Meet Monstro, the telescope goldfish who won hearts across the internet. Before he was given a second chance, this little guy didn’t look anything like the golden fish you’d expect—he appeared to be covered in soot. In a now-viral TikTok video, artist Lacey Scott shared that when she first encountered the 10-year-old fish at a pet store, he was “sick and dying.” As you can see in the screenshot, he resembled a little charcoal brick, far from the picture of health.
Monstro had developed lesions on his underside from lying on the substrate, the pebbles at the bottom of the tank. He couldn’t even swim. Determined to help, Scott took him home and set up a “shallow hospital tank” with aquarium salt and daily water changes, which seemed to help him gradually improve. Monstro began to eat again and swim short distances.
Eventually, Monstro was moved to a larger, five-gallon tank and even made some new fish friends. This is when his golden color started to return, though he sported a cool ombre effect. His growth spurt was another clear sign that he was getting healthier, as goldfish often continue growing as they thrive in a better environment.
As Monstro’s transformation unfolded, viewers on TikTok grew more and more invested in his progress. The video concludes with him swimming around, carefree and golden once again.
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One comment perfectly summed up Monstro’s story: “You’re telling me this goldfish was wearing all black cause he was SAD? I love him so much.” And this insight is accurate—like all pets, fish need care and attention, and can show emotional responses just like more traditional companions.
While fish, especially goldfish, are often thought of as low-maintenance pets, they actually require more than just feeding. They need proper tank sizes, frequent water changes, and a healthy diet. Goldfish, being messy eaters, particularly benefit from a high-grade filtration system and regular cleaning.
While it's uncertain how many years Monstro has left, Scott assured everyone that no matter what, he’ll spend the rest of his days happy and loved. And that’s all that really matters.