October 2025

Bob had danced for Barbara before. She had rejected him, but his fellow Blue-tailed Rainbowfish were rare these days, so he was excited to try again. His urge to dance was overwhelming. 

He swam to the bow of the shipwreck, his iridescent and streamlined body reflecting the sun that shone through the water’s surface. His eyes swivelled independently of one another, wary of the humans that would dive to study the old ship. 

Avoiding an Iguana that was chewing on some algae, its body floating innocuously in the current, Bob headed to the shelf that Barbara called home. He rubbed his fins against the side of his body to give them a final polish, as he rounded the corner to surprise her with his glamour. 

She wasn’t there. Her carefully maintained domicile was empty, just a few shells lying abandoned. Looking around he caught a shimmer of something below and went to investigate. There was a little pile of fins scattered on some coral, including a tail that was unmistakably Barbara’s. 

A few bubbles escaped from Bob’s mouth as he took it in. What had befallen poor Barbara? He would dance for Bambi instead. 

Swimming up and around, Bob headed over to Bambi’s territory. She lived in the fallen mast, now part of the reef. He had to dance. 

Passing a shoal of less attractive fish, he angled his body to display his scales and watched with satisfaction as envious eyeballs swivelled in his direction. Bambi’s home was, disappointingly, also empty. What had happened to these fish? His scales were in top condition and time was ticking. 

Babette. The fish with one eye. Bob’s last chance. Swimming back up the mast and into an old, shadowy gunport he sought her out. His heart sank as he saw a trail of silver and blue scales leading up to her favoured hollow. 

Bob swam around Babette’s watery grave, a performer with no audience. He could hold it in no longer. Swimming into a beam of sunlight, he stuck out his pectoral fins with flourish. The light bounced off the silvery scales as he twisted and turned his body in a display of vigour and finesse. His dance culminated with a shake of his shimmering, blue tail. 

Bob’s gills pumped, his energy spent. The other fish that had been drawn in by his exuberant display darted out of the wreckage as a shadow fell over them. Bob’s scales lost their sheen in the enveloping darkness, his vision taking in the most exquisite sight he had ever beheld. A creature with two giant, bright blue tails was hovering above him. Hypnotised by magnificent golden eyes, Bob’s jaw hung open and his fins sagged. He was but an amateur. Barbara, Bambi and Babette had seen perfection before they died. Bob submitted himself to this flawless specimen, as its giant beak gobbled him up before returning to the surface. Bob’s beautiful fins slowly floated to the sea floor, a final memory of a once fabulous dancer.