Apparently I was a little over excited posting the last blog...
When I came home from work last night, Snacks had kicked the bucket. And because we've been medicating the tank, I couldn't even put his tiny carcass outside for Our Friend* to eat.
:(
He died identically to the previous little fish (again, both purchased from Meijer three-ish weeks ago), so clearly he and Tea Time were ill/diseased/distressed.
And then there was one.
Now I'm even more worried about my darling Lunch....
If I have to take some Xanax because I totally freak out about a goldfish, somebody's going to be in trouble (and I'm not just referring to myself and my mental health).
Cheers,
Red
*Jesse's girlfirend, the grey neighbor cat
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
The Fish Story Turns ICKy
Last week, I figured out what was wrong with my little fishies. It turns out that the tiny new fish (who is sadly now deceased) brought something into the tank. Something other than super adorableness.
The something that the new fish brought into the tank is a parasite.
The parasite is called "Ichthyophthirius multifiliis" and at one point in its life cycle attaches itself to the fish's skin. The fish's body then produces a cyst around the offending parasite which is what you eventually notice. The parasites multiply and if left untreated, will end up building up on the fish, stressing it out and possibly destroying it's gills. This eventually will cause death.
Outbreaks of this parasite are common and are, thankfully for Lunch, treatable if caught early enough. The problem though, is the fact that the parasite goes through three life cycle stages and is apparently only vulnerable during one of them. The other thing I found out is that the three stage life cycle can last anywhere from under a week to upwards of 6 weeks depending on the water temperature.
So what does that mean for us?
Well, first I had to agonize about it.
Then I had to agonize some more because there are no pet stores near where we live and the closest Walmart is over a half hour away.
The next day, AV and I went to both grocery stores in town AND K-Mart. They only carry, like, one type of fish food. And nothing else.
Two days after I figured out what was happening to my poor baby fishy (and the new little one I guess... I think actually he might have been immune or something, I never saw any spots on him) I was FINALLY able to get some medication.
We've been dosing for five days so far, and Lunch is looking MUCH better!! The day I started dosing, both fish were very active again, swimming around the tank and not hiding in the corners. I took that as a positive sign that the parasites were entering their second life cycle stage where they are vulnerable to medication.
The other day Lunch's dorsal fin was erect again! He usually has what I like to call an "uppy top fin" but since he got sick he kept his dorsal fin folded down. I take that to mean he's feeling better!
The little fish (Snacks) didn't really seem to be affected by the ick nearly as much as Lunch, which I thought was weird. Until AV and I went to Meijer this weekend when we were looking for ick medication.
I was looking at the goldfish at Meijer. I was thinking about maybe getting a replacement for Tea Time (the little one that didn't make it). Well, I was done with that thought process after I looked at the tank Tea Time came from . Each and every fish in that tank was afflicted with the ick parasite. When I told the guy working in the pet area, he told me that the week before SIX of the fish tanks were quarantined and treated for ick. Thanks for selling me a sick fish, Meijer.
The next day I called Meijer since the "fish girl" wasn't there when we were and the guy I talked to said he couldn't do anything about the sick fish. When I tried to tell her that one of the fish tanks still had ick, she told me that "no, I checked this morning", and "okay, well, they're not sick".
Cool story, bro, but you're going to need to check again, because you're selling sick fish. No big thing, apparently.
So, no more fish from Meijer.
BUT. Lunch is feeling better! YAYY!!
It's really kind of embarrassing how much anxiety this has been giving me. Especially after learning that goldfish actually have an average lifespan of ten years. So we still have at least eight years left!!
This has been a whole hell of a lot of work, stress, and anxiety over a G-dammed goldfish.
I can fully say though, that when I die, NOBODY can claim that I ever killed a fish.
Cheers,
Red
The something that the new fish brought into the tank is a parasite.
The parasite is called "Ichthyophthirius multifiliis" and at one point in its life cycle attaches itself to the fish's skin. The fish's body then produces a cyst around the offending parasite which is what you eventually notice. The parasites multiply and if left untreated, will end up building up on the fish, stressing it out and possibly destroying it's gills. This eventually will cause death.
Ick attached to a goldfish
Outbreaks of this parasite are common and are, thankfully for Lunch, treatable if caught early enough. The problem though, is the fact that the parasite goes through three life cycle stages and is apparently only vulnerable during one of them. The other thing I found out is that the three stage life cycle can last anywhere from under a week to upwards of 6 weeks depending on the water temperature.
So what does that mean for us?
Well, first I had to agonize about it.
Then I had to agonize some more because there are no pet stores near where we live and the closest Walmart is over a half hour away.
The next day, AV and I went to both grocery stores in town AND K-Mart. They only carry, like, one type of fish food. And nothing else.
Two days after I figured out what was happening to my poor baby fishy (and the new little one I guess... I think actually he might have been immune or something, I never saw any spots on him) I was FINALLY able to get some medication.
We've been dosing for five days so far, and Lunch is looking MUCH better!! The day I started dosing, both fish were very active again, swimming around the tank and not hiding in the corners. I took that as a positive sign that the parasites were entering their second life cycle stage where they are vulnerable to medication.
The other day Lunch's dorsal fin was erect again! He usually has what I like to call an "uppy top fin" but since he got sick he kept his dorsal fin folded down. I take that to mean he's feeling better!
The little fish (Snacks) didn't really seem to be affected by the ick nearly as much as Lunch, which I thought was weird. Until AV and I went to Meijer this weekend when we were looking for ick medication.
I was looking at the goldfish at Meijer. I was thinking about maybe getting a replacement for Tea Time (the little one that didn't make it). Well, I was done with that thought process after I looked at the tank Tea Time came from . Each and every fish in that tank was afflicted with the ick parasite. When I told the guy working in the pet area, he told me that the week before SIX of the fish tanks were quarantined and treated for ick. Thanks for selling me a sick fish, Meijer.
The next day I called Meijer since the "fish girl" wasn't there when we were and the guy I talked to said he couldn't do anything about the sick fish. When I tried to tell her that one of the fish tanks still had ick, she told me that "no, I checked this morning", and "okay, well, they're not sick".
Cool story, bro, but you're going to need to check again, because you're selling sick fish. No big thing, apparently.
So, no more fish from Meijer.
BUT. Lunch is feeling better! YAYY!!
It's really kind of embarrassing how much anxiety this has been giving me. Especially after learning that goldfish actually have an average lifespan of ten years. So we still have at least eight years left!!
This has been a whole hell of a lot of work, stress, and anxiety over a G-dammed goldfish.
I can fully say though, that when I die, NOBODY can claim that I ever killed a fish.
Cheers,
Red
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