I may not have lost fish that are as rare or huge as some of these, but everyone has.
I have lost many different types of fish over the years, but my most recent was the worst I can remember.
My Firemouth was MIA for over 5 days, and he did this once before for 3 days, and reappeared with scratches on him, I thought that maybe he camped out in the driftwood stump. Sure enough, I was cleaning the tank, and at the top view, I could see he lodged himself inside the driftwood, and I couldn't get him out even though I tried. I saw his tail and dorsal and he was well alive, even after 5 days in there. I reached and broke off some wood to clear a path and was trying for 20 minutes. I looked back down and I didn't see his tail anymore.
I knew then, that he would die alone, and starve, and I could do nothing about it (the dw is literally a tree stump). It made me a little sad that the Oscar was hanging around the part of the dw that firemouth was stuck in. Sure enough, the Oscar didn't hang around that part anymore after a few more days, and all that was left were bones on occasion and the loach cleaning alot up there.
Sorry if it sounded sappy, but that was hard for me because I couldn't have even ended his suffering.
The only feeling everyone here has probably had is leaving your tank for the day, and coming back to a fresh dead fish - and just wondering what could have happened. The first glimpse always startles me, but then recovery and reasons need to come next.
Anyhow, sorry for everyone's losses
I have lost many different types of fish over the years, but my most recent was the worst I can remember.
My Firemouth was MIA for over 5 days, and he did this once before for 3 days, and reappeared with scratches on him, I thought that maybe he camped out in the driftwood stump. Sure enough, I was cleaning the tank, and at the top view, I could see he lodged himself inside the driftwood, and I couldn't get him out even though I tried. I saw his tail and dorsal and he was well alive, even after 5 days in there. I reached and broke off some wood to clear a path and was trying for 20 minutes. I looked back down and I didn't see his tail anymore.
I knew then, that he would die alone, and starve, and I could do nothing about it (the dw is literally a tree stump). It made me a little sad that the Oscar was hanging around the part of the dw that firemouth was stuck in. Sure enough, the Oscar didn't hang around that part anymore after a few more days, and all that was left were bones on occasion and the loach cleaning alot up there.
Sorry if it sounded sappy, but that was hard for me because I couldn't have even ended his suffering.
The only feeling everyone here has probably had is leaving your tank for the day, and coming back to a fresh dead fish - and just wondering what could have happened. The first glimpse always startles me, but then recovery and reasons need to come next.
Anyhow, sorry for everyone's losses
still ignores the other fish that range from newborn mbuna to adults! (he is 8")
