by stripey_cat » Tue Aug 19, 2014 9:33 pm
When I bought my first fishing rod in Aqualantis, it took me a while to get the hang of things. I would forget to bait my hook, fish would steal the bait and get away before I could reel them in, or I'd just plain fish in the wrong spot. But over time, I got the hang of things. The most common type of fish I encountered was the Spud. Since it was so common, it was not worth a lot of money, but it made for a tasty, quick meal when necessary. A grilled silver sandwich with dillweed mayo makes for a wonderful and energizing lunch. I would find silvers everywhere - in the woods, the plains, the bouncer cave, Aqualantis, and the ocean.
A similarly common fish I encountered on the beach was the spud. It was not quite as common as the silver, but still a frequent sight. In fact, I'd often catch them accidentally while angling the elusive Coconut fish, which is much more of a delicacy. The first shiny fish I ever encountered was a shiny spud, caught right by the entrance to the creepy graveyard.
But now, I cannot find either of these fish. The waters of the high greens are full of puffers, but not a silver to be found. The ponds in the Wooden Plains and Bouncer Cave are now barren. Similarly they are gone from their other habitats. I have not seen a silver in several days. The spud may have suffered a similar fate. I can still find coconut fish and flippers in the waters by the beach, but the spuds have sped off.
What has happened to these once common fish? Do they still exist at all? Has anyone seen one of these fish in the wild recently? Perhaps some sort of disease has killed them all off. Or maybe it has been overfishing - since they are so easy to catch, this is highly likely. Or, maybe non-native species have wiped them out. I once saw a Dark Reaper in the pond in the graveyard. A dark reaper! Somebody had let it loose unintentionally, and while the graveyard fish are tough, if that thing got into the beach, it could easily wreak havoc on the spud population. Maybe there are now "dead spots" or algae blooms in the waters, much like the Gulf of Mexico, that has caused loss of habitat.
Whatever has happened it is sad. Maybe there is a way to bring these once common fish back into the ecosystem, if it is not too late. I feel sorry for those just starting to fish, who will have missing entries on their hero-pedia because of this. I hope that somebody will reassure me that these fish still survive, but I am getting less hopeful by the day.
Keepin' it Real