Bender Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 (edited) My poor copper boy Bright copped an absolute beating the other day. His nest was pretty pathetic, and I was about to remove the girl when I noticed her nudging up to him suggestively so, as there was no damage yet and they seemed ok, I left them together for one more day. The following afternoon there was still no sign of eggs, and the nest was gone but I was hoping to have fry to show my step daughter this weekend, so left them alone. Big mistake. Shiny must have got sick of his rejection. I knew something was wrong when I looked in and he didn't swim up for a feed. He was floating among the plants with little left of his fins, one eye destroyed and the other damaged. I thought he was dead. When I scooped him up he moved, so I put him in a container floated in a warm tank with salt in the water and had a good cry while I decided what to do with him. Poor little fellow, I haven't felt so bad for a fish before. I was going to euthanise him but when I went to check on him he managed to come beg for food! I gave him a bw, which he ate eagerly, so I knew he could see out of one eye still. I followed the same procedure I'd used on Sebastion my CT girl when she was in a similar state. I mixed up a bottle of water with the salt and melafix in it and floated it in the tank so it was the right temp too. Several times a day I've siphoned some water and cleaned the bottom of the container with a baster replacing it with more from the bottle. Each morning I have expected him to be dead, but today is day 3, and I can see even the really bad eye is healing. I am relieved, he has a lovely personality, but I think I will always feel guilty when I look at him. He was so beautiful before! Assuming he continues to heal, (please send good thoughts our way), would you attempt to mate this pair again? Or should I retire him and find a new male for her? In the last hour it has been raining, and guess what the little fellow has done. That's right, now he has built a decent bubble nest! Edit: I just went to have a look at my fish, and now Shiny, the copper girl has died. I can't see anything wrong with her, the water was fine when I checked it yesterday, and no other fish look sick. She was looking a little bloated, but it looked like she was full of eggs, not so full at the front as you get with an infection, and she was acting normally (she was a slightly psycho girl, never stopped moving). Can an internal injury take this long to show? I'm a bit devastated. Bright is healing really well and I was looking forward to seeing what could be done with a line of non-red coppers. Edited June 9, 2009 by Bender Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fergus Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 Poor lil munchkin :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted June 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 There were some eggs on the bottom of her tub. It still doesn't make sense, does anyone have any ideas what could have happened here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Aw Julia, that sucks. My giant PK died of 'nothing' last week. What is with these fish? Abbey and I may have some not-bad copper females available soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyarlla Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 That really sucks. :alright: I really hope Bright makes it, he sounds like a real sweetheart! It definately must be that time of the year, one of my females died a few days ago and there was nothing wrong with her, only 15 mins before I'd checked on her she was swimming happily then she was dead. Sending big hugs your way :cheer: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killimike Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 The random senseless losses really suck. Here's to the good times and the cooperative breeders! Much positive thoughts for Bright :alright: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 I just had a couple of mysterious deaths as well. One was a male that was perfectly healthy, eating and blowing bubbles (despite the moving water). Fine one day, dead the next. I was quite stunned. The other was a male that was in a spawning tank. The spawn had failed like yours but they seemed to get along so I thought they could just stay together until they were ready to have another go. Fed them in the evening as usual and the next morning he was floating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 Maximus died the day Mike came to visit last week. I was looking forward to showing him off too! :alright: Instead he got a "burial at sea". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killimike Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 I didn't want to say anything. . . It was really sad, in all seriousness. More hugs :alright: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted June 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 (edited) It is all very sad, sorry for everyone and thank you for sharing, I don't feel like so bad a fish keeper now. to all. Edited June 9, 2009 by Bender Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted June 9, 2009 Report Share Posted June 9, 2009 No way you're a bad fish keeper! It's just hard to explain the inexpelicable really. I had a murder the other day (male killed his female which can be explained) but then found two young previously healthy 3½ month old fish floating in their jars for no good reason. Must be the season for it with so many fish lost to everyone. :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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