For the goldfish spends most of his time swimming upside down, much to the bemusement of owner Richard Gordon.

The 63-year-old first got the Japanese coldwater fish six years ago from his grandson Christopher.

For the first year Horatio swam the right way around until one day Mr Gordon woke up to find him upside down.

'The first time I saw him I thought he was dead and I was going to flush him away,' he said.

'But I flicked the glass and he started swimming.

'And when I put food in he'll always swim up to it the right way round.

'He then swims back down again and then goes upside down again.'

Mr Gordon, who named his goldfish Horatio because he married his wife Diane, 62, on Trafalgar Day, isn't completely certain why his pet spends 90 per cent of his day swimming on his back.

But he thinks there may be some method in Horatio's madness.

'He always seems to go to the same spot and he then just stays there.

'It's just below the filtration system where there's the most oxygen in the water.

'So it does make some sense for him to be there.

'Though it could be because he's a bit lazy or maybe he has just got Australian roots.

He added: 'My grandson has got some good books on fish, which said the problem could be constipation but judging by how clean the tank is I don't think that's the case.

'I've also been told it could be a problem with his swim bladder. But he seems to be able to easily rise to the top and swim to the bottom.'

The former Royal Navy electrical engineer from Moat Drive, Alverstoke, Gosport, contacted The News after reading about a goldfish named Aussie who has become quite a draw at a pub near Exeter because the fish swims upside down.

Mr Gordon said: 'Visitors to the house are always fascinated by Horatio.

'But I'm not sure if my neighbours would be too happy if he became a tourist attraction.'