People don't seem to realize that it doesn't matter how big or small a pet is. Whether its a fish, a dog, or you live in a state where its legal to have an armadillo troll around your house, it can be upsetting.
Most people have a bunch of fish in a tank just for fun. Some people own one or two fish and pay lots of attention to them. It also depends what type of fish you have. You might not care much is you lose a few tetras for example.
also wtf kinda fish did you have that lived for three years
Goldfish can easily live for 8 years and longer.