[JcarrVT]

I had to reorganize my tank the other day, apparently the cap on the bottom of my aquamaster400's intake tube shook loose because when I was working on it today, I saw one of my female labs swimming against the current IN the tube. I disconnect it real quick she shoots back into the tank and up floats the corpse of the alpha female. All of my labs were acquired as tiny fry. This is a lab unlike any I've ever seen before it was like someone took a calligraphy pen and illustrated ALL of her finnage with the masterpiece being "latice-work" on her tail that would put a discus' face to shame. She wasn't pale white and submissive but a shimmering platinum. I am so distraught my carelessness killed maybe my favorite fish. I'm now at 1m:2f but thankfully my male is a benevolent and peaceful one because I am nauseous (no exaggeration) at the thought of replacing her at the moment.

I guess to make this more constructive and less like a whiney blog post, who else has killed their favorite fish?

 

[DJRansome]

Me. Just recently too. I added Flourish Excel to a planted tank during a water change. The concentrated amount in less than a full tank of water killed several of my favorite males. One was a calvus I raised from one inch to over five inches.

Sorry for your loss!

 

[dielikemoviestars]

Shoot. I am really sorry to hear about that. Sounds like she was an amazing specimen - did you ever get any fry from her?

I've been fortunate not to kill a prized fish, but I've killed plenty of less-prized fish in my time. I did once get 5-6 REALLY nice young male Vics (I had no idea what I was doing - in hindsight, they were probably hormoned anyway) from the LFS for a huge discount, tossed them in a makeshift tank (30g tall, cycled and everything) for the night, and woke up to 5-6 REALLY nice floaters. LFS never got another batch of them.

 

[JcarrVT]

One was a calvus I raised from one inch to over five inches.

Ohhh my god... that actually did make me feel better I'm so sorry man. That must have been like a 3 year old fish at least right? **** dude sorry for your loss, they take so long to grow. I never knew flourish excel could do that I used to use it all the time on my 40g planted tank. Always at the recommended dose and full tank but I lost 3 pairs of apistos over like 6 months and I'm gonna bet that's why. How quickly after you added it did they die?

dielikemoviestars did you ever figure out what it was that did it? Drastically different pH from your LFS or something? That must have been such a kick in the teeth to wake up to.

 

[DJRansome]

I lost 3 pairs of apistos over like 6 months and I'm gonna bet that's why. How quickly after you added it did they die?

I don't think Excel hurts fish when used with the correct dilution. I am going to continue to use it. But my tank was down to like 3" of water and I put in the full dose. And...the fish were in the too-strong solution for longer than a normal water change. All affected fish died within 24 hours...some before I could even refill the tank.

Did not want to one-up your loss though...just did not want you to feel guilty alone. :thumb:

 

[JcarrVT]

I'd have to have more of my ego involved to take your story as one upping. I started the thread to hear about other people making the similar costly mistakes that I did. It can be therapeutic for everyone involved.

 

[DanniGirl]

JcarrVT, sorry for your loss. Do you have any pictures of her?
Ugg....I know the feeling because I've been there before.
I think that everyone (who has been in this hobby long enough) loses a fish once in a while. Still though....talk about a disappointment. :?

DJRansome... ....awe man....sorry to hear that.

 

[dielikemoviestars]

I have no idea what it was. Might've been the pH, since they went from a tank with crushed coral to a tank with Fluorite gravel for plants. I was young and eager. :?

 

[juststayinthecave]

I had 9 discus, the favourite of which were 4 green leapard snakeskins. I had them for 2 years and they were really beginning to show the full spotted pattern along with the irridecent thin blue lines along the face. Also had some fry - though I wasn't set up to keep them alive.

I then purchased 4 other discus which I didn't quarentine. Within 2 days the newly bought discus showed fin damage and laboured breathing. Turned dark and died, then one by one through the tank it went and my snakeskins were toast. The all turned dark, faded to the back of the tank and died. This took a couple of weeks. I went back to the LFS to complain - when I arrived he was fishing hundereds of dead fish out of his tanks. I just looked around the shop and left. I put my tanks away for about 5 years, till just recently logged onto this forum.

Give it another shot with Africans.

 

[RRasco]

Sigh, we've all been there. I regrettably added an otter point jacobfreibergi to my all male tank this weekend, he was floating this morning :x The other males were just too much for him to hang with, he was bullied to death. I'm upset about it and I only had him two days. I couldn't imagine if/when my male hara bites the dust. I get really attached to my fish. The only real experience we have is through doing. Live and learn.

 

[cnapierala]

Sorry for the loss. Your not alone though so try not to feel too bad.

I lost about 3 Yellow Calvus a few months ago due to a missing intake strainer on a new filter and old water chemicals (Never bothered my other fish). I was Sooo excited when i got these as i was looking all over for them and they are my favorite Calvus.
This instance as well as a few other fatalities with Calvus is part of what made me decide to sell several fish and convert my show tank to Malawi.

 

[Jmanolinsky]

I usually vacuum my tank the entire time I am draining it, but this time I decided to close the glass top on the hose and let it syphon. I was right there keeping an eye on it, when I noticed it was not going down as fast. Upon closer inspection I saw one of my best Rusties trapped in the tube. I got him out and tried to revive him by moving him back and forth in the water. A couple of times I felt him try to wriggle free. I thought I just might have saved him, but when I would release him, he would just lie motionless. I cotinued for what seemed like forever. It was like one of those scenes on TV where the guy is relentlessly doing CPR on the patient, but it is just no use. I was so mad at myself for not paying attention.

 

[pack-rat]

A month ago my daughter was looking in the tank trying to count each kind of fish because we had some mothers that we thought were holding and hiding, and so I went through it with her. The mothers were all accounted for but a young acei couldn't be found. I looked around and finally saw him wedged between a lace rock and the glass. He was really in tight. I moved the rock and he came out but was badly scraped and having trouble swimming. One eye looked compressed into the socket making his face uneven. I was on the verge of euthenizing him but decided to give him a day, as long as the others didn't go after him. Bottom line, he recovered completely and only has a couple of small scars to show for it.

 

[monisaab]

Lucky you pat-rat.

Sorry for your loss JcarrVT.

Just lost one of my turtles this morning. He had slowed down quite a bit in the past 2 weeks or so. Had him since May last year. I tried treating him but may be I should have tried more or tried earlier.