Man, what a bummer! 
I awoke this morning to find the oldest and largest of my swordtails, a pineapple swordtail we called Lauryn, dead in the tank. My wife and I were really, really, really fond of her, too. She'll be missed.
I only got her 9 months ago, but she quickly grew to be my largest, boldest, most aggressive fish. And, though she was aggressive, she would amuse me by hiding under the anubias leaves in my tank, as though you couldn't see the enormous orange tail plainly sticking out from beneath the leaves! *laughingc
I'm at a complete loss to say what happened to her. The only thing that I'd noticed in the days leading up to her death was her clamped dorsal fin. But, even just last night she wasn't really clamping it. She ate just fine last night. I guess the only other odd behaviors were her being a little more aggressive towards the others and hiding a little more; but, as I said earlier, she kinda always did that anyways.
Whatever got her, it looked painful. When I found her, her body was contorted, as though she'd been writhing towards her right side and her mouth was agape. I also noticed that either her anus or her birth canal (sorry, my fish anatomy leaves a little to be desired) seemed to be protuding ever so slightly. It almost makes me wonder whether or not she was pregnant, without my having noticed, and died giving birth or something. Fortunately, I've also noticed that none of the other swordtails in my tank have been clamping their dorsal fins.
I guess I'll never know why she died, but she'll be missed. Fortunately, she left behind 12 children and at least 12 grandfry (more are on the way!). I've given away all but 3 of her children. I'd been planning to give two of those three away to the LFS this weekend. With Lauryn's death, I'm tempted to keep one more ... and, if I'm going to keep two, why not keep three? But, that sort of thinking isn't good for the fish that remain. So, two will go. I hope that the daughter that remains is strong and survives for a while so that I'll have a living memory of the belligerent, (big!) little swordtail of whom I grew so fond.
:sigh:
(Fishkeeping sure is difficult sometimes!)
I awoke this morning to find the oldest and largest of my swordtails, a pineapple swordtail we called Lauryn, dead in the tank. My wife and I were really, really, really fond of her, too. She'll be missed.
I only got her 9 months ago, but she quickly grew to be my largest, boldest, most aggressive fish. And, though she was aggressive, she would amuse me by hiding under the anubias leaves in my tank, as though you couldn't see the enormous orange tail plainly sticking out from beneath the leaves! *laughingc
I'm at a complete loss to say what happened to her. The only thing that I'd noticed in the days leading up to her death was her clamped dorsal fin. But, even just last night she wasn't really clamping it. She ate just fine last night. I guess the only other odd behaviors were her being a little more aggressive towards the others and hiding a little more; but, as I said earlier, she kinda always did that anyways.
Whatever got her, it looked painful.
When I found her, her body was contorted, as though she'd been writhing towards her right side and her mouth was agape. I also noticed that either her anus or her birth canal (sorry, my fish anatomy leaves a little to be desired) seemed to be protuding ever so slightly. It almost makes me wonder whether or not she was pregnant, without my having noticed, and died giving birth or something. Fortunately, I've also noticed that none of the other swordtails in my tank have been clamping their dorsal fins.I guess I'll never know why she died, but she'll be missed. Fortunately, she left behind 12 children and at least 12 grandfry (more are on the way!). I've given away all but 3 of her children. I'd been planning to give two of those three away to the LFS this weekend. With Lauryn's death, I'm tempted to keep one more ... and, if I'm going to keep two, why not keep three? But, that sort of thinking isn't good for the fish that remain. So, two will go. I hope that the daughter that remains is strong and survives for a while so that I'll have a living memory of the belligerent, (big!) little swordtail of whom I grew so fond.
:sigh:
(Fishkeeping sure is difficult sometimes!)
