NeonBlueLeon
Fishaholic
I don't know if it is appropriate to mourn for fishies here as I am new to this forum. But the guilt and sadness is overwhelming.
Here is the story.
I had a beautiful 20 gallon tank setup with gravel and live plants. I had finally finished cycling the tank and the first set of fish I decided to get was 5 rummy nose tetras. I figured a 20 gallon tank can handle 5 tetras at once, so I purchased them, and added them. Within hours, they seemed comfortable and happy.
About a week and a half later, I hit up the LFS again. I had been going to my LFS about every other day, checking out the fish and what not. I always noticed a beautiful red swordtail male. He seemed wise and noble, like the king of the tank. And he seemed gentle. Everytime I went to my LFS, I watched him for at least five minutes.
A new shipment of these "creamsicle" mollies came in. Me and my girlfriend were instantly enchanted by them. We decided to buy two of them, as well as the swordtail I was growing so fond of. When we got home, I drip acclimated the fishies and added them to the tank. Everything was just hunky dory.
The swordtail was friendly to all the fish, and I patted myself on the back for developing such a nice community tank! We named the handsome swordtail "King." The swordtail occasionally swam into group of rummy nose tetras, and would hang out with them for a minute or so. They seemed to converse with the swordtail before swimming off and resuming their own businesses. It was a real hoot to watch. Other than that, he would spend his time hanging out with the two female mollies (Minnie and Miki).
Three days into adding the new residents, I saw two to three white spots on my mollies' tails and my heart dropped. This was not my first rodeo. I immediately ran to LFS and a trusted employee gave me a complimentary bag of aquarium salt after showing me a (now nearly empty) tank with Ick infected creamsicle mollies.
I rushed home and added a tablespoon of salt to the tank. Opening an Excel spreadsheet, I planned how to add the salt in gradual portions and raise the temperature of the tank over the next two days. I noticed Ick spots on my tetras as their noses faded in color.
Two days ago, I noticed King was lethargic. Just floating around, being much less social. I figured this was a response to the changing conditions and highly possible Ick discomfort. He had no visible Ick spots.
One day prior, King was hiding behind the heater, and was not eating. I knew this was a bad sign, but I did not know what was wrong besides the Ick.
This morning, it was clear his swim bladder was damaged. It finally hit me that King had an internal issue, but I had been so busy with the Ick outbreak, I did not read the signs. I watched him swimming around, losing balance and disoriented. It was pitiful and extremely painful to watch. I was frozen the entire time. Finally, he stumbled into the corner of the tank and lay on his side.
When my senses returned to me, I got my net and gently scooped him out. My girlfriend and I held a funeral service for him. We buried him beneath a juvenile peach tree in our garden, with a sign, "Here lays King. The Noble."
Here is the story.
I had a beautiful 20 gallon tank setup with gravel and live plants. I had finally finished cycling the tank and the first set of fish I decided to get was 5 rummy nose tetras. I figured a 20 gallon tank can handle 5 tetras at once, so I purchased them, and added them. Within hours, they seemed comfortable and happy.
About a week and a half later, I hit up the LFS again. I had been going to my LFS about every other day, checking out the fish and what not. I always noticed a beautiful red swordtail male. He seemed wise and noble, like the king of the tank. And he seemed gentle. Everytime I went to my LFS, I watched him for at least five minutes.
A new shipment of these "creamsicle" mollies came in. Me and my girlfriend were instantly enchanted by them. We decided to buy two of them, as well as the swordtail I was growing so fond of. When we got home, I drip acclimated the fishies and added them to the tank. Everything was just hunky dory.
The swordtail was friendly to all the fish, and I patted myself on the back for developing such a nice community tank! We named the handsome swordtail "King." The swordtail occasionally swam into group of rummy nose tetras, and would hang out with them for a minute or so. They seemed to converse with the swordtail before swimming off and resuming their own businesses. It was a real hoot to watch. Other than that, he would spend his time hanging out with the two female mollies (Minnie and Miki).
Three days into adding the new residents, I saw two to three white spots on my mollies' tails and my heart dropped. This was not my first rodeo. I immediately ran to LFS and a trusted employee gave me a complimentary bag of aquarium salt after showing me a (now nearly empty) tank with Ick infected creamsicle mollies.
I rushed home and added a tablespoon of salt to the tank. Opening an Excel spreadsheet, I planned how to add the salt in gradual portions and raise the temperature of the tank over the next two days. I noticed Ick spots on my tetras as their noses faded in color.
Two days ago, I noticed King was lethargic. Just floating around, being much less social. I figured this was a response to the changing conditions and highly possible Ick discomfort. He had no visible Ick spots.
One day prior, King was hiding behind the heater, and was not eating. I knew this was a bad sign, but I did not know what was wrong besides the Ick.
This morning, it was clear his swim bladder was damaged. It finally hit me that King had an internal issue, but I had been so busy with the Ick outbreak, I did not read the signs. I watched him swimming around, losing balance and disoriented. It was pitiful and extremely painful to watch. I was frozen the entire time. Finally, he stumbled into the corner of the tank and lay on his side.
When my senses returned to me, I got my net and gently scooped him out. My girlfriend and I held a funeral service for him. We buried him beneath a juvenile peach tree in our garden, with a sign, "Here lays King. The Noble."
