N-E-I-L

So we've got this fish, named Neil. We knew he was special from the moment we picked up his plastic cup. So beautiful and blue! I just adored him. Jord bought him for us, along with a spiffy tank, pebbles and a cute sign that said "NO FISHING".. (super cute, right!)

I fell in love as we strolled around the store buying soap and toilet paper. I couldn't wait to get Neil home and into his new tank!! We hit the check out and the checker-outer literally dropped the ceramic sign into the plastic bag, of course it hit the bottom and shattered.. Boo. We drove home. The second Neil was in his tank he started doing back flips (now that he had the room to wiggle around). We fed him some pellets and he gobbled all 6 of them down, I thought he was starved and I had half a mind to call the Fish department at wal mart and be upset for starving my poor little fish. Then I noticed Neil was throwing-up. Great, we bought a bulimic fish. Not a good sign, After a few days he relaxed and the spit-up-fits stopped. We've had him for about a month now and I'm a little concerned. He spends a lot of time "Playing Dead" He stops wiggling his gills and just lays on the bottom of the pebbles. Is he sleeping or trying to kill himself? Last night he displayed a new trick. He swims to the top of the bowl and then power slams his head right into the pebbles! The pebbles are all out of order now, and I'm pretty sure he has permanent brain damage. And I think this guy might be having an effect on Neils Behavior...