Grieving Fish?

[SueB]

Hi

We bought three fish from a friend of our son's, when he had to move house and couldnt take them. They are all fairly large - a plec (?) around 11 inches long and two large kissing gourami. We don't know how old they all are but we have had them for about 18 months and they all seemed fine.

Sadly on Tuesday the plec died. He didnt seem ill in anyway, he just slipped sideways and died. Since then the smaller of the gourami has been spending most of his time down the back of the tank, behind a piece of wood, and only comes out occasionally if disturbed, and the other just moves slowly round.

Until the plec died they were always 'kissing' each other and inseparable - I believe the 'kissing' is a territorial thing? This new behaviour is totally different and worrying. Is it possible that they are missing the plec? We bought a new tank for them a few months ago so have room for more fish, but are unsure which would be the best kind.

Sorry this is a long question, but we are worried about the gourami.

Thanks

Sue

 

[demonmagus]

not sure at all, but maybe the gouramy has decided to stop fighting? the other has 'won'?

I don't know

what size is your tank?

 

[DebraAustin]

Hi

We bought three fish from a friend of our son's, when he had to move house and couldnt take them. They are all fairly large - a plec (?) around 11 inches long and two large kissing gourami. We don't know how old they all are but we have had them for about 18 months and they all seemed fine.

Sadly on Tuesday the plec died. He didnt seem ill in anyway, he just slipped sideways and died. Since then the smaller of the gourami has been spending most of his time down the back of the tank, behind a piece of wood, and only comes out occasionally if disturbed, and the other just moves slowly round.

Until the plec died they were always 'kissing' each other and inseparable - I believe the 'kissing' is a territorial thing? This new behaviour is totally different and worrying. Is it possible that they are missing the plec? We bought a new tank for them a few months ago so have room for more fish, but are unsure which would be the best kind.

Sorry this is a long question, but we are worried about the gourami.

Thanks

Sue

I have lost just a couple of fish and both times their mates acted like they were grieving for up to two weeks after the loss. I think it may have a lot to do with how safe they feel. A big change like that makes them feel less safe, so they hide more. My dwarf platy, who used to be the tank bully and very active, is now the shyest one in the tank, even though I got her some mates. They are much smaller than her and she still feels like she doesn't have a school. Once the others catch up in size I think she will be better. Give them a little time to get used to their tankmate being gone. I think they will be fine.

Debra

 

[Jules H-T]

Perhaps, whatever killed the Plec is also having a go at the other two, and you are witnessing symptoms rather than grief.

You should try and identify what killed the Plec. How old was he? What are your water stats? Any visible symptoms?

 

[Vicky99]

Hi,

When I first started iwth tropicals I had a pair of blue dwarf gourami. After a couple of weeks the female started looking depressed and hung about near the bottom of the tank all of the time. Eventually she died. Then the male started doing the same and he died too.

I never found out the cause - tanks stats were all fine all of the other fish were fine.

I waited a few months and tried again, this time with 4 red honey gouramis - one by one the same thing happened - again no problem with the water all other fish were fine.

I have now decied I just can't keep gourami and all my other fish are fine and dandy.

Sorry it doesn't help because I don't know why it happened.

Vic.

 

[rob newland]

Apparently in some breeding pairs of cichlids if one dies, the other will hide away and refuse to eat, and then die as well. I don't know if this is true, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Yes there's a chance the fish is grieving I've seen it happen before, however I wouldn't bank on that being the case. There is also a very big chance that the dead fish had a disease and the other fish now has it too and is ill. I would very seriously look into the fish's behaviour and symptoms and consider treating the tank. Good luck

 

[SueB]

Hi

Thanks everyone - a week has passed nearly and nothing has changed but neither of the gourami looks ill. The smaller one still spends most of its time right at the back of the cage behind a log. He only comes out for a quick feed once a day and then goes back. The larger one hangs round the log and keeps putting himself as close to the other as he can, almost like he's talking to him.

Its very odd and sad to see all the life gone out of them. Before they were inseparable. I am going to try and find out how old the plec was and how old they are, and how long they were all together in one tank.

Sorry I didnt get back to the forum before this, but I am really grateful to you all for taking the time to help me.

Sue

 

[WILDER]

Fish can get depression like us, when you say the plec slipped to one side do you mean he layed on the gravel to one side, as it can be a sign of a bacterial infection, did the plec bloat up as well, also there tail can bend looking odd.

 

[SueB]

Fish can get depression like us, when you say the plec slipped to one side do you mean he layed on the gravel to one side, as it can be a sign of a bacterial infection, did the plec bloat up as well, also there tail can bend looking odd.

Hi

No there was no sign of bloating, his eyes looked fine, and he looked perfectly as normal. It just looked as though he had been sucking the glass and slipped off sideways - he was lying in the water at a slight angle on the bottom.

It was hard to believe he was dead, but of course he was.

 

[WILDER]

Or bless him sound like a stroke or something like that, hard to say really. R.I.P.