Sunday, January 13, 2019

Aquarium Update – Spoiler Alert: Epic Fail

I rose early this morning and found a horrific little domestic scene. First I discovered a dead kuhli loach. I haven’t seen them eating or swimming about and honestly think all those tiny guys are long gone from the ich infestation, as susceptible as their equally scale-less larger cousins. They tend to cannibalize their dead overnight, before I can find their bodies, so that may well have been the last one.

The three clown loaches were inside their favorite decorative hideout. That could have been a good sign, which I told myself before spying the silhouette of a dwarf clown plecostomus within. This is not normal behavior.

Holding my breath, I reached into the tank and lifted the decoration dubbed ‘skull mountain’. It lived up to that nickname, for out tumbled the bodies of Frick and Frack, my two smaller clowns. I burst into instant tears. Then things got worse.

The impressive Ms. Pacman, also deceased, remained wedged inside. I called for help and, sobbing, at last managed to dislodge the weighty corpse into a bucket.

After many years with me, these fish should have lived another decade or so. Even worse is my culpability over the loss. I just had to bring home some new pretty top dwellers.

Well, these newbies alone appear asymptomatic. How weird is that? They must have been the unwitting hosts (!), yet seem fine. So now I’ve broken down and will use a chemical supposed to eradicate the parasites.

Perhaps I can still save my two plecos. My sole, meager comfort is the fact a quarantine tank may have proven useless if these Dalmatian mollies and guppy are healthy as they appear. What do I know? I never had this happen before.

I know this is small in the scheme of things, but right now my eyeballs feel like they served as fill-ins at a golf driving range. Once the snow stops, I guess I’ll bury my fish in the garden and put skull mountain atop as a memorial. No way can I look at that item in the tank anymore.

At least these victims are no longer suffering.

Guess whose done trying to raise long-lived fish?

-

10 comments:

  1. Oh, no! I'm so sorry :-( I do love the names Frick & Frack. I was actually thinking of using them in the current book I'm working on as the name of two Yorkies.

    Cheers - Ellen

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    1. Thank you! And I appreciate the much needed chuckle. Great minds think alike! Be well, my dear.

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  2. I'm sorry to hear this. People will say, "They were only fish," like it makes losing pets easier if they're small or not mammals, but you were still fond of them. (Although losing Boo would be more traumatic by far than losing a rat!)
    I will guess you won't be purchasing any new fish from that shop again.

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    1. I understand what you mean. Luna the cat was a hard loss. I still miss her terribly. If these fish survive and I decide to maintain/restock this tank, I'll only buy from a couple out of state. They're very reputable from all I've ever read. Be well!

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  3. I am so sorry. That must have been awful to find so many had passed. :(

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    1. Thank you. And the death just keeps continuing. Now my little guppy is gone, too. I know you have some health issues in your furry family. ~hugs~ So I wish you well, my dear

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  4. I'm so sorry. It's terrible to lose pets.

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  5. Oh no. I don't know what to say or how one can keep exotic fish and know all the ins and outs of how to care for them. I'm so sorry.

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    1. Thank you. You're very kind. ~hugs~ It wouldn't be quite so tough if I didn't feel responsible for bringing in that parasite. Be well, my dear.

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