One of my 3-year-old Petsmart-purchased goldfish was dead this morning. The
nitrates, etc., are nothing different from any other spring that I can
remember. It had scales missing on both its sides, which I now can't
believe I didn't notice before.

I looked, but didn't see anything like a parasite that it was trying to rub
off, but what do I know. And I'll add an airstone tonight in case it's lack
of O2.

But I'm wondering what else it could be. They did just start their
hyperkinetic spawning chases - could one have just gotten rubbed or rubbed
too much, and lost its protective scale/mucous coating? Any ideas?
--

Michael Miller

Not having goldies, I can't say for sure. However, spawning is a very rough
activity: scales get knocked off all the time. And it's quite possible your
dead fish is a female that (quite literally) got pestered to death. When
they're spawning, you need to watch the females for signs of distress.
Whereas you can't stop them (just like teenagers!), you may need to remove
her to a quiet place to recouperate.

Keep an eye on your ammonia levels!

Lee
"mike miller" wrote in message
t...
One of my 3-year-old Petsmart-purchased goldfish was dead this morning.
The
nitrates, etc., are nothing different from any other spring that I can
remember. It had scales missing on both its sides, which I now can't
believe I didn't notice before.

I looked, but didn't see anything like a parasite that it was trying to
rub
off, but what do I know. And I'll add an airstone tonight in case it's
lack
of O2.

But I'm wondering what else it could be. They did just start their
hyperkinetic spawning chases - could one have just gotten rubbed or rubbed
too much, and lost its protective scale/mucous coating? Any ideas?
--

Michael Miller

On 6 Jun 2003, Lee Brouillet wrote:

When they're spawning, you need to watch the females for signs of
distress.
Whereas you can't stop them (just like teenagers!), you may need to remove
her to a quiet place to recouperate.

Lee

Uh, gee, thanks; I needed that...

From the father of three preteen girls!

Dave

"mike miller" wrote:

But I'm wondering what else it could be. They did just start their
hyperkinetic spawning chases - could one have just gotten rubbed or rubbed
too much, and lost its protective scale/mucous coating? Any ideas?

The ultimate male fantasy, sexed to death? G

"John Hines" wrote in message
...
"mike miller" wrote:

But I'm wondering what else it could be. They did just start their
hyperkinetic spawning chases - could one have just gotten rubbed or
rubbed
too much, and lost its protective scale/mucous coating? Any ideas?

The ultimate male fantasy, sexed to death? G

Hmm...maybe not to death...maybe to nearly comatose on the couch with a
beer.

BV.

"BenignVanilla" m
wrote:


"John Hines" wrote in message
.. .
"mike miller" wrote:

But I'm wondering what else it could be. They did just start their
hyperkinetic spawning chases - could one have just gotten rubbed or
rubbed
too much, and lost its protective scale/mucous coating? Any ideas?

The ultimate male fantasy, sexed to death? G

Hmm...maybe not to death...maybe to nearly comatose on the couch with a
beer.

Hey I gotta go, that is high on my list of ways to do it.

Compared to say, screaming as a passenger on the way down....

When you look at male spiders trying to mate
without getting eaten you have to wonder....
I told my daughter there is a lesson in there
somewhere and she's going off to college with mace.

k30a

Thanks - I'll recheck ammonia and keep an eye on the other female. But how
long would I keep her separate? Until...?? She's probably the only female
left, so there probably won't be any more chasing going on I would think.
Boy, this is sad to think about.

Xref: kermit rec.ponds:114038

until she looks like she has recovered and has a nice slime coat.

"mike miller" wrote:

Thanks - I'll recheck ammonia and keep an eye on the other female. But how
long would I keep her separate? Until...?? She's probably the only female
left, so there probably won't be any more chasing going on I would think.
Boy, this is sad to think about.

I lost several fish with the same symptoms a couple of months ago and was
totally confused until I saw a frog with one of my fish in a death grip. I
managed to separate them (no I didn't throw a bucket of cold water over
them!), but it was too late. I noticed the frogs front legs were gripping
the fish where it lost scales. The deaths stopped shortly after, when the
frog spawning ended.

Do you have frogs? I could be that.

Nick


wrote in message
...
until she looks like she has recovered and has a nice slime coat.

"mike miller" wrote:

Thanks - I'll recheck ammonia and keep an eye on the other female. But
how
long would I keep her separate? Until...?? She's probably the only
female
left, so there probably won't be any more chasing going on I would think.
Boy, this is sad to think about.