damn it...losing my RTS :(

[Mr Burns]

i didn't get a chance to check my tank early today because i left for class before the lights came on. i came up about 20 minutes ago to find my really old red tail shark on the right front site of the tank by a bunch of hornwort. that's not weird, but it is in laying sideways, very discolred, and most alarming of all - curled up. the best way to describe it would be if you looked down on the RTS from the top, it would form the letter 'C.' he also has ragged ventral fins, several scales discolored and some scales and flesh missing in between the ventral fin. he's really really in a bad way. on top of that, for the past few week it has been swimming very oddly. sometimes sideways and very inactive. old age is a bitch....

so, i have a container of rum chilling in the freezer because i couldn't find anybody nearby that had clove oil. this will be the first fish i've ever had the euthanize (sp?). i've had the RTS for about six years now..it was one of my first fish, if not the first, but definitely my favorite.

 

[Mr Burns]

man....it died before i could get it into the 'drink'

time of death: 3:40pm

dang that's depressing. i probably won't get another RTS until i set up my big tank.

 

[Deitta]

I am so sorry for your loss. I hate it when a fish passes away without me being able to make it as quick and painless as possible.
Do you know what happened?

 

[Mr Burns]

no clue. there has never been even the slightest hint of agression in my tank in the six years i've had it. the danios chasing eachother is about as bad as it's ever been. the area between the vetral fins is pretty chewed up...i don't get it. the loaches are smaller than the RTS and schooled with, so i couldn't see them doing any of the damage. maybe my big pleco pinned it down...i just don't know. i'm fairly certain that old age had something to do with it.

 

[Mr Burns]

i take that back..i've had the tank for eight years

 

[grimlock3000]

Sorry to hear about the death. Unfortunately at some point fish do simply die of old age

 

[Mr Burns]

i can at least take comfort in the fact that i gave it the best, longest life possible. i never had any problems with diseases (besides a little clouding of the eyes for a day or two.) plus, i buried it in the garden behind the house, so hopeully it can give life to something beautiful in the spring....

 

[webmoose]

Hey Mr. Burns.. Really sorry to hear about your shark. I really like those fish! I had one a long time ago.

This weekend my swordfish died right in front of me. It was the last of 3 that were sick.. I had been keeping my eye on him for a while. I went up to the tank he swam around and just stopped and floated to the bottom like a leave falling.

It was really strange and sad.

 

[Menagerie]

I am so sorry to hear that. You gave that fish a long healthy life, that's the best we can all hope for.