Disabled goldfish gets its own wheelchair and the internet cheers

Disabled goldfish gets its own wheelchair and the internet cheers

Mangalore Today News Network

Mar 21, 2017: Life is now going swimmingly for a goldfish in San Antonio that just got its own underwater wheelchair.

The goldfish suffers from swim bladder disease, also known as flipover, a condition that keeps it from holding itself upright.

 

Consequently, the fish was stuck on the bottom of its aquarium. That is, until an aquarium shop employee known only as Derek figured out a solution, according to BuzzFeed.

Derek wrapped tiny tubing around the goldfish and then added valves underneath to prop it up like it was in a chair. Then a chunk of styrofoam was added on top to give some lift.

 

“The bottom weight is almost equal to the pull on top so it works quite well for him,” Derek told BuzzFeed.com. “Think of goldfish as the pugs of the fish world. Pugs have unique features due to the way they were bred, but it also causes them a lot of medical problems ― same with goldfish!”

The device worked to keep the fish buoyant and as a way for Derek’s friend, YouTuber Taylor Nicole Dean, to get viral traffic.

After Derek sent photos of his design to Dean, a 19-year-old who posts YouTube videos about taking care of animals, she posted them on Twitter.