I know my gf ate my pet fish, but idk what to do...

[frenzy]

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/relationship_advice/comments/nkiddm/i_know_my_gf_ate_my_pet_fish_but_idk_what_to_do/

I (24M) strongly suspect that my gf (23F) ate a fish from my aquarium, and is pretending like she didn't. I have no clue what to do about this.

For context, I recently found one of my favorite tetras -- tiny and no bigger than an inch -- went missing without a trace. There have been no signs of aggression in the tank, no signs of illness, remains, etc. Last night I went to sleep early, and this morning it was gone. Normally, I go to sleep long after my gf, but this was the one night where I crashed early and she stayed up later than me. While I normally turn off the tank's light before bed, she did it last night. So I know she interacted with the tank in some capacity.

She has always been super fascinated by this one fish in particular, which I liked because I was glad she was finding interest in this hobby I've taken to since we moved in together. However, three days ago, she asked me if aquarium fish were edible a few times until I answered in earnest. I responded, assuming this was a joke, that I wouldn't. For the rest of the evening, she would stop to look into the tank whenever she passed by it (in a hallway of our place), which she also normally doesn't do unless I make a change to the tank.

Since finding out the fish was missing today, she has been very dismissive about my investigation as I tried to figure out if another one of my fish somehow ate it, or if it had managed to hide itself incredibly. Tonight, her stomach has been hurting her a bit. A coincidence I'm sure, but weird timing imo.

When I was taking care of her, I made a joke saying "Shouldn't have eaten that fish, I guess," assuming this was an obvious absurdity/joke. This made her upset, and, as she began defending that she didn't, that's when it hit me that she legit must have eaten my fish.

I have no question that she ate my pet given all the weird stuff these past few days and her uncharacteristic defensiveness on the matter, but I have no clue wtf to do at this point.




Top comment:

Personally I've always thought that if my spouse eats my pets it's not a good match but that's just me.

Comments

[frenzy]

I own and keep several aquariums. I think its so strange that OP instantly jumps to thinking their partner ate their fish. Quietly trying to catch a fish, especially someone not well acquainted with keeping fish, would not likely be done easily or quietly. I'm just shocked that they "have no question" that this happened. Good night.

[juniperphoenix]

I was coming here to say the same thing. Tiny fish like neon and cardinal tetras go missing all the time and it can be very difficult to spot the bodies (if indeed anything is left). Also, these particular species have become notorious in recent years for being really fragile, due to breeding issues. I have had tons of them die for no apparent reason.

[conuly]

Okay, this has GOT to be a troll. Right?

[frenzy]

I really hope so! But it was too absurd not to share

[movingfinger]

Aquarium fish can (frequently) carry salmonella, so if this is not a troll, fear not, OP, justice is being served from beyond the grave.

[minoanmiss]

What.

Also, I used to have fish as a child. The little mofos eat each other.

Also, WHAT.

[swingandswirl]

... he should dump her so she's well shot of the kind of person who immediately jumps to 'my girlfriend ate my fish'. WTAF?

[edenfalling]

I have no opinion on whether or not the girlfriend did, in fact, eat the fish, but clearly this is not a relationship that has a good future.

[katiedid717]

This is so bizarre! I can't even form a coherent response to this, I'm laughing so hard that I'm wheezing

[shirou]

If girlfriend were to eat a fish out of the aquarium, she would claim she hadn't. She is now claiming not to have eaten that fish, so clearly she did. (?)

[firecat]

Has somebody been watching A Fish Called Wanda?

[lemonsharks]

Tbh, I also think the GF ate the fish. I've had aquariums, and getting in there to catch a fish is not that hard, especially if you've seen someone do it a couple of times. Her outsized reaction to a joke about eating the fish is the clencher for me--either she ate LW's pet or she can't take a joke, both of which are completely reasonable reasons for the LW to GTFO asap

[ioplokon]

omg. well, whether or not she did it, I don't think there's a way for the relationship to come back from "I think you ate my pet fish."