Morality and thoughtfulness are often tossed aside when a fish comes into question. Fish don’t have feelings, right? Eliana Brockman (9) says otherwise. Oreo, the goldfish, has taken the world by storm, capturing hearts by being different from the average goldfish. In terms of differences, Oreo is a fish that cant swim. Suffering from swim bladder disorder, in which Oreo has one bladder instead of the average two, causes Oreo to have the inability to swim.
Eliana Brockman (9) is an avid fish collector and has used her hobby to spread awareness of the fish-keeping industry. “Goldfish are one of the most abused fish in the fish keeping hobby.” This is one of the reasons Brockman (9) obtained Oreo. “ I ordered Oreo from a small business in Austin, Texas,” Brockman (9) explains,” Oreo was free, and no one wanted an ‘imperfect fish.’”
Empathy is unexpected, and it’s a shared experience to “flush” a fish with trouble. Brockman (9) chose otherwise, and instead of flushing, she granted Oreo the opportunity to float. “I believe that all lives have value, including the life of a fish,” Brockman (9) says, “Every fish should live the best life possible, with the best care a good owner can give.” Not only has Brockman shown grace and empathy to a nonverbal creature, but she also represents the epiphany of humanity.
To assist Oreo, Brockman (9) assembled a floatation device to help Oreo live out the rest of his days in serenity. “About a month ago, I saw a video on Tik Tok, and it was this baby Ranchu goldfish that had a little homemade floatation device,” Brockman (9) says,” I was like, “Hey, I should make one of these for Oreo!” This was the origin of Oreo’s flotation journey,
The floaty offered a lot of concerns, primarily about advancing Oreo’s condition past the point of no return. “My biggest concern about the floaty is if it will slowly rub on Oreo’s slime coat, “ Brockman (9) states, “This might cause her to be more prone to bacterial infections or disease.” While this concern is feasible, Oreo seems to be doing fine and thriving so far.
Oreo’s condition sheds light on the morality held by humans. Most people would not take pity on a fish, but stories such as Oreos tugs heartstrings. Eliana Brockman (9) understands that all fishes deserve empathy, stating, “I wish other people knew not all fish should be put down because of a flaw.”