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Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Bung makes a comeback

Whanganui Chronicle
12 Nov, 2009 01:00 AM2 mins to read

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A jumbo-sized ageing goldfish called Bung astounded his owners by coming back from the dead.
Not only that, Bung, who lives in a horse trough, made his stunning reappearance in a second horse trough.
The Rayner family of Springvale thought 16-year-old Bung, white with age, had died and gone to fishy heaven, because they hadn't seen him swimming in his trough for days.
So they trawled the old trough, pulling up what they thought were Bung's remains and held a small funeral for the old fish.
However, old Bung caused a bit of chaos a few days later because suddenly he was spotted gaily swimming about in another trough nearby.
The family are still amazed and admit to feeling a silly about the whole thing but at the same time declared a "bit of a miracle".
From a tiny fish he was named Bung because he only had one decent eye.
His owner, Wanganui horse trainer JJ Rayner, who arrived home from Melbourne yesterday, said Bung was an integral part of her animal family.
He spent his early years in a inside fish tank with two friends, she said.
"But I was pretty useless at cleaning out the tank and pretty soon there was only Bung left."
Ms Rayner she bundled Bung outside and dropped him into a water trough by the stables.
"I didn't really feed him again and he grew huge must have been some great bugs and things in the trough."
Bung has survived years of sharing his trough with the horses and dogs who drink from it.
But while Ms Rayner was in Melbourne working for New Zealand owner and trainer Michael Moroney ahead of the Melbourne Cup, she received the call that Bung had died.
"Yeah it made me quite sad, actually. I know that sounds silly, but he's been around for a while, you know."
Then there was the call from home to say Bung had miraculously risen from the dead.
Before Ms Rayner arrived home, she told the Chronicle she wanted to get home and see the old fish.
"Well, me and Bung, we go back a long way. I'm glad he's alive."
Goldfish are one of the earliest fish to have been domesticated and still one of the most commonly kept aquarium fish.
Goldfish can live to about 20 years - the world record is 49 years.

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