Get well soon, Goldie.

Goldie is the family goldfish.  He is an inexpensive common goldfish.  His first days in his new home were somewhat miserable, because I didn't fully research the needs of a goldfish.  He lived in a very cramped little bowl and seemed to be not happy.  I learned him being plunged into new surroundings may have been part of his unhappiness.  More importantly, though- he wasn't getting the oxygen he needed in such a small bowl.  Living in his own pollution.  He didn't seem to care for food and always looked scared.

Not long after coming to live with us, he enjoyed moving to a much larger home- complete with a non-stop supply of air bubbles to keep his water full of oxygen, and enjoys regular (weekly) 30% water changes.  One day after moving into his new, larger home- he showed a very healthy appetite.  He was fed on a schedule of once in the morning, and once at night.

Goldie is about four months old.  About three weeks ago, he stopped eating food.  He was introduced to different types of food, in case he was just sick of eating the same-old-same-old.  No matter what he's fed, he doesn't eat.  At the bottom of his tank are popcorn sized (popped-up popcorn) ceramic rocks.  My fear is that somehow one of these rocks broke into smaller pieces and he gobbled one of them up, but can't spit it out or pass it.

If Goldie was your beloved family member, and you were faced with just two choices- which would it be:

1. Let him tough it out & maybe things will get better.  (Even though he might be suffering now)
2. Flush him down the toilet and pray that he experiences a very quick, painless death.