Major set backs

[Suzy]

Hey, Guys. I have had some major setbacks the past few months and I thought I would see if any of you have ever had a time when you wanted to quit? I have had fish tanks my entire life and I know I still will, a 30 year old obsession doesn't just die one day.

But, right now, I really want to give up. I got a infection in my system a few months ago, lost a few great fish that I had counted on spawning. My tanks are all together so it was everywhere. Lesson learned for the future. I turned the temps way down, and waited for a while, I thought the death and dying was over. Last night, a circuit tripped and my large community was off through the night. This morning I awoke to fish I have had for a decade dead. I think the stress of the infection had depleted their immune systems. This tank had had its power off through the night before without issues.

I keep thinking these tank would make great terrariums. Maybe tree frogs...

Have you ever had a huge set back that made you want to give up?

[jeff bollbach]

Absolutely! I am sorry to hear of your troubles but you are certainly not alone. I'll bet most longtime breeders have been where you are. I recently had a year long battle with a disease that was attacking the fry of my freshwater angelfish. [they are actually 2/3 of my 70 tank fishroom and pay for my hobby] No expert had even heard of the problem and I tried just about everything I could think of. I was at the point where I was going to call in a fish vet at close to a grand when I discovered that a double strength dose of kannamyacin did the trick. I am not sure if I would have quit had I not fixed the problem but I sure would have to have cut back drastically. I guess I just saying hang in there. Fish are in your blood!

[Clownfish75]

For sure, it is a very frustrating hobby.

I think the major problem is that sources of information about diseases and people to test for them are few and far between.

If you still think you have any disease issues perhaps you could hunt down a fish pathologist?

Sorry to hear about your losses.

Christian

[Suzy]

Christian, I missed your very kind reply.

I have not lost a fish for months, so fingers crossed, all is well.

It would be good to have a pathologist. I am hoping to learn necropsy at our aquarium, but I find it hard to look at the dead animals. I need to get over that.

[Amie]

I bet you could find someone at the Living Planet Aquarium that could help with that. How do you store a dead fish to keep it from decaying?

[spk]

Suzy,
Hey there, tell me more about what you are doing at the aquarium.

Amie, normall it is frozen which does slow it down. All the Aquarists where I am, can do their own autopsies I believe. Still too see one and learn more

[Suzy]

At our aquarium, they do cool them until they can do the necropsy, but in the lab, there are jars of things just like in the old Frankenstein movies! I can't look at them too closely. They give me the creeps.I really do want to watch the next time there is a need to do a necropsy but so far, I have not been able to make myself watch.

I am a little in between projects right now. Just upkeep on the ones I have already done. I had to prove I could do something so the curator let me plumb the new chiller into the big seahorse tank, and it took me a while because of where the chiller had to be. The tank is in the middle of the aquarium and the heat produced was problematic, so I couldn't just put it in a convenient spot. But, now, I think I can be trusted to help with displays when we start building our new aquarium!

I set up a very small larvae system, because we dont have room for anything big in this building. But, in the new building, we will expand. I am really excited! Right now, we have 5 spp of seahorse we are working with, 2 are actively spawning. We also have 3 spp of pipefish, one has spawned but we were unable to collect the fry. My "boss" aquarist is working with the moon jellies.

It is really fun there. My home stuff is cooler, though, just because I can pick the spp I want to work with, I can paint the walls or buy a tank without making a 6 month proposal!