Many of you have been following my tales of Filbert the fahaka puffer from the day I got him. It was around the time I took over this forum, 19 years ago. He survived the trip from Chicago to SC 18 months ago & finally got upgraded from his life-long 125g, to a nice, big 180g. Filbert has been a very special fahaka puffer, because he has happily lived with many tank mates! During this past year, I could see him acting "old". The other fish would easily steal food right out of his mouth. His appetite was lessening a great deal. He was looking tired & thin.
When he was younger, he would usually eat 3-4 whole shrimps in an feeding. For the past 6 months, he'd barely bite at shrimp, so I kept his diet to mostly earthworms. For the past month I was happy if he ate 1 worm a day. He was getting very thin & listless. I went to visit my parents in AZ & left strict instructions for Hubby to feed him a worm every day & showed him how to fend off the other fish, so he could eat in peace. Hubby was actually cutting the worm in quarters, when he noticed Filbert was having trouble with whole ones. The day before I came home, he refused to eat. When I got home, I tried to put the worm right into his mouth but he didn't want it. He was a shadow of his former self. By the next morning, he was laying on his side & i knew it was time. Got out the clove oil poured the entire bottle into the bucket & gently laid him in. Sat on the floor with him, as he only had the strength to move his big eyes back & forth. I spoke to him the entire time, telling him what a great fish he was, thanking him for happily greeting me every day & not eating his tank mates. Good by Filbert, there will never be another fish like you!
I commissioned a artist-friend to make this:
