PDA

View Full Version : Death of a Saddleback Clownfish: A Eulogy at the University


TypicalNoah
02-06-2006, 03:48 PM
I'm not letting it get to me. I knew what responsibilities would and hardships might come. But I can still grieve! Keeping a 12 gallon reef tank in a dorm room. Smart? Probably not; it's a lot of hard work. Oh well! I am a hard worker! It looks nice now; got some hammer coral and some strange soft coral that looks like a mushroom, and some other blue mushrooms, and some green and orange zoanthus. Also, I've got the regular cleaning crew of hermit crabs and turbo snails. I even added the typical cleaner shrimp, and he and I are best buddies. But the other day I wanted a fish friend, so I got the saddleback at a tropical fish store.

I did not notice a teensy white patch. Teensy.

Of course I noticed on day two, when the patch was the size of a dime. Panicked, I figured I had missed it rather than observed a huge growth rate, but it was the latter. I knew I had to get some meds, and set up one of the other tanks I have in the room (I have a little five gallon that's empty!!) to save the fish... but I don't have a car here... and the fish store, though in the city, was far away, and I had class...

By day three, this morning, I had a ride lined up, but the spot had enlarged to cover the whole half of his body. Mind you, he was 2.5 inches long.

Key word: was. I came back from class later today ready to check on him before going out to get meds, but I should have known it was already too late. Covered in hermit crabs and the cleaner shrimp was the fresh and still vibrant carcass. Oh well. Lesson: Always make a thorough check at the store, and have a hospital tank...

Miss the guy.

tjigger
02-07-2006, 05:16 PM
Sorry about your fish.
Its always good to keep a few small bottles of meds around so you can treat the problem ASAP and not have to wait until you can get to a LFS.