I am a bad fishmum April 9, 2008
Despite my optimism, this morning I found Old Gregg quite still at the bottom of the tank. No amount of prodding would move him so he is most definitely dead.
I feel bad about that. He was an apparently healthy, happy and active fish when I brought him home and I killed him.
I’m not entirely sure how I killed him. I suspect it may have been constipation from the freeze dried food I gave him since his decline started immediately after eating. Or it could have been that the water was not right - I could have been a bit hasty about putting him in there. I’ll probably never know for sure.
So now I have a tank. I will need another/some more fish at some stage. I’m just not sure when or what. Another Betta? Some other robust tropical fish? Or will I just stick to gold fish since Finn’s are doing brilliantly?
Before I decide I will dispose of Old Gregg’s remains and clean the tank.
It is very unlikely that it was anything you did that hastened his end - they are tough, and whatever carried him off is most likely to have been something he already had. At least he spent his last days in a comfortable, tank with plenty of room and a plant.
I’d say another betta, but i am hooked on the darn things.
I think you did everything you could for him. Perhaps it was too much food and perhaps it was just plain bad luck. Either way you have read up and learned all kinds of things which will mean you will do much better with your new fish.
I have never met anyone who cares more genuinely and more practically for animals than you do. You can an excellent animal mum.
thank you both for being nice. I know I tried, but I still hate the thought that I may have brought home a healthy animal and made it sick.
I’d say another Betta is a distinct possibility in a few days or so…