It seems the hardest part of fish training is keeping the goldfish alive! My original fish, Ricky, is healthy and vigorous. But I have had bad luck with three others. I did my best for them, but they didn't make it. Gone, but not forgotten:

LOUIE FANTAIL

Louie was a plain orange male fantail with typical goldfish shape and coloring. In The Ugly Guppy he was to play Ilsa, Rick's love interest in our show. I'm sorry to say that Louie died from complications of parasite treatment.

MIME

Pronounced "Mee-may." I had this fish in mind for a circus performer in the show. He was abnormally skittish, perhaps the result of an amoeba infection. He died of swim bladder disorder.

MAUI

Maui, an adorable male Ranchu goldfish, was with me for a brief 24 hours and then succumbed to swim bladder disorder. He would have played Ilsa, had he lived.