food.. But when I moved the rock she sort of came out and swam around, but for a few minutes I thought she was dead and it really got to me.

Anyway there was a sort of point to this post, not just my attachment to my fish, haha. The only pets I've ever had are fish and I know how some people think that because they're somehow less worthy of care - that they're not as precious. Some people think that a fish can't be affectionate or that because people think that they're stupid or something.. but that feels so wrong to say.

My Angelica is a very affectionate creature with a very distinct personality (like my other fish actually) She swims right up to me when I pass by and kisses my hand when it goes in. She's also very smart - recognising me and finding food and playing.. 

I don't know, I'm all over the place with this post but it's a moment to appreciate something that doesn't get appreciated enough, I don't think.