My fish is dying...what do I do?

[msmichellemiller]

OMG...I have a tiger barb just rolling around and seeming to be carried w/the current in the tank, not swimming. His gills are moving so I don't think he's dead but no swimming must be a bad sign. I am so upset over this because somehow I've gotten attached to this particular fish. I even named him Spot because he's the only one with a black spot between one of his stripes on the left side. He was the smallest one and I've always worried about him in a mom sort of way. :(
It's pure torture watching this take place in our tank; is there anything I can do? Should I take him out w/some aquarium water and place him in another container or something to keep the others from messing with him? Man, this sucks. I don't want to see him die!!! Who knew I could bawl over a stinkin fish?! I'm about to call the SO home!

ETA: we just lost him. :( I was not prepared to be so upset the first time we had this happen.

[eaglesprings]

I'm not a fish expert, but it might be a good idea to move him to a different tank. Also, you might find some medicine type drops at the pet store. Ick Away? Or something similar. I can't really remember if that's what I used for a sick Betta once, but it did revive him on a number of occasions. Of course, he finally just got old and nothing would help.

I'd ask at Petco or Petsmart. It seems to me the workers in the fish department at Petco are a little more helpful, but Petsmart is good, too. Fish R Us out on 242 might be able to recommend something, as well.

How long have you had this fish? I understand grieving over a fish. I never got super attached to any of the fish in the aquarium we used to have, but I've been attached to my Bettas and was super heart broken when one of my hermit crabs died. It's strange, I know, to have a favorite hermit crab, but I did.

[msmichellemiller]

I'm not a fish expert, but it might be a good idea to move him to a different tank.
How long have you had this fish? I understand grieving over a fish. I never got super attached to any of the fish in the aquarium we used to have, but I've been attached to my Bettas and was super heart broken when one of my hermit crabs died. It's strange, I know, to have a favorite hermit crab, but I did.
Well just as I did attempt to move him I was already too late. His gills had finally quit moving and he was floating. I went ahead and put him into the separate fish bowl anyway, just to keep the others from eating him or something. My 4 year old witnessed this and of course had questions so I guess it's a good oppurtunity to explain death to him. I've draped a towel over the bowl for now (I know, that's kinda funny) and plan to bury him in the back with my son while the toddler naps later. I'll put him in an old jewelry box some earrings came in; I figure that's a pretty snazzy coffin for a fish! I can't flush it!
At least in you sharing that you were super heart-broken over a small creature too, I don't feel like such a drama queen over my whining now. How upset it made me was definitely a surprise! I've never experienced anything or anyone dying though, so ....you know. It was just sad to have to witness it and not be able to help.

[Wilson]

{{{{{{Michelle}}}}}} I'm so sorry.

[MomTimesFive]

It is amazing how attached you can get to a fish. We had a bubble faced fish that I really liked. One day its "bubble" cheek got sucked into the filter. It was awful, and I cried like a baby. I'm hesitant to get a dog because I've gone through losing a dog before, and it was just as bad for me as losing a family member, but I do think it helps kids to learn to deal with death so when they do lose a family member they have had some experience in dealing with it.

[baby duck]

I'm sorry, Michelle.

[msmichellemiller]

Well now the "body count" is up to 3. We've clearly done something wrong setting up the aquarium and it might have to do with adding too many fish too soon. After "Spot" I am not as emotional about it when I see another floater but I don't want to buy any more fish after this. I see our aquarium as just a death chamber now. This is so not a hobby for me. The aquarium is now solely my SO's and I'm sticking to caring for kids and that darn dog----that recently peed on my son's bed AGAIN. Is it wrong that I'm wondering how long her life expectancy is?? :p
I'm kidding, R.C.!!!!!

[eaglesprings]

I had similar bad luck with an aquarium, and finally found a new home for it. I manage much better with just a Betta tank. I don't like the little ones, but you can get some small, one fish aquariums with the air tube, light, etc., rather cheaply. And, Bettas are hardy fish!

Is your little dog only going on the beds? I'd just keep him off the beds, instruct the kids to do the same. We had problems for a long time with our supposedly adopted dog going around the house. She's doing so much better now! She even went out in the rain and cold this last weekend! Our carpets are ruined from her last mistakes, to the point of being embarrassing. But, I'm so glad we were patient with her. (The carpets weren't in great shape even before then).

[msmichellemiller]

Is your little dog only going on the beds? I'd just keep him off the beds, instruct the kids to do the same.

Yep...this was a little crisis of mine a while back and I was seriously considering getting rid of her because our beds are only a few months old. I'd much rather her go on the floor if she's going to have an accident, I can steam clean all the time but stripping a bed and cleaning the mattresses is a lot more work. She had finally stopped for a while and I'd treated my son's mattress with Nature's Miracle in hopes that she'd never smell that she went there again. (she's gone on his bed in the same spot at the foot a few times and once on mine when I was in the middle of changing the linens) It didn't work, apparently 'cause she went in the exact same spot. My door stays closed at all times due to that happening back then but I can't keep the door shut to my son's room 'cause the toddler likes to go in there to play alot. I've instructed to keep her off but she did it in the middle of the night and I'm pretty sure it had to do with not going out in the rain and cold. We bought puppy pads and kept letting her out in the garage while the weather was nasty but she never used it. At least I was smart enough to buy a waterproof mattress pad for his bed after the last times she was doing this; so I only had to strip that and the sheets to clean and the foam topper and mattress were still dry.
We've taken her to the vet twice, ( a new one the second time) I've tried numerous suggestions. I've sworn to keep her no matter what 'cause my son is so attached and I decided to look at it like when my kids make a mess: can't get rid of them, so ....well, I just accept she's a dumb bed-peeing dog! Everyday the sheets are dry is a good day! :p