Losing Mr. Bubbles...

He always looked so sad.....I wonder if you can get Prozac for Fish?

Bye Bye, Mr Bubbles....

Roxy loves all living creatures, slimy or scaley!

   

Roxy loved him in her own little way. He was a loyal fish, but I had noticed he was poorly for a few days now.
I think the swimming in circles and dipping to one side gave it away!
I tried all the tricks the web had given me but to no avail.
The problems were: He was barely swimming, sinking to the bottom, barely opening his gills to breathe, he'd then start swimming again then once more end up on his side. Apparently by this point of illness there is very little you can do to help. A massive water change of about 75% is needed, which I did, and I googled so many places. Its funny how attached to this little fishy I had become.
I read this message after posting about my little swimming friend by someone who sounds like they knew their fishy stuff. Here is a link if you are having any fish/animal problems that I found very useful.
http://www.justanswer.com/veterinary/experts.html
             

'Almost sounds like dropsy or TB beginings. Or, you could be feeding it too much and the water quality has gotten bad from it. Uneaten food and fish poop creates ammonia. When your tank cycles it is supposed to remove the ammonia. If you are feeding to much the uneaten food and fish poop overload the "bio-filter" and the "system" crashes. If the water quality is bad (meaning too much ammonia in this case) the fish stresses because of the toxicity. It is unhealthy and the fish is suseptible to disease and gets poisoned.' Well, later on today I went to check on him, and sadly he had gone to that huge aquarium in the sky. Sad, I cried but knew I had to go through something much worse...telling a sensitive four year old girl that her first pet was no more. "...So Mr. Bubbles was sad, because he felt poorly and he wanted his Mummy, ok? Like you want your Mummy when you feel poorly?" She nods her head. " So Mr Bubbles has gone now, where he isn't poorly anymore and he can swim all day and never get tired!" More nodding. "So you understand my lovely, that Mr. Bubbles has gone...I know its sad but he is now so so happy, and he loves you so much for being his mummy down here, but now hes the fastest fish in Heaven!" A slight nod...then." So where is he?" Her big baby blues are challenging me now, I sense danger. "He's.... in Heaven darling." A confused look, one that can usually lead to laughter or crying. "But hes dead then?" "Yes my darling, he was very ill and he died." It was the latter, and I swear that when that penny finally dropped the scream probably shattered ear-drums in Africa. It was so heartbreaking to watch her hyperventilating over the fish-tank, begging him to come back and she would feed him, to come back and she would give him the biggest cuddle and even let him stay in her room! Bless my ten year old though, he took his little sisters hand, and they went into the front room, where my little arty-dude Jordan sat and made a little cross out of lolly sticks ( Pictures to follow.) He coloured them all in with pen with 'R.I.P. Mr Bubbles' on it and told Roxy that they would have a proper burial for Mr. Bubbles in the Garden. I went to have a look and was a little dismayed to find he had dug up half of the garden with a fork, and the tiny wooden cross was slap bang where the kids walk to get on the trampoline, but said it could stay there the night until I had to move it to a better location. I can think of better evenings spent rather than digging up dead goldfish, but its for Roxy, so It shall be done. I wrote a poem for him, as it did move me to tears. Poor fishy friend! Mr Bubbles. Why did you go? Was it because of me? Did I feed you too much? Too much dinner, too much tea? Could I have saved you? Could I have helped you stay alive? I tried changing your water but you were floating on one side! You looked at me with empty eyes I hope you weren't in pain, I tried to help I really did But then you'd sink again. I do not think there's anything worse than seeing your child cry It really hurt her oh so much that she didn't say goodbye. So darling Mr. Bubbles, I hope you've now found peace swimming up in heaven in a million fish filled Seas. I hope you no longer suffer and can swim so far and true and we'll keep our little secret that I flushed you down the loo. Carrie xxx As you can see, a bit of an animal lover! It was a sad day today. Mr. Bubbles had been with us only a short while, given to us by a friend as they were moving away. He was ceremoniously given to my four year old daughter as her first proper pet. My youngest son and eldest daughter have always been so close...