Any other fishkeepers out there?

Miss_Money

Bossyboots wrote:

I think you are being too kind Miss_Money. I am appalled at the treatment these fish are getting and this poster should not be keeping them. You can't just put fish in like this and to leave one untreated even after being told what is wrong is just cruel.

well um yes i agree at what you are saying, but i thought maybe the op would have taken notice (after all i thought thats why they have posted)
lets wait for the next post after all if they have listened to all advice given the next post SHOULD read something like this.....

I have realised the fish needs to be put to sleep and have booked an appointment at the vets.
I have cleaned and medicated my tank to the best possible standard and have taken water samples to my local aqauium shop to be tested.(i will do what evcer they say to help my fish)
I Have bought a book on fish and have read it avidely so i can take the best care of my fishy friends.

if not then they arent paying attention and really shouldnt be keeping fish at all. IMO its appaling that the shop sold them any more fish IF the op told them about current troubles. No respecting aquarium shop would do that.

Bossyboots

My fish book says that the kindest way to put a fish to sleep is to place it in water in the freezer. It will go to sleep and pass away peacefully. This is an option for the OP rather than having to use a vet. A relative who makes a living from fitting and maintaining aquaria agrees that this is a kind way to dispense with ailing fish.

I would also like the OP to be able to honestly say that she has also purchased a water testing kit herself to check the water constantly until it is correct.

To jambojen - you need to be careful about the diagnosis of swim bladder problems. Constipation can cause the same symptoms. We have just been through this with one of our fish who was floating despite doing everything we had been told by the aquatic centre. In the end my OH googled and someone had posted on a forum about the constipation. It suggested feeding skinned peas for five days. Having read that, I realised that I had not seen any poo in the tank for a few days. This morning there is poo in the tank and the troublesome fish is swimming normally.:T

Miss_Money

Bossyboots wrote:

My fish book says that the kindest way to put a fish to sleep is to place it in water in the freezer. It will go to sleep and pass away peacefully. This is an option for the OP rather than having to use a vet. A relative who makes a living from fitting and maintaining aquaria agrees that this is a kind way to dispense with ailing fish..:T

i have used this method in the past and was mortified that the fish woke up, after waking up thawing out on the worktop..... it isnt fool proof, and imo can cause more distress to the poor fish. i dont recomend diy euthasia, as i dont feel comfortable with it.

Bossyboots

Miss_Money wrote:

i have used this method in the past and was mortified that the fish woke up, after waking up thawing out on the worktop..... it isnt fool proof, and imo can cause more distress to the poor fish. i dont recomend diy euthasia, as i dont feel comfortable with it.

I can understand that but we leave them in there for three weeks just to make sure. I can't imagine they would survive after that but if you know differently then I would certainly not do it anymore. I thought we were doing the kindest thing.

teenage_Drama

there ya go
happy?:p

teenage_Drama

im sorry i forgot to mention the fact that i washed the fish tank thoroughly, so now it is very clean and looks beautiful:), i would never put new fish in a dirty fish tank, and i dont see the problem in putting 6 fishes in my tank, there fishes and they're what made me buy my tank, theyve also brightened up my tank (which is very big and had only 3 fishes in)they have probably saved the other 1s from dying of boredom!
I dont think theres anything to be ''appalled'' about, this might be upsetting to some of you but the 6 fishes i bought were from my freind who wanted new fishes,they were well cared for for about 3-4 years and she didnt have any problems with them at all, now that i have cleaned every little thing in the fish tank and everything else, i dont see what the problem is, i took the ill fish out and put it in a very nice small fish jar, at least i didnt flush it down the toilet!

ps i also bought the magnetic cleaners = )

Miss_Money

teenage_Drama wrote:

im sorry i forgot to mention the fact that i washed the fish tank thoroughly, so now it is very clean and looks beautiful:), i would never put new fish in a dirty fish tank, and i dont see the problem in putting 6 fishes in my tank, there fishes and they're what made me buy my tank, theyve also brightened up my tank (which is very big and had only 3 fishes in)they have probably saved the other 1s from dying of boredom!
I dont think theres anything to be ''appalled'' about, this might be upsetting to some of you but the 6 fishes i bought were from my freind who wanted new fishes,they were well cared for for about 3-4 years and she didnt have any problems with them at all, now that i have cleaned every little thing in the fish tank and everything else, i dont see what the problem is, i took the ill fish out and put it in a very nice small fish jar, at least i didnt flush it down the toilet!

ps i also bought the magnetic cleaners = )

im glad you are taking things on board but putting 6 fish in a tank at once is not acceptable. A fish tanks ecosystem works with bacteria good and bad. put too many fish in a stable tank (which im afraid yours isnt at the min) and you risk the tank being overloaded ecologically and therefore diesases being introduced. As your tank is less than stable i would suggest tatoally stripping the tank, cleaning the gravel putting a good filertation (not undergravel) system in putting water in, and leave it to settle for 4 weeks. Only then put fish in 1 a week. Do not over feed.
when you say fish jar what do you mean? i cant imagien it being very happy its dying a slow and painful death and needs to be put to sleep kindly.
You asked for advice by posting on the forum and advice is what you are getting from competant fish keepers, we are only competant due to the many books we have read (please read some!!) and the years we have kept fish (15 years for myself)
im not trying to have a go at you but fish keeping can be rewarding when done properly and not at detrement to the fish.

Miss_Money

Bossyboots wrote:

I can understand that but we leave them in there for three weeks just to make sure. I can't imagine they would survive after that but if you know differently then I would certainly not do it anymore. I thought we were doing the kindest thing.

i certainly wont be doing it myself anymore but if thats how you find it kindest for your fish then thats fair enough. My blue acora manage a week in the deepfreeze he went inot hibernation and then woke up like i said. so i ont do it anymore. You can buy special carbon dioxide tablets from the vets to put fish to sleep tho. i have done this ith a poorly oscar.

Bossyboots

Miss_Money wrote:

i certainly wont be doing it myself anymore but if thats how you find it kindest for your fish then thats fair enough. My blue acora manage a week in the deepfreeze he went inot hibernation and then woke up like i said. so i ont do it anymore. You can buy special carbon dioxide tablets from the vets to put fish to sleep tho. i have done this ith a poorly oscar.

You've got me worried now. I won't try it again. Hopefully we won't have to and IIRC we have only done it twice and we flushed the frozen fish and ice down the loo:eek:

I will speak to the vet about the tablets you mention should the need arise.

We got fish as we thought we would be less attached to them than other pets but that hasn't been the case.

teenage_Drama

bought lots of stuff from an online petshop today lots of gravel to replace old gravel, fish tank conditioners, algae scrapers, treatments etc which all came to about 38 pounds