Can fish die because of loneliness?

maronov

maronov

AC Members
Dec 14, 2006
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New York, NY
This may sound a bit childish of me, but I have a fish that I think is dying of loneliness. It is one of three Panda Corys in my tank, and it is smaller that the other two. It has recently started spending its time lying in one spot, not moving, not eating, not joining in the constant digging for food (I should also add that it was never as active as the others ever since I got it a few months ago). It seems that if there was a disease, there would be visible signs by now, and/or the other fish would be affected. Is it possible that the smaller panda is lonely, or am I just applying human feelings to a fish because I can't figure out why it's sick?
 
Probably, but it's maybe more due to stress, of not having a group of their kind like they're used to.

Anyway, there are diseases that can manifest itself with very little outward appearance, especially inside the gills, but without a microscope it's hard to verify. One of the first sign of some diseases is that the fish isolates itself away from the group, so I would not personally rule it out. Usually abnormal behaviour is the first symptom of a problem.

I would rule out any water conditions and parameter issues first.
 
i dont believe fish 'feel' lonely, or anything of the sort. they may be disoriented or stressed due to not having more of their kind, but i think that in optimum tank conditions this will not be an issue, but the stress may amplify any other problems that arise from other issues.
 
NeonJulie said:
Probably, but it's maybe more due to stress, of not having a group of their kind like they're used to.

Anyway, there are diseases that can manifest itself with very little outward appearance, especially inside the gills, but without a microscope it's hard to verify. One of the first sign of some diseases is that the fish isolates itself away from the group, so I would not personally rule it out. Usually abnormal behaviour is the first symptom of a problem.

I would rule out any water conditions and parameter issues first.
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Water conditions are fine, and all the other fish are acting completely normal. Not having group of their kind would make sense, but the other 2 Pandas are active as I mentioned. Is it perhaps because he is smaller that the others?
 
this seems quite common with Panda's i have four in my tank and there is always one on his own. one of my neighbours has 8 pandas and again there is one on there own.

Although mine seems to be eating and is fairly active...not as active as the other three but still digging in the sand and all over the tank.
 
You may be spending too much time thinking about this.
 
rwilliams254 said:
You may be spending too much time thinking about this.
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No, I don't think so. He hasn't eaten for the past 2 days and barely moves all day, so something is definitely wrong.
 
*Gasps* The same thing has happened to my male swordtail and I was just going to post about it!!



Since my female died giving birth 2 weeks ago, he's been very lethargic, he doesn't eat and he just hangs out on the bottom. Last night I bought two more females to keep him company but he doesn't seem to care. I don't know what to do either - he doesn't "look" sick, but he's sure acting like it. :confused:
 
I'm sure AD frogs are different,

but sometimes it seems tank mates get lonely =]

My mother's frog had a buddy for months and months, then it's jaw got infected or something and died. For about week he would just lay around and got really skinny.

So my mom bought another mate and now he is fat and happy again ^_^
 
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