Two Goldfish Survive 134 days without food!

Two Goldfish Survive 134 Days Without Food after New Zealand Earthquake

Beneficial bacteria played role in keeping water clean


Two goldfish (Cyprinidae) survived more than four months in their aquarium without food or power to their aquarium filter after an earthquake struck New Zealand in February, according to a report in the Times of India. The two fish were found alive after workers were allowed back into the building, 134 days after the quake that killed 181 people.

The 26 gallon aquarium was in the reception area of Quantum Chartered Accountants in Christchurch, and housed six goldfish when the earthquake struck the island nation. Of the six, two, now named Shaggy and Daphne after the TV cartoon Scooby Doo, survived, with no trace of three of their companions. A fourth was found floating at the top. The goldfish were lucky as there apparently were enough beneficial bacteria in the tank to keep the water clean, and the goldfish may have dined on algae growing in the tank, as well as their expired tank mates.

Goldfish are a cold water fish that need good water quality in order to survive. They have been kept as pets since at least 970 A.D., the first recorded instance of breeding the fish. The Chinese and Japanese have developed a variety of different strains of the fish since then. They are generally a long lived fish that range from two inches for the fancy tailed varieties, to more than two feet for Koi, a very large species primarily kept in outdoor ponds.

wow thats amazing! poor goldfish, we hope that never happens to us!