Yeah, I guess at 17 years even a popular goldfish should get a break. Goldfish are not the brightest of critters though. We had two that swam upside down for the better part of a year, never seemed to bother them that much. Both have gone to the Great Bowl in the Sky, to be replaced by the evil Oscar, which plots to destroy the world daily. As soon as it's had it's catfood anyway (yes, Ellen feeds it cat food... it CRUNCHES it... weird.)