April 14, 2008
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sad fishie
something’s been bothering me the last few days: I discovered one of our three fishies is very sick. there’s Bob (the big one that eats most of the food– for a while we thought he was pregnant), Billy, and Blizzard, the sick one. saturday I noticed he was floating, and I thought OH SHIT. but he was still moving on closer inspection. pale, lost most of his color, had a kind of lump, and a bloody tinge to his gills. I felt SO BAD. I felt especially bad that I hadn’t noticed.
I’m the only one who takes care of them now that the novelty has passed. he was so barely alive I felt like it would be kinder to remove him and kill him. but I totally couldn’t. still, I feel like I really should have. I ended up putting some of the sick fish fluid in the water, stuff fodon gave me, and cooing to him a lot.
yesterday his color was better, but he still looked like he might be dead each time you walked up to the tank– then he’d try to hide. today he’s able to stay on the bottom of the tank, instead of floating belly-up on the top. that’s better, right? except he’s obviously still really ill. perhaps euthanasia would have been kinder? I couldn’t.
don’t worry, I don’t jump to the “let’s kill it” stage any time someone is sick around me. this fishie just makes me so sad cos it seems to be suffering so.
Comments (10)
those fish are certainly lucky to have someone with such good karma looking after them.
Dude, I had a panic about one of my fish the other day because he was floating belly up, but still swimming, kind of. So I worried. And worried. Then he got better–like completely better.
Today I came home to a dead fish. But a different one. One that showed no sign of sickness. Made me sad as well.
Honestly though, I’m shocked those fish are still all alive. They’re not known for their longevity–and I’m talking about Bob, Billy and Blizzard.
I hate that feeling…wanting to do something, whether it be help or end it, and unable to do much of either. My bird has scared me a few times, but he keeps coming back…
and hoping your fish comes all the way out of it too.
You have the power of Ernie!
Totally could not do it either and yet I want a powerful cyanide pill for myself for when I get to my mom’s condition. Go figure.
We have 2 cats, they’ve been our children since 1992. I try to not think about when the day comes that that decision has to be made.
i had a fish pull that on me not long ago. i actually thought it was already dead, and i was just waiting for my officemate to leave the room so she didn’t have to watch me grub around in the tank to collect it. she left about half an hour later, so i got the net, opened the hood… and the fucking thing was swimming around again.
never did die, either.
i had another one, that one day i noticed this nasty bruise-looking thing on its side, and the fin there was all gnarly. i have no toothy fishes, so i have no idea what did that to it. but i figured for sure he was a goner. months later, it’s healed and healthy. i have no clue. but take heart, it could just be fucking with your head!
RYC: It could be. Nevertheless, I do know some people that would describe well.
I’d be worried he’d make your other fishies sick. Fish get sick and die pretty easily, I’ve never been able to combat their ailments well.
I can’t jump to the let’s kill is phase either, even when I think I should. My poor cat might be at that step, but I just can’t.