'One Fish' passed away last night

'One Fish', along with 'Two Fish', are goldfish our daughter won at a school carnival 10 years ago. We were told that the fish would probably live a month and then die because they were just carnival fish that wasn't from the best stock or care. Instead of dying young, both fish did very well and quickly outgrew aquarium after aquarium. They both grew to be a foot long. We have (had) them in a 50 gallon tank.

Our daughter was 8 when she won them and she named them 'One Fish' and 'Two Fish' after the Dr Seuss story.

Yesterday we noticed One Fish had brown goop hanging from him and his entire body looked like it had red spiderwebs on it. He also wasn't acting well. We found out he had a fungus and so we put the anti-fungal meds in the tank. Within a few hours he was struggling and it was very hard to watch. We knew he was actively dying - gasping and struggling and swim/floating upside down. Two Fish was VERY upset. This is her lifelong companion and they were very attached. They'd always swim around without leaving each others side.

We read that the humane thing to do with a fish that is actively dying is to put him in some water in the freezer and let him go off to sleep that way. Well, One Fish was too big for a bucket in the freezer and the temp was zero with a windchill of -20 last night so we put him in a bucket and put him on the back porch. He died within an hour. This was much better than having him linger and suffer for a day or two like was expected.

Now we have a one gallon block of ice with a big frozen fish in it sitting in the garage. We wanted to bury One Fish, but the ground is very frozen and we are expecting subfreezing weather and snow all this week. I think we'll leave One Fish in the frozen bucket until things warm up and then try to bury him.

Two Fish is very sad today. She's sitting on the bottom of the tank not doing anything and not eating. She just stares into the mirror I have at the end of the tank. She's by herself now. I feel so sad for her!

We will keep up the fungal treatment. Fungal treatment is very hard on critters and on humans, but if we don't try then Two Fish will die too. She has the red spider web looking stuff on her fins, but it's not all over the body like with One Fish. She might make it, if she doesn't die of missing her fish friend.

Anyways, RIP One Fish. We miss you.

I have a 60 gallon hexagon tank, & used to have many fish. I've never heard of the freezing in water thing before, I'm glad you shared this, it is very good info for helping a fish pass along humanely.


Sidenote: you should search out "unlikely animal companions" on your DVR; extremely heartwarming & talking about how 2fish was affected by the loss of 1fish made me think of it.

Fish can become friends. People do not realize they have personalities just like any other animal does. When you have an animal for a long time, it is pretty hard not to get attached to it.

It doesn't matter where a fish comes from, people who make a living selling live fish may think it does but in reality a healthy fish can be found anywhere. It is mostly how we take care of them that counts. A happy fish is a healthy fish, they need room and friendship with someone who cares.

Very humane way to end its life. Sad but true.

Now you need to get another companion in there quick! Perhaps 2 more to be named "Red Fish and Blue Fish".

Loneliness is definitely a factor.

Peace

It's amazingly easy to get attached to fish! I'm pretty sure 'one fish' had a great long life given his start as a carnival prize. It is true that they enjoy companions and don't really find that with different species of fish.

Celebrate One Fish and his/her long and happy life!

I am sorry for your loss, take good care of two fish.

WOW.
A big WOW.... for keeping a carnival goldfish alive for TEN YEARS!

I'm sorry for your loss. The fact that you kept the fish for a decade says a lot about your family's pet-tending skills.
The Dr Seuss reference reminded me...Many years ago, we got a couple fish at the pet store, and when the store owner was scooping them up into the net, he accidentally snagged a neon tetra and put it in the bag with our fish.
We named him Red Fish Blue Fish.

a reply to: FlyersFan

That is such a sad story! I'm so sorry for your loss. It's amazing that they've been with you for 10 years! I've never heard of that before.

RIP, One Fish...

Are you sure the red spider web stuff isn't a secondary bacterial infection from the fungus? I would hate for you to lose your other fish.

I would check that possibility out quickly!

Kudos on keeping your goldfish alive for so long. They were definitely loved to have lived for a decade. Most people feel accomplished to have kept fish up for a year when many can live upwards of a decade or much longer.

I'm sorry you lost One Fish. Now, get on the web and make sure you keep Two Fish around!

I'm so sorry. Keeping gold fish alive that long is simply amazing, and attests to skilled care. I had them when I was a child, and they died so easily, we finally gave up on them. And so huge! You're sure they're not Koi?

