Nitrate poisoning and I'm desperate to save my fish!!!! Please help...

[Libby1]

This is why people euthanize pets, to end their "suffering" ( but who the "their" is is the question. The person or the pet? ) . I can't really tell you why it's taking this long. Her weakness may be from hunger, from what is causing the lump or some other unknown reason. Unfortunately, the only way to rule out the last possibility is way beyond most Vet's capabilities. You can rule out a tank water issue because the other fish in the tank are not suffering. She obviously has/had a strong constitution. In the wild, she would have already been some other animal's meal.
All I can suggest is for you to do whatever you are comfortable doing.

Hi. This is torture. I don't know what's going on. She's still alive. Not able to swim apparently, but almost constantly moving her tail. Or anal fin. Whatever it's called. I stay away from the tank because my heart is breaking.

Now I'm wondering, for discussion or clarity sake; if she's this strong does this mean I could have done something to give her nourishment when she stopped eating.....? Could I have given her vitamin baths maybe...? To strengthen her? Could there have been a way to make her eat? It's not like she had a sudden injury and suddenly couldn't eat. It was kind of her gradual choice to either not take the food, or to spit it out. Even once the bully was out of the tank, first she came running for food.. but she spit it out. Perhaps it was due to something bothering her, like the bump, I don't know. But my question is, did I do absolutely everything to save her..?? and not just letting her die.....?? I'm asking because I've never had this. For a fish to struggle for this long??? I'm so confused, horrified and sad.

I don't know what to expect next. I don't know what to do anymore. I feel horrible for her. At least I know the tank is peaceful. It doesn't appear like my other 2 dollars are bothering her. Although one of them seemed to be curious last night and may have wanted to nip on her anal fin, so I gently got him to go away and I don't think he went back there. Bumpy is on the bottom, between a plant and the wall, in the center of the tank. I keep the light closed so she's as peaceful as possible. But as of yesterday, she keeps moving. And it's sickening to see it. Ughhhhhh!! I hope you can shed some clarity my way, so at least I don't have guilt. I keep in mind what you said, that she would have been food for other fish by now. Sigh. This is tough.

I need to do a water change because the last one I did was last Thursday (a week ago). But I don't want to disturb her..

Gosh. My heart hurts.

UGGGGGHHHHHH --- I just checked my tank ---- that dollar did nip on her anal fin and at off most of it !!!! WHAT DO I DO NOW??????? I don't have a hospital tank because my parrot is in there now -- I don't have a divider because I couldn't find one for this bow-front -- I am absolutely HORRIFIED!!!!! What do I dooooo -- please help Omg

Another update a whole hour later --- I created a VERY makeshift partition.. and the reason I say very is because it's not even attached to the walls, it's just kind of "there" to surround Bumpy and hopefully keep the others away. But there's the risk of them getting into the area by swimming (or squeezing) between the edge and the wall, and I pray that doesn't happen....!!

What's gonna be here???? How much longer is this torture gonna be.....

 

[Andy Sager]

Hi. This is torture. I don't know what's going on. She's still alive. Not able to swim apparently, but almost constantly moving her tail. Or anal fin. Whatever it's called. I stay away from the tank because my heart is breaking.

Now I'm wondering, for discussion or clarity sake; if she's this strong does this mean I could have done something to give her nourishment when she stopped eating....

The only way I know of is through injection and that's not a reasonable way of forcing a fish or any animal to live.

.? Could I have given her vitamin baths maybe...?

You can't give vitamins through a bath, you would have had to use them in the whole tank. That however, would be a short term resolve and not a long term solution if she stopped eating.

To strengthen her? Could there have been a way to make her eat?

No.

It's not like she had a sudden injury and suddenly couldn't eat. It was kind of her gradual choice to either not take the food, or to spit it out. Even once the bully was out of the tank, first she came running for food.. but she spit it out. Perhaps it was due to something bothering her, like the bump, I don't know. But my question is, did I do absolutely everything to save her..??

Yes, you did. Disease or injury would have been a quicker resolution.

and not just letting her die.....?? I'm asking because I've never had this. For a fish to struggle for this long??? I'm so confused, horrified and sad.

