The shimmering world of the fishbowl was deceptively calm. Bubbles drifted lazily to the surface, and the soft hum of the air pump was the only sound breaking the quiet. But Gill Finley, P.I., knew better. Beneath the calm exterior of plastic seaweed and colorful pebbles, trouble always lurked. Gill, with his grey hat and trench coat snug around his fishy frame, floated thoughtfully, ready for his next case. The fishbowl was never truly peaceful—not with Gill on the case.

Mrs. Minnow swam into his corner, her eyes wide with worry. Her fins fluttered nervously as she rushed toward him. "Gill, you’ve got to help me," she pleaded. "My son, Tiny Flakes—he’s missing!"

Gill’s eyes narrowed. Tiny Flakes, a small but curious guppy, was known for darting around the fishbowl, often getting into mischief. He was always chasing bubbles or exploring the nooks of the plastic treasure chest. But for him to go missing in the confines of a fishbowl? Something didn’t sit right.

"Tell me everything," Gill said, his voice calm but commanding.

Mrs. Minnow trembled as she pointed toward the plastic shipwreck near the side of the bowl. "He was playing by the shipwreck, like always. I looked away for a second, and when I turned back… he was gone!"

Gill squinted, his sharp detective mind already at work. In a fishbowl, no one just disappears. He swam toward the shipwreck, his fins cutting smoothly through the water. As he approached, his keen eyes scanned the scene. The shipwreck looked as it always did—covered in algae and surrounded by brightly colored pebbles—but there was something off. A small, nearly invisible scale was caught on one of the ship’s edges.

Tiny Flakes had definitely been here.

Gill’s mind ran through the suspects. There were a few fish in the bowl who might have had something to do with this.

1. Spike "The Jerk" Jack: A sharp-nosed tetra who was known for his temper and his habit of bullying the smaller fish. Spike was hanging around near the plastic castle, his eyes darting nervously. "I didn’t touch him!" Spike snapped as Gill approached. "Yeah, the little guppy got on my nerves, but I swear, I didn’t see him disappear."

2. Pearl "The Swirl": An elegant angelfish who was as calm as the currents she floated in. She usually kept to herself near the air pump, where the bubbles swirled around her in lazy spirals. "Darling, I barely noticed him," she said, flicking her fin dismissively. "Tiny Flakes was always zipping around like a madfish. Too fast for my taste."

3. Algae Al: A bottom-feeder with a gruff exterior, Al spent most of his time stuck to the sides of the bowl, quietly scraping algae. He was the loner of the group, preferring the quiet life in the shadows. "I didn’t see nothin'," Al grumbled when Gill questioned him. "The kid was always movin' too fast for me."

Gill swam back toward the shipwreck, piecing together the clues. Tiny Flakes had been here—no doubt about it—but where had he gone? And why hadn’t anyone seen him?

He glanced at the air pump, a thought bubbling up in his mind. The fishbowl wasn’t large, but it had its dangers, and the intake of the filter was one of them. Tiny fish, especially curious ones, could get too close and end up in trouble.

Gill swam toward the back of the tank, his eyes narrowing as he neared the filter. And there, caught just inside the intake tube, was a tiny flicker of movement.

Tiny Flakes.

The little guppy had been sucked into the filter, trapped by the gentle suction that pulled in water—and any fish that got too close. Gill acted fast, carefully nudging Tiny Flakes out of the tube and guiding him to safety. The young guppy trembled but seemed otherwise unharmed.

"I didn’t mean to!" Tiny Flakes gasped, still shaken from the ordeal. "I was just playing, and the next thing I knew, I couldn’t move!"

Gill gave a nod, his hat tipping slightly with the motion. "You’ve got to be more careful, kid. The filter’s no place for a fish like you."

Tiny Flakes swam back to his mother, who was waiting anxiously by the treasure chest. As mother and son reunited, Gill floated quietly in the background, satisfied that another mystery had been solved. No villain this time—just the dangerous curiosity of a young guppy.

As the water’s gentle currents resumed their rhythm, and the bubbles drifted once again to the surface, Gill Finley swam back to his corner of the fishbowl. The tank had returned to its usual calm, but in a world as small as this, another mystery was always just a ripple away.

The End.