I found fish in the rain cachement system

[Katharine Chartrand]

I spent the last two days cleaning out my latest REO purchase with the help of my children. This is a former meth lab/earthship/mining cabin that has been abandoned since the owner died 5 years ago.

My 8 year old peered into the murky depths of a home made barrel full of algal infested water sitting where the rain flows off the roof and said she saw fish.  I looked in. I didn't see anything but a thick algal goop and my daughter's incredible imagination made me smile.

My very grounded 10 year old walked over, glanced in and said "oh there are two!".

?

After poking at the water with a stick for a bit, I confirmed there are are at least two four inch long orange fish in this tank. 

This house has been bank owned since the owner died 5 years ago.  The bank hasn't paid LOA fees in 4 years.  They haven't been feeding the fish.

Anyone know anything about fish?  How can this be?

Is this some kind of indestructible coy fish. Given their resilience to weather, foreclosure and inadequate nutrients, do I have a shot of keeping them alive in a different environment?  This tank catches rain off a gutter. But it is in a greenhouse like structure with rock walls which probably stayed pretty warm year round in NM.

[Rick H.]

Mt bet is on birds. The drop a fish, perhaps on the roof during a rainstorm, which is collected by rainwater system. Fish get transported to some pretty unusual places. 

My former wife used to teach elementary school located next to the Santa Ana River and cranes would occasionally grab them in their beaks and some of the catch would land in the school yard, only to be discovered by kindergarten kids with puzzled looks on their faces.