My Own Little Adventure

**steeler1** · 10-31-2012, 06:36 PM

I just started reading your journal and all I've got say is WOW!

You have really done a great job with this!!! I have no advice on your poor gourami but you seem to be doing everything you can for him.

I've keep tetras for years and as other people posted "sometimes you get a bad batch". Did you ask the LFS what thier pH was before you purchased? If your pH was higher or lower than thiers this could be the answer. Neon's are realy sensative to big swings in pH. I got a batch of Rummy Noses from foster/smith last year that did the same thing, just kind of lingered and died one at a time till they all were gone. My card got credited back because of thier "live gurentee" but I was still out $35.00 for freight.

Another thing was their red coloring faded? This would be the a sign of the infamas "neon tetra dicease". And one last thing were they eating when you bought them from the dealer? I always have the clerk put a little food in the tank before I purchuse just to see if they are eating.

Just some things to pass on to you because you seem so sad over their loss's.

Your doing a fantastic job so hang in there.

**MandyK** · 10-31-2012, 11:12 PM

Thank you for all your kind words Steeler!

I did not ask about the PH. All the neons I have purchased have been from that store, and in those batches I had only lost 3 out of 27. That's why I'm so surprised about them dying off like this.

Sadly I just put my Gourami down... He was my first fish for this tank, and his name was Akio (Japanese for, Bright Boy). I came home to find him swelled to twice his size, and upside down. He would have died on his own in a half hour or so even if I hadn't put him down. Uhg....

The good news in all that is that I'm going to try GBR's again. I'll go for three I think. 1 Male and 2 females.

Also, the neons seemed VERY normal. No color loss until after their deaths, and from what I could tell everyone did eat. I didn't ask them to feed at the store though. Good idea!

**steeler1** · 10-31-2012, 11:17 PM

I know you feel bad about the Gourami following your journal and what you went thru with him but now at least you can get the rams you have always wanted.

**bethyMT** · 10-31-2012, 11:21 PM

Oh, I'm sorry about your gourami. That poor guy put up such a fight!! And you did too.

But, on a good note, you can now get the other fish, and treat them well in Akio's honor.

**MandyK** · 10-31-2012, 11:21 PM

You are right. I am pretty sad. He's the first fish I got teary eyed, and crackly voiced about. I am a little excited about the GBR's, but I hate that he had to go. He was such a handsome boy.

EDIT: My husband buried him in the yard.

**bethyMT** · 10-31-2012, 11:25 PM

I felt that way when our first betta died. I was kinda shocked that I was crying over a fish. But when you think of it, that's how it should be...we take care of them...we love them (in a way, maybe we don't admit it). When they are sick we worry, and when they die we grieve. To NOT feel anything is probably worse.

I'd be sending you a tissue if I could. Poor sweeties, you and Akio

**MandyK** · 10-31-2012, 11:31 PM

Thanks bethy. It's the thought that counts. :) You're right. It would be weird not to feel anything.

**KevinVA** · 10-31-2012, 11:44 PM

Aww man, I'm sorry Mandy. That sucks. =/ I was really hoping he'd pull through.

I think it's a different kind of attachment, when it comes to fish. With any pet, you provide a home, feed them, play with them, etc, but with fish you create a world for them, and they depend on you to be able to live/breathe/eat. It's a much more delicate process, since other animals (besides amphibians/reptiles) can breathe the same air you can, live in the same conditions you can, etc.

While you might have a closer attachment to your dog/cat, since you can literally play/cuddle/sleep with them, and enjoy their company overall, keeping a fish is a bigger responsibility and a smaller scale. You're their vet, food provider, ecosystem creator/maintainer, companion provider, etc. When a fish dies, you can't help but feel responsible and the guilt wells up.

So, it's still a sad event, but in a different way.

Anyway, I hope your luck begins to turn, Mandy. I think GBRs would be cool to keep. If you can manage to get ahold of some Apistos, you might want to check them out. The two I have are awesome. I love watching them and they're quite beautiful.

**steeler1** · 11-01-2012, 05:36 AM

Kevinva gives good advice as usual. Here are two other Dwarf chichlids you might want to try from the Laetacara family; the dwarf flag and redbreasted. Of course finding them is another issue.

**fishmommie** · 11-01-2012, 11:57 AM

so sorry about the gourami. he was a pretty boy. And I got teary eyed too when I lost my betta last month. We both did all we could do but it just happens The rams sound like a great idea.