How do you deal with fish death?

[AlexR]

I tend to not get attached to the fish I keep. I also no longer name them (which my wife thinks is weird since they are our pets).

I think it's because I worked at a local fish store for 14 years of my life and I saw lots of fish die during my time there. Cleaning out the dead fish from the tanks every morning before the store opened was just another part of the job so I guess it sort of numbed me to fish deaths as it was a daily occurrence.

I can understand this.
I always figure each fish you own and if it's alive for long enough you get used to it individual characteristics.
Each fish species is similar in a way but when it's yours in your own environment they tend to become more familiar and thus the attachment happens.
That's just me tho.

 

[Fish559]

I try to learn from it if it's something I did wrong. I tell myself that these are delicate creates that I knowingly took from their natural habitat, and that I do the best I can to keep them healthy.

And if I'm being honest, I immediately think about a fish to replace it. Sorry, but I do.

 

[Fish559]

This might be a bit off topic, but I was wondering if anyone found it very odd and sad at the same time that we engage in a conversation about Fish Grieving, but no one talks about the children all over the world dying because they don't have food, medicine, shelter. Etc.

What the heck?

 

[AlexR]

I try to learn from it if it's something I did wrong. I tell myself that these are delicate creates that I knowingly took from their natural habitat, and that I do the best I can to keep them healthy.

And if I'm being honest, I immediately think about a fish to replace it. Sorry, but I do.

It takes me a while. It's rare I add fish.
I added fish a couple months ago and before that it was about 5 years ago.
From the new fish I added I had one death.
I do plan on adding a few more eventually. Maybe another couple months from now.

 

[AlexR]

What the heck?

The person who posted that must have some serious issues...
You can post that in just about any forum for any topic and it's a valid argument "” but has absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand.
Just strange to bring up such things here.

 

[KafudaFish]

Floater = red solo cup
Bobber = net
Wedge = chopsticks

 

[AlexR]

Floater = red solo cup
Bobber = net
Wedge = chopsticks

For me it's rare. I am not that accustomed to a fish death in my tank.

 

[WVfishguy]

I had a aquarium maintenance business for the past 25 plus years. I was always amazed how my customers took it for granted their fish would never die.

Salt water fish would live from the time my customer's children were born until they went into high school, some freshwater fish lived even longer (certain cichlids, & clown loaches are nearly immortal). And when the damn things would finally kick the bucket they would complain.

I had a customer with a beautiful planted barb tank (freshwater) complain one of his many tiger barbs died, to which I replied, "Thank God! You've had those things nearly six years! They have a life span of two years. It was creeping me out!"

Some other customers had fish die, and I told them, "Sorry your fish finally died, but it was about time - I've never had a cat or dog live for 20 years."

 

[cody6766]

I see my reef fish as a hybrid between a decoration and a pet. They're living critters which I assume enter my tank as healthy animals (probably not always true, but it'll make sense in a second). I don't really fell sad if a fish dies, but do feel like I failed at my responsibilities. If I take on a life (fish, coral, snail or plant), I feel that I should give it my best to keep it alive. That means conditions, equipment, water quality, etc. I owe it to the life in my glass box to do my best to make it thrive.
A the end of the day, I look at a dead fish/coral/etc and ask, "what could I have done?" If the answer is nothing, I send it down the toilet and don't bat an eye. If I somehow neglected its care, I take that as a lesson learned, feel a little bad for killing something in my care and do better next time. "Better" may mean not buying it again or changing my reef. Life is important and I feel a little worse losing a long-term fish than a week old fish, but no fish has ever seemed like a "real" pet like my parrots or a dog.

 

[gargoylenest]

when one of my fishes dies, i see it as a failure on my part to care for an animal that was living happily in the sea before it was kidnapped and put in cage for my pleasure. I keep my wall of shame in my aquarium room with picture of every fishes I failed. Motivate me to do better.

 

[Sounds Fishy]

My first saltwater fish died back in 1971.I felt horrible because I was so stupid or naive.I added a lionfish to my first ever saltwater aquarium and it ate a really nice baby tomato clown right in front of me.Since then I've lost fish but I try to be a lot more carefull.Most of my fish live well over 5 years now.My feeling towards keeping any pets has always been try do your best to do in order what it takes to keep them well and happy.I still feel terrible when a fish dies.

 

[travis32]

Well, I had something simple go wrong, My 350 gallon display was doing great, new tank syndrome - lots of cyano, but, I had spent 3 months adding 19 fish. They were all thriving until one day. my most recent additions - anthias, started dieing. 2 in one day were just missing. I was irritated, but, I know anthias can be delicate. I increased my feeding regime, and did the best I could to give them a nice home. a couple days later 2 more were dead. No signs of anything wrong with those still alive. Nothing at all. Those still alive were eating and swimming healthily. Then 3 disappeared.
Then it wasn't just the anthias, I lost my cardinals I had had since the beginning, they were the first fish. My clown fish died, and I knew I had a real problem. It was spiraling out of control. However, it was too late, 14 fish out of 19 fish died. I felt extremely horrible. This had to be my fault somehow. Was it disease? Could I have treated? Was it something else. I worked with my LFS. I was so confused because if it was water contamination my corals should be dieing... they weren't. They were growing... Faster than I've ever seen any corals grow. So, it wasn't the water in my opinion.

Then, I checked electrical, touched something grounded and put my hand in the sump, my hand vibrated from the continuous shock going through it... I turned my heaters off, it stopped... I had a bad heater, electrifying the entire tank. Hard to say when it went bad or what, but, must have been around the time I added the Anthias. Some fish had marks on them, my rabbit fish, which is still alive, had obvious signs of flukes or a parasite. Just a couple sticking out the side of him. I felt horrible and angry!

I replaced both of my heaters as a result and haven't added any fish since then. I'm going to let the remaining 5 heal from their electroshock therapy and feed well, and make sure everyone is happy before adding anymore fish. The tank looks void of life right now a 350 gallon display with 5 fish. and maybe 20 corals.....

 

[AlexR]

Wow it's very interesting how people deal with deaths in this hobby.
Needless to say, everyone is different. But so many have similar feelings that I do.

No it's not like a dog or cat. For me I suppose it more like a rabbit. I just had a rabbit die after having it for a dozen years. It was buried and no tears shed (Except by my daughter).

It's a feeling of failure. Did I do anything wrong? What could I have done better? Did I shorten its lifespan? Am I contributing to a demise of a species? All those things go through my head...