F8 Death

[fugu99]

I regret to have to tell anyone that one of our puffers has perished. It doesnt have anything to do with tank parameters, which is why Im posting here instead of in Hospital. Otto von Zeppelin was always a very spastic fish, always the one nearly jumping out of the tank. Because we have a two-light setup that covers most of the tank, I thought I had everything placed in such a way that they couldnt possibly ever jump out of the tank. I was wrong. Tonight Im going to cut the plastic frame for the back of the lid. In the end, that makes this puffers death my fault, because I didnt act on my instincts and place the cover in the way I should have. I found Otto this morning on the floor behind the tank, so I assume he made his Houdini escape sometime during the night. If only Id heard him. Our other puffer Herbie isnt taking his loss well, they used to hide together under the same decor and they were rather more friendly to one another than I thought pufferfish would ever be. It must be strange for him right now searching around the tank and realizing that Otto isnt there. The tank was coming along so well, too. Its really depressing and heart-breaking. RIP Otto von Zeppelin, we shall miss you.

[Pufferpunk]

I lost 2 F8s from jumping, when I forgot to put down the lid after feeding/cleaning. Sorry for your loss...

[greenspottedlover]

I honestly cried when I read this.

[dovla935]

very sad, I do not know what to say, I'm sorry

[fugu99]

Thanks guys. Sorry GSL, didnt mean to ruin your day! Although yeah it ruined mine. My other puffer is visibly upset. I mean, I can understand, waking up in the morning and seeing that someone you always had around is missing, it would upset me too. Otto was the spastic swimmer that zoomed around the tank, and Herbie would usually tail him or try to follow him, to be honest these guys both always had their eyes on each other and followed each other around. The only time they showed any aggressiveness was feeding time, because they each wanted their fair share. No nipping, though. Ive never seen them nip another fish. Poor Otto. I really really wish I had gotten up last night... why couldnt last night be one of those nights I couldnt sleep, and went out to the living room to read a book? Then I might have been there in time, possibly. Thats what I keep thinking.

Well, I cut the acrylic backing for my glass tank top and put it in place. Im sure not going to lose Herbie that way. Tony said maybe we will go out to the store next week and look for another one. *sigh* I dont really want to think about that just yet. I know he was just trying to make me feel better. Thanks everyone for your good thoughts.

[Srkoe]

I am so sorry for your loss

[greenspottedlover]

Thanks guys. Sorry GSL, didnt mean to ruin your day! Although yeah it ruined mine. My other puffer is visibly upset. I mean, I can understand, waking up in the morning and seeing that someone you always had around is missing, it would upset me too. Otto was the spastic swimmer that zoomed around the tank, and Herbie would usually tail him or try to follow him, to be honest these guys both always had their eyes on each other and followed each other around. The only time they showed any aggressiveness was feeding time, because they each wanted their fair share. No nipping, though. Ive never seen them nip another fish. Poor Otto. I really really wish I had gotten up last night... why couldnt last night be one of those nights I couldnt sleep, and went out to the living room to read a book? Then I might have been there in time, possibly. Thats what I keep thinking.

Well, I cut the acrylic backing for my glass tank top and put it in place. Im sure not going to lose Herbie that way. Tony said maybe we will go out to the store next week and look for another one. *sigh* I dont really want to think about that just yet. I know he was just trying to make me feel better. Thanks everyone for your good thoughts.

Its not your fault, I had a incident of this nature a few weeks ago. I forgot my Leopard Gecko's tank open and by the time I got back my kitten killed him. Thats actually why I cried, it reminded me what happened.

[dovla935]

No problem, because we're here to help and listen

[fugu99]

Aw Im sorry GSL, I know how notorious cats are toward Geckos. We used to live in Hawaii and I was constantly saving wild white geckos from my cats around the house. I really loved those little geckos. Im sorry to hear about that, Ive been wanting a pet Gecko myself. The trials and tribulations of keeping different species in one household... I know because we have a cockatiel and fish, and we want to get a cat, and a Caique (like a parrot) and some snakes or a gecko, and when we get a house maybe a big dog.... and some rabbits... its like we are setting ourselves up for punishment haha. I wouldnt mind having another lovebird, either. Our last one (technically my parents bird) died after 10 years, which is their lifespan, really. Natural causes, she died of a heart attack. It makes me sad of course, but its also natural, she was alone and didnt have a mate, just her family or 'flock', which was us humans, and she was happy. She was well-treated, loved to bathe, and sing, and chew paper... she lived as full a life as a caged bird could. Sorry, I dont mean to ramble, but Im just trying to make myself get over what happened, and that it wasnt necessarily my fault, and neither really was your gecko dying, things have their time even though we feel we influence them... truth is your gecko may have escaped any other time, obviously it wanted to, and I think back on all the times that Otto almost did jump out of the tank, he was bound to eventually. Even with the acrylic backing on the tank, theres still space between the filter and the heater, if they really wanted to and were precise enough they could still jump out.

[dovla935]

I am new to a puffer world and my first puffers are tetraodon lorteti.they are about 1cm long,cute little fish...a few days ago I order my second puffer, its a tetraodon palembang.I need to wait for a month...sorry about my english,I am from croatia..again sorry about your puffer....

[J-P]

dovla935: now you truly have me confused with the name of your puffer.. I'll have to ask the Q on another thread though

[RTR]

F-8s are jumpers. Not often, but I have lost some from jumping, including my oldest one - just by leaving the top up after feeding. I am bad about that.

[Srkoe]

I can always here my f8's jumping at night and hitting the glass. I've never actually witnessed it though. I too am guilty of leaving the top open from time to time.

[allycat]

so sorry, fugu. I bet Otto had one of the best lives a captive puff can hope for, being a TPF puffer.

I'll take heed and patch up my filter area(s) with some milk carton at least, makes me worried to think about those few square inches they could jump out by the filter...

RIP <3

[fugu99]

Thanks allycat, it was hard to go to sleep last night because I kept thinking, what if Herbie jumps out too? Even though I covered the back of the tank, I had to leave a little leeroom for the filter, about an inch on each side, he could probably jump out of that if hes a real precise jumper only Ive noticed the puffers liked to jump in the corners mostly, not the middle of the back of the tank. And I can hear them jumping at night too, somewhat. But sometimes its the cichlids. Herbie is doing better, but still seems stressed, hes not acting normal hes surfing the glass a lot. And hiding from me. I made sure to give the tank a good clean (since Ive been having a nice growth of green algae, as well as a black algae thats making a layer on my rocks and decor) and I wiped the glass and made a small water change. Tank parameters are really good. I know that having my hands in the tank and changing things a bit probably stressed him out too, but he usually calms down a lot sooner than this.