Today.Az » Weird / Interesting » Goldfish survive 134 days without food after NZ earthquake
27 July 2011 [14:12] - Today.Az
Two goldfish have become the smallest and hardiest survivors of the devastating February earthquake in Christchurch that killed 181 people.
The fish, named Shaggy and Daphne after
characters from the animated television show Scooby Doo, spent four and a
half months - 134 days - trapped in their tank in the city's off-limits
downtown without anyone to feed them or even any electricity to power
their tank filter before they were discovered this month and rescued. Luckily
for the fish, they lived in a large 26-gallon tank and may have gleaned
some nutrition from eating algae growing on the tank's rocks and walls.
"It's certainly an incredible story.
I wouldn't have guessed that fish could survive on their own for four
months," said Paul Clarkson, curator at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in
California. "Goldfish are very hardy critters." He said naturally
growing bacteria may have helped keep the water clean enough to sustain
life. Then there's the delicate
question of their missing companions. There were six goldfish in the
tank when the earthquake struck. By the time the survivors were found,
no trace remained of three of the fish. A fourth was found floating in
the tank. Goldfish are, after all, omnivores. The
fish had been on display in the reception area of Quantum Chartered
Accountants in Christchurch's High Street. Company director Vicky
Thornley said she was about to step into the elevator when the quake hit
and she grabbed onto the wooden tank surround, both to steady herself
and stop the tank from falling.
/The Telegraph/
|
