Share your story - mourning the passing of my fish

[KongfuCookie]

My betta fish passed away last Tuesday night. Since then, I have been really sad and kept thinking about him. My friends think I am crazy because "It's not a dog or cat. It's just a fish!" but to me, he was much more than that.

He was a very happy fish. Last October, he hurt his own fin for some reason, and the fin on his back fell off (the rest were fine). It didn't bother him at all. In fact, he ate the fallen fin and happily swam around as if nothing happened. I must be crazy but I thought his positive life attitude was so respectful and lovable.

There were many times in the past he made bubble nests on the day when I was upset by things. It might have been coincidence, but it immediately lifted my mood. Sometimes I just sat by the tank watching him busy making the bubbles. He doesn't even have a girlfriend! He is just too cute!!

He is always curious. Every day when I scooped out/added some water (WC), he immediately came over to check what I was doing. He sometimes fell into my hands or the scoop, and I had to kept still and waited until he left (I didn't want to startle him).

There were so many things about this little guy. I can go on and on and on talking about him. But he is now gone. What's haunting me the most right now is how he suffered right before he died - he was swimming upside down and darting around. I didn't know what else to do to help him other than sitting there watching. It was so sad.

I ordered a bigger tank for him a week before he died. I wanted to give him a tank with less depth but greater in length (Mr. Aqua makes very good shallow, slim but long tank. Great for Betta). He was healthy when I ordered the tank. But he never had the chance to use it.......

Do you also feel sad after your fish died? I would love to hear your story too.

 

[threnjen]

I'm so sorry It's ok to be sad for a fish! They have personality and lend so much to our lives.

 

[sabrinarichard]

I get you! People think I'm weird because I "waste my time" cooking spinach for my fishies... I always get sad when I loose a fish.. It's normal, not everyone gets it though :-(

 

[Luananeko]

Fish can have a lot of personality, especially the smarter ones like bettas and cichlids. The ones I can't tell apart or the ones without as much personality or uniqueness don't bother me as much when they pass, unless they pass in a way that was because a human did something stupid (like when I didn't realize the grate at the end of the filter intake had fallen off, or when my husband sprayed flea spray on our carpet without covering the tank). I do get pretty sad when a fish I've had for a long time or that had a particularly special personality dies

 

[KongfuCookie]

Fish can have a lot of personality, especially the smarter ones like bettas and cichlids. The ones I can't tell apart or the ones without as much personality or uniqueness don't bother me as much when they pass, unless they pass in a way that was because a human did something stupid (like when I didn't realize the grate at the end of the filter intake had fallen off, or when my husband sprayed flea spray on our carpet without covering the tank). I do get pretty sad when a fish I've had for a long time or that had a particularly special personality dies

So true!! Totally agree.

 

[gilpi]

I get you! People think I'm weird because I "waste my time" cooking spinach for my fishies... I always get sad when I loose a fish.. It's normal, not everyone gets it though :-(

What! My wife doesn't even cook spinach for me!

But I get it. It's harder I would think on younger new aquarists to lose a fish. I'm older and desensitized after being in the hobby so many years.

I always do the best I can to provide a "good" environment for them, what I mean is that I don't think we could ever duplicate what Mother Nature originally designed for them, so taking that into account and having a fish live many years in a closed environment is an accomplishment.