awww, its so great to see that so many care about their fish that much. Some of them live so long, that they seem like a permament fixture, and then you dont even realise that they mattered so much until they are gone. I have had goldfish that were almost my age (i'm 20 and they have yet to die) A friend moved cross country, and brought her whole tank with her. I ended up with her 2 already 8 year old "feeder" goldfish. I was 11 at the time and they spentt their time with me back then in a 1.5 gal goldfish bowl with a cory catfish (please dont yell at me, i didnt know any better at the time). but every day, until i moved away from home at 16, i came home from school, would catch them with my bare hands, put them in another bowl, and clean their bowl. I passed them on to another friend with a large tank when I left home for school in the city (knowing thot with my studies i would have no time to fuss with them every day like i did. So they were 14 years when i gave them away. I finished my courses within a year, and i got them back when i moved to my own apartment last year so they are a grand total of 18 years old today (they are in their own 20 gal now)and to this day, they let me touch them, and they 'kiss' my fingers when i hold them above the water. And, i know they probably are near the end of their lives, and i will definatly be crying when they pass on. they are definatly part of my "family" Anyone else have long lived fish like this?
quite a sensitive subject...
- Thread starter jenny cookie
- Start date
I think my parents never wanted me to have another fish when my first betta died- I cried so hard.
I have to admit, I don't cry over losing little pets much anymore. After losing something like 5 hamsters in one year (none of them were my fault- all unrelated deaths), I just started to feel numb when I found another of my babies gone. I didn't cry when Vitara (my most recent betta) died, either. She hadn't been doing well for some time, so it was almost more of a relief. I guess it hurts too much to let it affect me enough to make me cry. But I do know how hard it is and how attached you get! Why people think it's odd to cry over something we love not being with us anymore I don't know. I agree, care=love, so it's not silly to love something as small as a snail.
I liked that story, btw, Bryan. I hope my husband is man enough to cry over snails with me!
I have to admit, I don't cry over losing little pets much anymore. After losing something like 5 hamsters in one year (none of them were my fault- all unrelated deaths), I just started to feel numb when I found another of my babies gone. I didn't cry when Vitara (my most recent betta) died, either. She hadn't been doing well for some time, so it was almost more of a relief. I guess it hurts too much to let it affect me enough to make me cry. But I do know how hard it is and how attached you get! Why people think it's odd to cry over something we love not being with us anymore I don't know. I agree, care=love, so it's not silly to love something as small as a snail.
I liked that story, btw, Bryan. I hope my husband is man enough to cry over snails with me! Most of my tanks have a bunch of fish, mostly 10 or more of each kind. It gets to hard to count how many of witch type of fish I can find. If I don’t see them on the filter than I don’t know they have died and I guess I should just feed a little less that day.
No I do under stand and if my Pacu kick the bucket I think I would cry but what would I put in that show tank? I don’t think would be going down the toilet. It is a new one but it’s only rated for 75 hotdogs per flush. I think he would be the first clog of that toilet.
You might not get that joke unless you have looked at getting a new toilet…
No I do under stand and if my Pacu kick the bucket I think I would cry but what would I put in that show tank? I don’t think would be going down the toilet. It is a new one but it’s only rated for 75 hotdogs per flush. I think he would be the first clog of that toilet.
You might not get that joke unless you have looked at getting a new toilet…
my hamster dies this morning. he had a tumor I knew it was going to happen, I cried. when my bettas die I will probably cry. Not as hard as if my cats or tortoises died I suppose. Bettas are such unique individuals, and since you can't stock up on them in one tank, it is always sad to lose one. You put a lot of care, effort, and possibly worry over their conditions, it is a big time/emotional investment.
Did he buys you flowers to cheer you up?
I watched a school pet betta die for a couple of weeks it was listless at the bottom of the tank. I was only in the room every so often to teach music, I was still sad when it died.
sorry for your loss. maybe my hamster and your fish are chillin' in pet heaven.
Lisa
Did he buys you flowers to cheer you up?
I watched a school pet betta die for a couple of weeks it was listless at the bottom of the tank. I was only in the room every so often to teach music, I was still sad when it died.
sorry for your loss. maybe my hamster and your fish are chillin' in pet heaven.
Lisa
no flowers, but he did get me a new young double tail betta worth over $40. Even though I really like "bug", he just ain't no sonic (ironic that he only cost me $2.50 tho). When I go to feed him, I find that I shake the food in front of the bowl out of habit, because as soon as sonic saw/heard that, he would flare and go crazy all the way to the top of his tank. And when I do that to bug, i scare the crap out of the poor little guy. Yeah... its a nice thought that of our wonderful pets are chillaxin' in pet heaven together lol.
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i have never actually cried over my fishies' death, but i do get a deep feeling of general melencholy and feel like something is missing for at least a few days. i also usually feel guilt for a long time, because they usually die because of something i did out of ignorance or something I didn't have the means to give them. that is always what hurts the most. :sad
Well, i cried over losing a turtle when I was a kid. I have not cried for my fish, though I felt very bad when they died. As I was reading the above posts, I started out ok, got a little teary as I worked my way through and then made it part way through Brian's snail story before I really got choked up. It is definately sad to lose a pet. I noticed there is a new article on Euthanasia in the Article forum, but I can't bring myself to read it.
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yeah, reading this thread made me misty eyed. It almost sounds like one of those support groups where you sit in a circle, drink coffee smoke cigarettes, and hug.
cant say it brought a tear to my eye, but I was pretty upset when my 2 common pl*co both passed last month for whatever unknown reason after me having them for about 6 years each.
One of em looked ill one night and within 24 hours he was gone and the rest of the tank wiped out as well 24-48 hours after that.
Hoover and Eureka were "The Men"
One of em looked ill one night and within 24 hours he was gone and the rest of the tank wiped out as well 24-48 hours after that.
Hoover and Eureka were "The Men"
I remember having to euthanize a blue gourami I got from petsmart who developed dropsy the day after I got him home into a clean, safe tank. It was right after my 21st birthday, and so I used some of the Sambuca my brother gave me to give him surcease. He couldn't swim to the surface anymore, and I kept the water level low enough for him to flail to the surface and breathe- but it became too painful to watch in hope. I mixed him a shot of sambuca with some tank water- and what hurt the most is watching him still try and surface for air while he was slowly going out.
Yes, I am a male, and crying has been all but extinguished from me- but I came awful close. Even thinking about it brings back strong emotions- for a fish I didn't even own for even a week. When he kept trying to surface, I kept thinking again and again "should I put him back? should I see if he gets better?" but I felt it was more humane to let him go.
After that moment, I firmly resolved never EVER to spend a dime at a fish store which does not adequately care for its stock.
Yes, I am a male, and crying has been all but extinguished from me- but I came awful close. Even thinking about it brings back strong emotions- for a fish I didn't even own for even a week. When he kept trying to surface, I kept thinking again and again "should I put him back? should I see if he gets better?" but I felt it was more humane to let him go.
After that moment, I firmly resolved never EVER to spend a dime at a fish store which does not adequately care for its stock.
