How long can a goldfish survive out of water? feelings of great guilt

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lacrimosa12

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Jul 30, 2012
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My goldfish died. He jumped out of the tank and killed himself and I found him dead on the floor. I feel so horrible about it. I'd had him for almost three years; he would have turned three at the end of august. He was so beautiful. I found him tonight lying on the floor dead. I feel so terrible. I feel like the most horrible fishkeeper in the world for not seeing him sooner. How long would he have survived out of water? Five minutes? An hour? I'm so broken up. I thought he would be with me for years to come. He never seemed unhappy. Was there anything I could have done? If I had seen him sooner, could he have survived? Why did he jump? He never so much as stuck his head out of the water before, and I didn't do anything different. Nothing that I hadn't done hundreds of times before. Please, you forum members who have owned lots of goldfish, please answer. How long was he in pain, waiting for me to put him back? Did he suffer a lot? I know that I shouldn't ever own a fish again, but what did I do wrong? I'm the most wretched human being that ever lived. I just wanted him to live forever so we could prove to everyone that comet goldfish are good fish and they deserve a good life. He was the most beautiful goldfish ever, and he loved being alive. He loved swimming around and playing in the current from the filter and eating food pellets. What changed? What was it that made him want to die? He's dead and he'll never come back and he suffered horribly because of me because I was too cheap to buy the full tank kit with the lid instead of just the tank because I already had a filter. I thought sometimes about cutting some plexiglass and making a lid because the water evaporated so fast from the filter and the bubbler, but I didn't ever do it. I wasn't the best fishkeeper; I was lazy and sometimes put off cleaning the tank, but I really did love him. He was as important to me as anybody's dog or cat ever was to them. I just wanted him to stay with me. I wanted him to be there swimming around ten years from now. I was so proud of him and I would tell anybody who asked if I had a pet that "I have a goldfish." I wanted him to grow to be the most wonderful goldfish in the world. I wanted him to be a foot long and live until he couldn't live anymore. I never bought any other goldfish or even a snail because I was afraid they would make him sick. Did he die of loneliness? If he was jumping out of the tank to find someone else to be with, I'll never forgive myself. I'll never even know if he was a boy or a girl now. He was the most wonderful fish that ever lived ever, and he killed himself because he thought I didn't care about him enough. Please answer, goldfish forum. I await your judgement. I don't know what to do. I don't have a fish anymore.
 

Manafel

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Oct 10, 2011
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Tulsa, OK
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Kayla
I'm sorry to hear about your loss. However I believe that you are being way too hard on yourself. I recently had one of my frontosa jump, and I had done so much to keep it and its siblings alive. Sometimes fish don't need a reason to jump, but sometimes it is because of water quality. You could have tried to rescussitate him by gently grabbing him and swaying him back and forth in the tank, and using an airstone to help with oxygen. I spent an hour Trying to bring that fish back. It doesn't always work,
But its def. Always worth trying...
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Semilla

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Jun 2, 2012
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Oh hun, it's okay! Fish don't "kill themselves." They jump for a variety of reasons, sometimes bad water, sometimes crowded living conditions, and sometimes healthy fish jump from perfect environments. Even though they are our pets and we love them, fish are still fish, and have fishy little brains.
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garyfla

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Apr 23, 2010
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Hi
No use beating yourself up!! That's happened to every fish keeper. about all you can do is learn from the experience.
design and put in place a very secure covering.. This is VERY basic equipment for any fish tank.
Why they jump doesn't matter just make sure they can't.?? good luck with your next set of problems lol gary
 

SubRosa

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Jul 3, 2009
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Did this event inspire your screen name?
 

Somervell

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Feb 8, 2009
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I am sorry for your loss. I have kept lots of goldfish, and some are jumpers. I agree with Gary-- prevention is the best option. A good glass canopy will take care of this problem easily.

It's very hard to lose a fish, but please do not blame yourself. I can assure you that there was nothing that you did to cause this accident.
 

lacrimosa12

Registered Member
Jul 30, 2012
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Thank you all for writing such kind things to me. (As an aside, I'm not as young as I think some of you are thinking I am, just very upset which makes it hard to write. Also, "lacrimosa" is the title of a song I like, but it seemed appropriate to the situation also...)

He was very definitely dead, his little fins were dried out and... I still keep seeing his little corpse every time I close my eyes. And I keep thinking, "Why is the filter off, I have to turn it on for him," over and over. But he was buried in state in an empty aquaphor jar, with some pellets and an orange slice and some lettuce pieces. It just still makes me so upset because he survived _everything_. He survived his first month living in a tupperware, and then in a fishbowl for six months. He survived nine hour trips in a nalgene bottle to bring him to and from school. He survived me going away and not feeding him for four days several times. He was the invincible fish. And then he just goes and throws himself out of the tank and dies, and if I'd just ever gotten something to put over the tank, he would be alive, but I was afraid he'd suffocate if I just put a piece of plastic over it. I guess I'm just still going to be sad for a long time.
 

Nereus7

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Jul 30, 2012
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I lost an archer fish the same way. Little dude went through a gap about an inch wide. He was a little on the crazy side anyways, but I think he was just doing the "grass is greener" curiosity thing. I don't think they realize it's all air on the other side of that barrier that's just above their water level. I had trained him and everything, and he used to spit at me when he saw me in the room to get my attention and try to get a wax worm or something from me. That was like 2 1/2 years ago and I'm still bummed about it. Check it out though, now you know, so the next one you pick up is safe from that situation so you're good to go. Don't beat yourself up, sounds like he lived better than most. - N
 

Somervell

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Feb 8, 2009
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I made no judgment about your age. If you look at my avatar, Casper,she was my favorite fish in 20 years. She died in an accident that I could not prevent and after three years, I still miss her, and she is still my avatar. I'm 43. It will get easier with time, but you will probably still miss your fish, Hang in there.
 

Jannika

MTS Survivor
Mar 17, 2010
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N. California
During the summer months I have to keep lids off just to keep the temp a reasonable 82*. That's with fans and AC, so I can't imagine how goldie keepers manage.

I think you're being too hard on yourself, and projecting human emotions onto fish. As much as I love my fish I'm pretty sure they don't care about me except in regards to food.
 
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