Haunted Fish Tank Frightens Fort Myers Family.
My 20 gallon fresh water aquarium is haunted. I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. The tank was given away for free on Facebook. It was a absolute bargain... Or so I thought. Not soon after I noticed something was off when my fish started swimming in circles and staring at the glass walls with a look of terror on their faces. I thought maybe they were just having a bad day, but then I started noticing other strange things.
For example, the water level in the tank would randomly drop without any explanation. And my heater would turn itself on and off by itself. I even caught a glimpse of a ghostly figure swimming through the tank late one night. What could it be?
Ghost Shrimp:
The shocking truth was that this tank came with Ghost shrimp. Scary little things, with their translucent bodies and eerie appearance. These weren't just any ordinary shrimp. They must be the ghostly incarnations of the shrimp from the afterlife.
They would dart around the tank at lightning speed, disappearing and reappearing in the blink of an eye. And when the lights were off, I swear I could see them glowing in the dark.
I tried to ignore it, but the haunting just got worse. My fish would suddenly disappear, only to reappear in the strangest places. I found one of them hiding under a rock and even behind the filter! Surely I didn't place the shrimp in the tank myself. When acquiring the tank I was told that it contained gravel, and a few fresh water plants. There was no mention of these Spector shrimps.
I did some shrimp research at Long John Silvers and found nothing useful besides a few ketchup packets. I wondered if my aquarium might be haunted by the ghosts some former fried meal I didn't finish? My mom always told me not to waste food. There's no greater sin than wasting a good meal. That could be why these "Ghost Shrimp" are now stuck in this tank, trapped for eternity.
Haunted:
So for now, The haunting continues. Everyday seems to get a little better. As my fish seem to get fatter, the ghost shrimp sightings seem to decrease. What started as 10- 15 shrimps are now about half that. My 10 year-old daughter tells me I'm silly and that these "ghosts" were hiding in the tank when we got it. She says that people buy them for fish tanks all the time.
How ridiculous I thought. Who would ever pay to have a haunted fish tank?!
I've made peace with my haunted aquarium. I've even started talking to the ghost, asking it to be kind to my fish. And you know what? My fish seem really happy now. I barley even see the ghost shrimp anymore.
If you are thinking of getting an aquarium, beware of the ghostly inhabitants that might come with it! If it's free on Facebook, then be prepared for some spooky surprises.