I can only relate this to what I went through with my Mother. 2 days after I left visiting her after she moved to Maryland, she was sickly with many parts of her body but her heart, which was very strong according to her Dr. I had had a nice week long visit before leaving. She was spry, with it and very cognizant. On day 2 of my drive back to Florida, I get a call from my Sister who said that she was going under hospice care and her Dr. said it would most likely be soon. The choice was I could turn around, drive through the night to get there in 24 hours or continue home ( which was only about 3 hours away from where I was. ) My Sister and I agreed that it didn't make sense for me to come back as there was no guarantee I would be in time and she was being buried in Florida anyway so I continued home. It became a daily struggle because I waited impatiently for "That Call" that it was over. A week went by then 2 weeks went by and my Sister and I couldn't figure out what was keeping her alive. Another week went by and then we had to have the discussion on whether I should have stayed or turned around and came back. In the end, it took her a total of 3 1/2 weeks when the Dr said it should be " soon." So there is no way of knowing the when, especially when it's a natural death. It will happen when it happens. It's out of your hands if you can't euthanize.

I don't know what to expect next. I don't know what to do anymore. I feel horrible for her. At least I know the tank is peaceful. It doesn't appear like my other 2 dollars are bothering her. Although one of them seemed to be curious last night and may have wanted to nip on her anal fin, so I gently got him to go away and I don't think he went back there. Bumpy is on the bottom, between a plant and the wall, in the center of the tank. I keep the light closed so she's as peaceful as possible. But as of yesterday, she keeps moving. And it's sickening to see it. Ughhhhhh!! I hope you can shed some clarity my way, so at least I don't have guilt. I keep in mind what you said, that she would have been food for other fish by now. Sigh. This is tough.

I need to do a water change because the last one I did was last Thursday (a week ago). But I don't want to disturb her.


Gosh. My heart hurts.

UGGGGGHHHHHH --- I just checked my tank ---- that dollar did nip on her anal fin and at off most of it !!!! WHAT DO I DO NOW???????

That is what healthy fish do to dying fish. It's natural. You do need to do the water change to keep the tank healthy for the other 2 Dollars so I suggest you net her and place her in a bucket while you do the water change and when that's done, you can either leave her in the bucket with an air stone or place her back in the tank with the barrier around her.

I don't have a hospital tank because my parrot is in there now -- I don't have a divider because I couldn't find one for this bow-front -- I am absolutely HORRIFIED!!!!! What do I dooooo -- please help Omg

Another update a whole hour later --- I created a VERY makeshift partition.. and the reason I say very is because it's not even attached to the walls, it's just kind of "there" to surround Bumpy and hopefully keep the others away. But there's the risk of them getting into the area by swimming (or squeezing) between the edge and the wall, and I pray that doesn't happen....!!

What's gonna be here???? How much longer is this torture gonna be.....

As I said, you can never tell with situations like this.

 

[Libby1]

The only way I know of is through injection and that's not a reasonable way of forcing a fish or any animal to live.

You can't give vitamins through a bath, you would have had to use them in the whole tank. That however, would be a short term resolve and not a long term solution if she stopped eating.

No.

Yes, you did. Disease or injury would have been a quicker resolution.

I can only relate this to what I went through with my Mother. 2 days after I left visiting her after she moved to Maryland, she was sickly with many parts of her body but her heart, which was very strong according to her Dr. I had had a nice week long visit before leaving. She was spry, with it and very cognizant. On day 2 of my drive back to Florida, I get a call from my Sister who said that she was going under hospice care and her Dr. said it would most likely be soon. The choice was I could turn around, drive through the night to get there in 24 hours or continue home ( which was only about 3 hours away from where I was. ) My Sister and I agreed that it didn't make sense for me to come back as there was no guarantee I would be in time and she was being buried in Florida anyway so I continued home. It became a daily struggle because I waited impatiently for "That Call" that it was over. A week went by then 2 weeks went by and my Sister and I couldn't figure out what was keeping her alive. Another week went by and then we had to have the discussion on whether I should have stayed or turned around and came back. In the end, it took her a total of 3 1/2 weeks when the Dr said it should be " soon." So there is no way of knowing the when, especially when it's a natural death. It will happen when it happens. It's out of your hands if you can't euthanize.

That is what healthy fish do to dying fish. It's natural. You do need to do the water change to keep the tank healthy for the other 2 Dollars so I suggest you net her and place her in a bucket while you do the water change and when that's done, you can either leave her in the bucket with an air stone or place her back in the tank with the barrier around her.

As I said, you can never tell with situations like this.

Wow.
First, so sorry about your mother. Those details are gutwrenching. And then waiting for "that call", and the question of whether you should have gone back.. but at least you had that week with her. Thank you for sharing and for giving me more clarity on the aspect of how long it could take..

Also, thank you for clearly stating the yes's and no's to my questions, so that I can feel reassured about having done everything I could. I needed that peace of mind. So thank you.

