If it's food, eat it.

I adopted three fish yesterday. Harry. Sally and Sue.

When they arrived they didn't have names. "I've never named my fish," said Dave the friend who gave me the fish. He is moving away and cannot take them with him.

I'm happy they're here sitting atop a low bookcase in my office, right beside my desk.

Ellie, the wonder pooch, is happier.

I went off to meditation last night and Ellie decided to help herself to fish food. She tried to eat the entire container but managed only to consume its contents.

Who knew a container of fish food flakes could be so enticing to a hound. Oh right, she's a scavenger, a glutton, a pig.

Not really. But she sure does like her food and she sure can't resist temptation.

When I arrived home after my meditation group and went to feed the fish as Dave had instructed me to do, I couldn't find the container of fish food where I knew I had put it in the corner, on the floor beside the tank. The cleaning agent was there. The extra dish and paraphernalia were there. But no fish food.

I wondered if I was mistaken. Had I put it in the cupboard? Had I put it somewhere else.

It was Ellie's behaviour that tipped me off. She wouldn't come into the office with me. She hung about the door, poking just her nose into the room.

"What did you do?" I asked her. "What did you do?"

She hung her head, slunk into the room and headed straight to her bed in the far corner of my office, the furthest point away from where I stood watching her accusingly.

"You didn't..." And I headed into our bedroom to check her bed which lies at the foot of ours. It's where she tends to take all the food treasures she manages to steal.

Sure enough. There it was. One empty plastic fish food container with puncture marks across its skin. One torn up label from the container. Was she trying to hide the evidence?

Ellie doesn't seem to be the worse for wear. Fish food agrees with her. Though her breath is kind of stinky.

Harry, Sally and Sue however will be scavenging along the bottom of the tank until I get to the pet store this morning to replace their food. There were enough dregs in the bottom of the tub to sprinkle them onto the water last night. And maybe, just enough to appease them until the store opens.

And I am the wiser for the adventure. When bringing new friends into the house, ensure special diets are kept safe from those who believe if it's food, eat it. (and pretend you didn't do it!)