I quit...

[_fish_a_holic_]

Hi everyone,
Have you ever reached a point in your fishkeeping hobby where you just want to give all your fish away, smash all your tanks, and QUIT?

I'm at that point today.

My favourite fish, Bubba the Angolan downpoker, was found dead at the bottom of the tank. I don't know why.

Not knowing why, and having a few other sick fish at the same time (different tank), makes me feel like donkey poop.

I just want to crawl into a small hole and cry...

Irene

 

[The-Wolf]

sorry for your loss Irene. Have you tested the water paras?

I've not got to that stage, yet, but have reached the stage where I think I have too many tanks and should reduce them down to one.

(TheWolf hugs Irene) bubba

 

[Ben]

Dont worry, i've had days like that aswell,
but have you tested the water?any problems there?
maybe go to Aquarium City and get it checked...

and if your tanks are lettign you down, why not re-aquascape them, change your stock etc so it makes a new change in your fishy life,which will make you happier, i know it worked for me
im sure everything will be fine

DD

 

[_fish_a_holic_]

Wolf,
I can't bring myself to go near any aquariums at the moment. Which is pretty hard as my home is full of them. I think that's part of the problem (too many tanks)...

The rest of the fish in the big tank (where Bubba used to swim) look fine. I'll test the water as soon as I can bear to.

I've been so wrapped up in myself and my health problems the last few days. Could he have starved to death? I usually have to syringe in thawed bloodworms to his "cave" and haven't done that for about four days... His body didn't have any marks on it, but was extremely skinny.

Maybe I don't deserve to keep fish

 

[_fish_a_holic_]

pH=7 or 7.1
Ammonia below 5.0ppm
Nitrate=5.00ppm
Nitrite=0ppm
Temp 26*C

Tank has been established for about 4 months

 

[Macracantha]

Maybe I don't deserve to keep fish

I'm sure that isn't true!!!

Take a couple of days away from it to get yourself well, then don't try to be too ambitious for a while until you build up your confidence...experience will make it work better for you...just takes a bit of time...have patience!...and..........

Stop beating yourself up!!!

 

[GSD]

its not your fault it happens to everyone!

 

[Angry_Platy]

Yes it does happen to everyone.

Take me, my fish started dying....all my neon tetras, all my platy fry, all glolight tetras and 9/10 of platy adults. This all happened over the period of a week. Nothing specific, but the majority of them had a grey sheen to them shortly before they died. I didn't know why. The water tested fine. Then I thought the council may be adding something to the water supply. But then realised that if they were my other tanks would be affected. All the fish that died came from the 30gal tank. I was ready one day to take the whole tank down, rehome the remaining fish in the other tanks and start again. Then I found a soft dog toy sitting in the HOB (I don't use the covers on my HOBs).....how is this significant? We treat the dogs toys with flea treatment everytime we treat the dog. It had been sitting on the tank about 3 weeks. In which time the fishies had died. LOTS of water changes and carbon and waiting it out.....now my tank is fine. No unexplained deaths....all healthy fish....plants overgrown (cause I am too lazy to prune ) ) and a happy me!!!

I am sure thats not your problem but it just gives you an idea that you aren't the only one that bad stuff happens to.

KEEP up the hobby....in one way or another.....

 

[squeeker]

Ammonia below 5.0ppm

Maybe that is part of the problem?

 

[wrs]

well I felt the same way after my tank had ich, and all but 6 fish died. And a time before when all my live bearers died in 3 days of eachother, and that is all I had in the tank. Only one lived, Sinfully Red, and he died a few days ago.

 

[Booboo puppy]

Maybe you just need to take a deep breath, ease off a bit, and go on. But I do understand wanting to quit all together. I took a long break (10 or 11 years) after our power (and heat) went out for several days one winter. All my angel fish got sick and died. I had received them as babies from my brother (who was raising them at the time) and they were quite large when they died. It was very depressing. I just now set up that tank again.

 

[cichlid]

amonnia is pretty high...

but dont give up!

 

[Torrean]

look into ammo-lock. My ammonia got up to 4! we added ammo-lock after a water change and the fish all survived.

 

[silvershark]

look into ammo-lock. My ammonia got up to 4! we added ammo-lock after a water change and the fish all survived.

ok, i got some of this stuff and wish i hadn't bothered. it doesn't really seem to do much, and it cost me over a fiver

each to their own though

 

[BettaMomma]

I'm sorry to hear of your loss.
Don't be so hard on yourself, these things happen to everyone.
I lost a fish not too long ago because he was too stressed in the new tank I had gotten for him, then got sick and went quickly downhill, and I discovered his pale little body laying on its side on the bottom of his little tank one friday morning at the office. I wanted to collect up all my fish and promptly deliver them all to the lfs so I wouldn't lose anymore and have to go through that pain again!

I gave myself some time to get past it, and have since gotten 14 more bettas.

Give yourself some time, and as someone said - go out and pick up something new for one of the tanks. Maybe a new plant, or even maybe just something as simple as some beach pebbles.

Also, your ammonia should probably only be at very trace levels so you might want to do a small water change.

Keep your chin up - better days are coming, I promise!