Do you think I can do the water change with the barrier there...? Which means I can't vacuum that area and I'd have to be gentle.... but I'd do as much as I can in the surrounding areas.... I just don't know if I have the guts to bother her and move her around while she's in this state. Also, the temperature of a bucket's water would probably cool down and they like a temperature of approx 80 degrees (my tank is at 80 or 82)

 

[Andy Sager]

Wow.
First, so sorry about your mother. Those details are gutwrenching. And then waiting for "that call", and the question of whether you should have gone back.. but at least you had that week with her. Thank you for sharing and for giving me more clarity on the aspect of how long it could take..

Also, thank you for clearly stating the yes's and no's to my questions, so that I can feel reassured about having done everything I could. I needed that peace of mind. So thank you.

Do you think I can do the water change with the barrier there...? Which means I can't vacuum that area and I'd have to be gentle.... but I'd do as much as I can in the surrounding areas.... I just don't know if I have the guts to bother her and move her around while she's in this state. Also, the temperature of a bucket's water would probably cool down and they like a temperature of approx 80 degrees (my tank is at 80 or 82)

MY OPINION is that right now, the tank is more important. Doing the water change with her in there will probably be more stressful than putting her in the bucket even if the temp goes down for the few minutes she will be in there. You can gently net her since she's hardly moving and now has no tail and place her in the bucket of water.

 

[Libby1]

MY OPINION is that right now, the tank is more important. Doing the water change with her in there will probably be more stressful than putting her in the bucket even if the temp goes down for the few minutes she will be in there. You can gently net her since she's hardly moving and now has no tail and place her in the bucket of water.

So I did a 30% water change this morning. She is still alive barely, but then again, still breathing. Breaks my heart. At least my other fish aren't able to bother her now...

Question is... I'm very worried because if she does pass in the next number of hours, I wouldn't be able to do a water change for the next 27-28 hours (I might not even know she passed since I mostly will not be home) so I won't be able to remove her till tomorrow night at approx 8:30pm... do I have to worry about water contamination..?? I really hope not. Basically it probably wouldn't be more than a 24-hr period (since she's still alive) but maybe less because who knows when she's actually gonna pass... Sigh. So I'm just checking with you in case. Any insight on this? Thanks

P.s. this process is insanely sad. Ughhh

 

[Andy Sager]

So I did a 30% water change this morning. She is still alive barely, but then again, still breathing. Breaks my heart. At least my other fish aren't able to bother her now...

Question is... I'm very worried because if she does pass in the next number of hours, I wouldn't be able to do a water change for the next 27-28 hours (I might not even know she passed since I mostly will not be home) so I won't be able to remove her till tomorrow night at approx 8:30pm... do I have to worry about water contamination..?? I really hope not. Basically it probably wouldn't be more than a 24-hr period (since she's still alive) but maybe less because who knows when she's actually gonna pass... Sigh. So I'm just checking with you in case. Any insight on this? Thanks

P.s. this process is insanely sad. Ughhh

You shouldn't need to worry. A fish that big will not usually decompose in just one day. You will want to remove her remains as soon as possible to help reduce any ammonia buildup that comes from decomposition. If it's not an easy removal, you may want to do a water change after removal to clean up what you couldn't net out.

 

[Libby1]

You shouldn't need to worry. A fish that big will not usually decompose in just one day. You will want to remove her remains as soon as possible to help reduce any ammonia buildup that comes from decomposition. If it's not an easy removal, you may want to do a water change after removal to clean up what you couldn't net out.

......She finally passed....
Must have been this morning or today by day; she was still very flexible.... I buried her in my backyard just now. I am literally bawling my eyes out like a kid which I guess is what I should do for a little bit. I loved her; she was a fighter and a survivor. And fought a terribly long and difficult death. This was sheer torture to watch. I don't understand it and it's haunting me.

Now my tank is void of her and it's hard to see it. I wish aquarium-keeping were simpler so I could just throw my parrot back in there and bring liveliness back because he's so feisty.



I am so, so, so deeply sad.

 

[Andy Sager]

......She finally passed....
Must have been this morning or today by day; she was still very flexible.... I buried her in my backyard just now. I am literally bawling my eyes out like a kid which I guess is what I should do for a little bit. I loved her; she was a fighter and a survivor. And fought a terribly long and difficult death. This was sheer torture to watch. I don't understand it and it's haunting me.

Now my tank is void of her and it's hard to see it. I wish aquarium-keeping were simpler so I could just throw my parrot back in there and bring liveliness back because he's so feisty.



I am so, so, so deeply sad.

Well, sorry to hear but glad for you it's over. Yeah, she was a fighter for sure. I sure hope you realize that you should not put the parrot back into the tank with the Dollars.

No, fish and all pet keeping actually is not simple. This is why it's not for everybody.