Gill Finley, P.I., swam a slow lap around the fishbowl, his trench coat fluttering in the gentle current. Everything seemed calm in the tank today—the bubbles were rising lazily, the plastic plants swayed back and forth, and the fish kept to themselves. But Gill had been in this bowl long enough to know that trouble was never too far away.

Sure enough, just as he settled into his favorite corner near the treasure chest, a frantic tap on his fin made him turn. It was Bubbles Malone, the plecostomus.

"Finley, you’ve gotta help me," Bubbles rasped, his wide mouth sucking in water nervously. "The algae—it’s gone!"

Gill raised an eyebrow. "Gone? All of it?"

Bubbles nodded, looking desperate. "I’m telling you, one day it’s there, and the next—poof! Nothing left to scrape."

This was strange indeed. Algae didn’t just vanish on its own. Someone had to be behind it. Gill sighed. It seemed like this peaceful day was about to turn into another case.

"All right, Bubbles," Gill said, squinting at the pleco. "Who would want to steal your algae?"

Bubbles fidgeted. "That’s the thing—I don’t know. But I’ve got some ideas. There are a few fish in this bowl who’ve been eyeing my territory lately."

As Gill set off to interview the suspects, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this case was going to be a slippery one.

The Suspects:

1. Slick Sal, the Guppy: Gill found Sal darting near the surface, his eyes darting even faster. Sal was always involved in some shady business, and if anyone had a motive for sabotage, it was him. "Algae?" Sal scoffed when Gill questioned him. "You think I’d mess with algae? Please, Finley, I’ve got bigger fish to fry. I deal in flakes, not green stuff."

2. Pearl, the Snail: Slow-moving but always observant, Pearl clung to the side of the tank, lazily munching on what little algae remained. She shrugged when Gill approached. "Sure, I eat algae," she said, her voice calm and measured. "But there’s no way I could’ve taken all of it. Look at me, I barely move!"

3. Goldie Glimmer, the Fancy Fantail: Known for her vanity, Goldie wasn’t exactly a likely algae thief—she hated getting dirty. But still, Gill had learned never to rule out the unexpected. "Algae is disgusting," Goldie huffed when questioned. "Why would I ever want to touch it, let alone steal it?"

Gill swam slow, thoughtful circles around the tank, replaying the suspect interviews in his mind. Each fish had their alibi, and none of them seemed like the algae-snatching type. So where was all the algae going?

That’s when it hit him—the filter. He swam over to the filter, staring at the intake, the quiet hum of the motor now sounding suspicious. Could it be?

Gill inspected the filter more closely, and sure enough, there it was—the algae. The filter had been on overdrive, pulling in water—and with it, all the algae Bubbles had been relying on for his meals.

Gill swam back to Bubbles, who was anxiously waiting by the tank's glass wall.

"It wasn’t sabotage," Gill said. "The filter’s been sucking up the algae. You’ve been cleaning the tank too well, Bubbles."

Bubbles’ eyes widened. "The filter? You’re telling me it’s been taking my food this whole time?"

"Looks like it," Gill said, tipping his hat. "I’d suggest you talk to the humans about turning down the flow."

With the mystery solved and the fishbowl back to its usual calm, Gill returned to his corner, ready for whatever ripples the next case might bring.

The End.