Within the tangled ruins of Lower Wreck lurked Louie the Cat and his mob of catfish friends. Twisted scrap metal provided perfect protection from larger predators like the Sharks.
Just as Pogi Fish promised, he and Ganda Fish went hunting on Louie the Cat’s turf. This was, of course, looking for trouble (and most certainly finding it, too).
“Look all the scallops and coral!”
“Don’t forget the predators like the octopus and barracuda,” reminded Ganda Fish.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
They swam through the patches of coral and scallops, chasing crabs along the sea floor. They trapped a few, but most got away. Meanwhile, a school of mackerel flocked above them. To Ganda Fish, it looked as if she and Pogi weren’t the only ones hunting for a snack.
“Pogi, I don’t think it was such a good idea to come down here.”
“Look over there! It’s the other half of the old boat.”
“I can see Lower Wreck, but I don’t think your mother wanted you going beyond the old wreck, not the two wrecks.”
“It’s all the same to me,” replied Pogi.
Just then, it wasn’t all the same as a gang of fish circled around the two smaller fish.
“If it’s not the Acara and the Gourami treadin’ on my turf again,” said Louie.
“Come on, Louie, We didn’t mean anything by it. We’ll go up to Lower Wreck,” replied Ganda.
“No we won’t,” grumbled Pogi.
“If you don’t watch it, you are gonna sleep with da fishes, kid,” said Louie.
“I already sleep with the fishes,” replied Pogi.
“I mean dat sleep from which a sleeping fish doesn’t wake.”
“Huh?”
Another of the fish darted forward and got in Pogi’s face.
“Listen, bud, we ain’t got time to deal with bait like you and your friend. You hear what I’m sayin’?”
“Yes, mister…”
“I’m Tony the Tooth. I’m the meanest barracuda in all the sea.”
“We’ll move right along,” replied Ganda Fish.
“Sounds like a good idea,” nodded the barracuda.
“Just remember that Lower Wreck is no place for the little fish,” added Louie the Cat.
“But boss, I’m getting’ sick of eatin’ anchovies,” said Lenny the Eel, “They leave an awful taste in my mouth,”
“We’ll go find us a jellyfish buffet on the south side of Lower Wreck.”
“But boss…”
“Listen you…” said Tony the Tooth. As he bared his fangs, his nickname became evident. Pogi had only seen that many teeth one time before – and they belonged to Mack the Knife.
Pogi and Ganda quickly moved to Upper Wreck while Louie and his gang argued. When they arrived at the old boat, the Hammerhead was busy dealing with some of Louie’s other men.
Mack growled at the catfish. He took a chomp at one of the meanies, missing him by inches. As Pogi and Ganda approached, all the catfish were in quick retreat.
“Wow! That sure was something,” said Pogi, “You almost ate him!”
“I wasn’t going to eat him. Besides, I hate the taste of catfish. They taste like…well, they’re worse than eels and seahorses.”
“Yuck! I hate seahorses!” said Pogi.
“Yea, they’re all skin and bones,” repied Mack.
“We ran into Louie down at Lower Wreck,” said Pogi.
“What would a little fish like you be doing down at Lower Wreck?”
“Pogi wanted to see what the fishing was like down there,” said Ganda, “but I didn’t want to go.”
“I think you were right,” said Mack.
“They almost ate us,” said Ganda.
“Nah, they wouldn’t dare attack you,” replied Mack.
“How do you know?”
“If they’re hungry, they’ll just eat. If they want you out of their way, they just bare their teeth.”
“That’s what they did alright,” said Pogi.
“Plus, if they harm you, they have to worry about the all the Acaras and Gourami. There are more of you than there are of them. They’d never get any rest.”
“Sure they would. They’d sleep with the fishes,” snickered Pogi.
“You still better watch where you go. That’s why your mother doesn’t want you going that far from home.”
Pogi decided to obey the advice of both his mother and the Giant Hammerhead. He went with Ganda Fish to the coral reef near the Acara Cave.
Not only was the fishing better, but they did not have to worry about any of Louie the Cat or any of his gang. The Acara were known for fiercely protecting their territory. It was no place for a catfish…or an eel…or even the mighty barracuda.So the two fishy friends played with the crabs and shrimp until it was time to go home.
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MORAL: A barking dog seldom bites.
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