Wish I could be more optimistic about two-fish. Maybe it's something associated with old age.

My condolences to Two-Fish, and hopes for recovery.

originally posted by: ketsuko
Are you sure the red spider web stuff isn't a secondary bacterial infection from the fungus? I would hate for you to lose your other fish.

Supposedly it's fungus. That's what the 'experts' told us at the fish store.

Two Fish is still sitting in her corner staring at the mirror. She's not moving except to look around. She wont eat. She CAN swim because I went up and got close to the glass which spooked her so she swam to the other side of the tank. Then when I left she went back to her corner near the mirror.

I'm so freak'n sad for her! She feels sick from the fungus and the meds, and her little fish heart must be breaking and she must be confused. Two Fish and One Fish would literally not leave each others side. And the night before One Fish died, he was sitting next to Two Fish, stroking her with one of his fins. You could see it was on purpose. He had never done that and I remarked to my husband that One Fish was 'petting' Two Fish. I wonder if he knew he was sick and had less than 24 hours to live?

originally posted by: ladyinwaiting
I And so huge! You're sure they're not Koi?

Plain ol' carnival gold fish. When my daughter won them in the ball toss, they were about an inch long. Now ... one foot. The fish store people said that goldfish can get that big in the proper environment and with good care.

a reply to: FlyersFan

I have had fish all my life. I can't remember when there wasn't a tank in my place. 10 years? Unheard of. That in itself is a blessing, although coy are very hardy. Just one question. Did you take the charcoal filter out when you were treating? Charcoal removes the medication from the water as it does other substances.

originally posted by: intrepid
Did you take the charcoal filter out when you were treating? Charcoal removes the medication from the water as it does other substances.

Yep. No filter. It's gone. We also removed all the plants and the little vase things that were at the bottom that they used to fit into but now that they just play with and move around tank. Everything is out except the rocks on the bottom. We have the filter still running but without the filter in it. It's keeping the water moving.

a reply to: intrepid

We have three tanks. Ten gallon, 20 gallon and 50 gallon.

The Ten gallon had 3 betas in it ... one male and two female. The females used to LOVE to be 'petted'. We wouldn't really touch them because it would injure the coating on their scales but we'd put our clean hands in the tank on top and cup them and the female betas would swim right in and sit there. They loved it.

When the male died, the two girls became 'girlfriends' and would act like boy/girl betas. One took over the role of male. The tank is empty at this time. The betas died and I want to wait a respectful amount of time before I put new fish in the tank. (sounds silly, but I was attached to them).

The twenty gallon is also empty. We are thinking tropical for that one.

The 50 gallon now just has 'Two Fish' in it. One Fish and Two Fish were/are a foot long so they got the 50 gallon tank all to themselves. They LOVED to rearrange the rocks and the vases on the bottom.

a reply to: FlyersFan

The fish store people said that goldfish can get that big in the proper environment and with good care.

yep. I saw some that big in an aquarium in a restaurant once. The man who owned then said they were goldfish.

Awwwwm RIP One Fish! I love my fish! It's so soothing to look at them swimming around so peacefully. You did good by that fish with him living so long! Hope Two Fish does well.

a reply to: FlyersFan

Aww Flyers...I'm so sorry! (I can relate)

We have African cichlids. One was even born in the tank unbeknownst to us...and is now about 4" long (& 3 years old).
We had a mated pair of Jack Dempsey's....and JD (the male) died a couple of years ago. I bawled like a baby, and then worried about the female left behind.
Bought another one, also female apparently...but they hang out together.

Thank you for the sad (but humane) tip...it's horrible to watch one slowly die.
Nice to see so many people being so kind to their fish. I figure if they have to live in captivity, it's up to us to make sure it's a good place for them to.

S&F&*hug*
jacy

Very touching story, we filled in our 1200 gallon pond two years ago and I still miss our friends that swam in that oasis in mad land. We missed the hand feeding and we missed calling them to the side of the pond just to socialize with them. The soothing sound of our water falls and the sight of multi coloured fish swimming amongst the Lily's was truly relaxing.

When we decided to fill it in we went to great troubles and expense to make sure each and every fish went to a good home. They did indeed all go to fish lovers and that helped us sleep that night after the dirty deed was done.

Our two favourite fish were named Brutis and Old Smokey, Brutis was a gold fish and old smokey was a Shubunkin we had lots of fun with our pond for over 14 years.

We can relate to your sorrow.

Regards, Iwinder & Yogaginns