Grizzabella, the bell tolls for thee

Well, I've been dreading the day, but I think that it's come.

My first swordtail, Grizabella, the first mother of my (ever increasing ) swordtail population, is looking in pretty rough shape.

She survived my 10g fish killing learning experience and my misinformed, bumbling efforts to save the fish I was killing. Never in healthy conditions, she still managed 4 fry, 2 of which I still have, the other 2 were males and so had to be given away.

She overcame a bout with cottonmouth and dropped about 40 fry in the process, all were eaten.

When I moved her to the 33g, she seemed so much better. After a week, she would swim with the others and seemed happy and healthy again. But now she just hides. I think that she's sick again, and I don't think she's getting better.

The other fish know it to, she's become a pariah. They drive her away, nipping at her. Bitey II flares at her whenever he sees her.

I believe that after sticking with me through the roughest of conditions, her time has come. A bucket of icy water awaits her in the next day or so...

It's the humane thing to do. I've been considering it for quite a while. After I moved her back from the hospital to the 10g which she shared with the other 2 and a couple cories, she went right back to hiding. But then she seemed revitalized by the bigger, more heavily planted tank. I never thought she'd even make it that far. There's a juvenile that I had figured to take her place. She's definitely earned her place in Valhalla.

Thanks Doll.

She was looking even worse when I hunted her down last night, had some kind of white spots along her head. She tried to hide, but didn't put up much of a fight, I was almost able to grab her barehanded.

Dropped her in ice cold water. A few seconds of twiching and it was over. She's in a better place. But it wasn't fun to do.