I wrote Eddie the Catfish in—I’m guessing here—sixth or seventh grade, after getting a 30-gallon aquarium for Christmas in the 1980s (pictured above). I loved that tank and the fish in it. All the fish mentioned in the story were also in my aquarium, and as I watched them glide across the water as a child, I observed that they each had their own special movements and personalities, perhaps helping inspire this short tale.

Eddie the Catfish was turned in for some sort of writing assignment at school. I don’t know what the class was or who taught it, unfortunately. But I wrote a sequel to the main tale (included in the Amazon book) and received an A-. Here are the teacher’s comments about Part II of Eddie the Catfish:

“Not quite as adventurous as your 1st part, but it’s still well-written! Sal, I have really enjoyed reading your stories this year! They always are quite entertaining!”

That’s a good enough review for me. I hope you and your aquarium-loving child enjoy Eddie the Catfish, parts I and II, as much as I have enjoyed revisiting the tales for public consumption.

Story Synopsis

Written by author Sal Nudo in the mid-1980s, when he was a child, Eddie the Catfish is a tale that shows the innocence of boyhood alongside vengeful mayhem in an aquarium. It all begins when Tyler Matheson and his dad purchase fish in The Pet Place in Milwaukee. One of them, Eddie the catfish, does not play nice in the tank and is soon loathed by the other fish. Conniving ensues when Tyler and his father get a companion catfish to settle Eddie down. Little do they know the other fish have a plan to get back at Eddie for all his bullying. Eddie the Catfish offers a mix of youthful childhood exuberance with feistiness in the fish tank for an enthralling short-story read. Available on Amazon.

About the Author

Sal Nudo is the author of several books and stories and has written numerous articles for various publications including Illinois Alumni magazine and the Mahomet Citizen. His only aquarium these days is the one seen below with plastic fish happily circling around.