Is the goldfish a goner???

[Myliam]

Is it old age or pining for her suicidal mate?

Princess is approx 2 1/2 years old and has spent the last 8 weeks listless in a corner of her tank. She won't even swim around unless the food is too far away. She seems to have lost all her spark. DH did contemplate euthanasia but we just couldn't.

Just how old do goldfish get. And how do they act when their old. Maybe it alzheimers and she cant remember where to swim anymore. Couls she be pining for her ex partner, Nemo 2 (Nemo 1 died of chemical warfare when we were invaded by midgees one evening. Oops! We now have a cover for the tank) left her only three months ago in less than pleasant circumstances. It's hard to forget actually. DD1 had lost her first tooth the day before and the next morning after feeding her beloved pets, she came racing in to tell me that the tooth fairy had taken Nemo!! I have to admit I was starting to think she was right when I searched the tank with no sign of Nemo2. Then I noticed the smell, and followed it to a small crack between the tallboy the tank was on and the wall. There he was in all his dehydrated glory. Poor Nemo. Who know what drove him to the amazing feat of jumping through a hole in the tank cover that is the size of a 20 cent piece. Was it a heroic yet foolish bid for freedom, or simply showing off in an attempt to get princess in the mood. I guess we'll never know.

Anyway, back to the problem at hand. A listless fish! We have cleaned the tank, the filter, bought fresh foods, checked the amount she's being fed. All to no avail.

What do you do for an old aged fish? It's not like she can head off to bingo night for a bit of a laugh.

Any suggestions?

[neostudded]

Poor princess!

Maybe you could get a nemo three?

[Myliam]

Poor princess!

Maybe you could get a nemo three?

Sadly that may be on the cards.

[neostudded]

She is still quite young though, goldfish have been known to live into their 30's.

[Myliam]

30's!!!!! I thought it was bad enough when I found out our rabbit shall be gracing us with her wonderful truck loads of rabbit doodie for the next 16 years. But 30!

Wait...hang on...a few more years and DD1 can look after her pets all by herself.

Once again all is right with the world.

well I'm off and the fate of our fair Princess shall have to wait until the morrow.

Until our next installment just remember....
A flying fish has to land somewhere, just hope it's not between your cupboards!!

[Moops]

Lol we had a kamakaze goldfish, I sadly found him at the back of a cupboard covered in carpet lint oops!

My Dad had a fish that lived for 7 years and died the day after my Dad went to live in China and it came to live with us. I honestly believe it missed him! I don't really believe the whole goldfish memory thing, I'm sure your fish is just missing the company it doesn't really sound sick.

I would suggest getting another fish but make sure it is in perfect health otherwise it will infect the other one!

[Myliam]

Princess does have two snails in her tank who act as her serfs and clean up after her but I can't imagine that they would be great conversationalists.
Flower Spot " How's ya day been?"
Leaf Spot "Slimy. 'n you?"
Flower Spot "Slimy."
NB it's worth noting at this time that I did not name the snails. My DD1 did as she insists they are pets too. Where as I regard them as cordless vaccuum cleaners.

Any Hoo...

DH flys home tomorrow. (No I'm not married to a bird). I shall discuss finding a hansome prince for our fair maiden then. Hopefully that will perk her up a bit. Even if she refuses a new suitors advances at least swimming around the tnk to get away from him will giver her some much needed exercise.

Hey! Can a fish just be lazy? What do you think?

[Mum2Tyla]

I had two oscars which are a large tropical fish and I do not believe that fish have no memory i would go away to work for 2 weeks and when ic ame home they would go nuts and my mum said they only ever did that when I came home, I also got them a larger tank and one of them sat in the corner for a mnoth as soon as i put them back in there old tank she was fine, and when her mate died she starved herself i tried everything i got her all her favourite foods even got her a goldfidh to eat but she wouldnt eat it so i ended up with a pet goldfish so she could be missing her friend, goldfish can live a long tiem so it is p[robably not old age but you could get the water tested just to make sure all you rlevels are okay
Kelly

[rellemum]

hi just thought i would ask do you check the ph of the water? nemo could have jumped out if the tank had too much acid in the water & maybe princess feels a bit off becouse of the ph too

[Nomsie]

It sounds to me as though Princess is on her death bed. When I was at uni the girls I lived with and I all had pet fish. Why oh why where mine the only ones to die like poor old Princess here? My beloved Silverside... (he was silver... how creative, I know!)

For weeks before he departed us, he would just float in the one spot... not doing much.. hardly moving... and then one day he was belly up..

The prob with buying fish is you just don't know how old they are when you purchase them.... you could have them for a week, or you could have them for years...