old cichlid

[wolfbane]

My daughter's old Chocolate cichlid doesn't look too good. He is 8-10 yrs old, lives with his mate and 3 clown loaches in a 55 gal, Aquaclear 110, just did a 50% water change. Everyone else is fine, but he is floating sideways near the surface. When she disturbs him, he moves to the bottom, still sideways. he started this yesterday, before the water change, sorry, I don't have numbers for you, she has no test kit. They eat Cichlid Gold pellets, FD krill, and sinking wafers. Thx in advance for any info to help.

[newb]

I have had two Chocolates and both of them did this before they passed about 3 days later. very sorry to hear about this. Im sure he is quite the family fish. Good luck maybe he will make a turn for the better.

[wolfbane]

thx Newb, he is quite a character, loves to face-fight you at the glass if you make fish-faces at him. I owned him for 5 years before passing them on to her.

[wolfbane]

Eulogy for a cichlid

From my daughter:
He was a strange character without a name, but commonly referred to as The Big Mean Angry Fish. I have known him for 8-9 years, but his actual age is unknown. As time went on, he became more mean and more angry. I think it became an art form to him. Perhaps it was his way of passing the time from behind the sheets of glass. He was a source of entertainment to me, as I antagonized him often with fish faces. No amount of krill ever was enough for his forgiveness. The Big Mean Angry Fish swam off to that big river in the sky during the early morning hours of Monday March 2. He left behind his female companion of many years. She checked on him occasionally during his last days, but was anxious for breakfast as soon as he was gone. She seems to be staying strong during this time. The Big Mean Angry Fish was laid to rest in the flowerbed. His next life will be as the fertilizer for spring flowers to come. So think of The Big Mean Angry Fish and know that there will never be another like him. He was truly one of a kind. May he rest in peace.