Angelfish Old Age

[Wild West]

I would really prefer to let nature do it's thing, just having to go through the thought process of how I would put him to sleep stinks!

I agree with nature taking its course, but if things go downhill (I had a very old angel spawning all by her self for a year or so and became eggbound), it was so hard to watch her struggle and I tried everything I could think of including putting her favorite male in with her, extra slate, RO water and acidic additives with no success. When she became in obvious distress I handed hubby a bowl of icecubes and water......

 

[abcdefghi]

Well, I did what (I hope) was the right thing to do, and it sucked. He had been laying in the same spot of the tank, completely flat on the gravel for about 48 hours. I moved him with the net gently and while he perked up and tried to swim away, just simply fell back to the gravel again. I noticed he had what looked like a couple sores on his sides, his stomach was also sunken in from not being able to eat. So, I made the decision to euthanize him.

The tetras in the tank look somewhat lost, while he never bothered them, you can tell they are not sure what to do now without the boss in the tank. Have to look for something new to terrorize them back into line a little!!

 

[fishorama]

You were right to bring the inevitable end to a close. There's no point in waiting for actual death of an old fish, you did the humane thing. It's always hard with a pet you've had so long but to me, & many of us here, there is a time to say good bye, sniff.