Send good vibes to Waffles.

[fashionfobie]

Waffles in my much loved sakura Ranchu. I do not know how old he was when I brought him home. The place I got him from was keeping him in a rather small tank for his size and I am doubt he was raised on the appropriate diet. In my area goldfish lifespans are shorter, because the winter season isn't cold enough. I mean I feel as cold as a snowman... but it isn't like Japan or areas that get snow etc. I live in the sub tropics. As you may or may not know wintering goldfish is what allows them to reach very high ages. Their systems slow and they go into a sort of stasis.

Well I have had Waffles for more than two years. I am an experienced fish keeper, my tank parameters are perfect. He lives in a 475L long tank filtration is ample and fine.

This weekend my lovely little Waffles started slowing down and showing signs of aging. Lots of bottom sitting and general lack of enthusiasm. I did a water change just as a precaution, again API readings are fine. All the other fish are acting normally.

Some of the ryukin where pushing him around so I have him in a floating salad basket that I use as a little fish separator for short term issues.

I am just so saddened. I love him very much. He is so beautiful and sweet. He eats form my hand and has a best friend who is a blind black ranchu. Her name is Marble. She is so tiny and stunted, because she was blind and was underfed when she was growing. I hand feed her too. He is so sweet with her. Even the size difference.. I am sure he knows she needs him. We are considering setting up a pond type system so he can enjoy his retirement in peace with Marble. The ryukin (Wanda and Cosmo are their names) are really being very pushy and nibbling on him.





Partners in crime.

 

[BeanieofJustice]

He's beautiful and they're adorable together - sending good vibes!

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

Sending good vibes too!!

 

[rockoko]

Awww look at those cuties! Sending best wishes!

 

[EkkieLu]

Blessings Waffles! I keep fancy goldfish too! Try feeding him blanched, skinned peas. They love them and will go thru their system quickly and clear out any possible blockage.

 

[fashionfobie]

Awe Thanks for that @EkkieLu I offered skinned peas last night and he was not interested. They are a popular snack in the tank though. Great fiber cleanse for the goldies!

Your little ones are pretty cute. The lemon oranda is cool. I have one lemon ryukin. His name is Wanda. We clearly originally thought girl

 

[fashionfobie]

Well his sudden slow down seems to have been from a serious problem. He just passed away. He may have had a cardiac event or possibly a stroke. There was no change in his personality before last night when he refused he snacks. There were no signs of edema or terminal illness that fancy goldfish typically experience.

I am in shock right now. I thought he was slowing down from age... and in the short passing of a few hours he moved over rainbow bridge. Poor Marble The other fish are active and normal. I am confident this was a unique Waffles issue...but as all fish keepers know.. I am going to be super paranoid for days. I am just so wrecked... writing this helps.. it makes it seem more real... I can't believe I lost my Waffles.



I was dreaming of such a long life with him. He was my favourite fish ever. He was really a special guy.

 

[Birdbabe]

I'm so sorry,

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

I'm sorry for your loss. Poor Waffles. I used to keep orandas and dearly loved them. I think the fancy goldfish are difficult to keep in tanks no matter how hard you try. They seem to thrive so much better in outdoor ponds. We had another member here @waterfaller1 who had some beauties and in all her efforts she lost some of her favorites. I gave up after eight years and I think she did too.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

I have a few of these pewter pearlscale goldfish I bought to use as a pendant on a necklace but haven't made a special necklace yet. Green girl studios is the maker of these. I think she has a ranchu pewter gold fish too. I looked for the ranchu but couldn't find it. It might be a retired piece. She does have several other goldfish pendants like the other one below. Just in case you want something to remember Waffles by.

https://www.google.com/search?q=green+girl+pewter+goldfish&tbm=isch&source=univ&client=firefox-b-1-ab&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjhl6TIkeXhAhVJhuAKHbrkAxoQsAR6BAgJEAE&biw=1240&bih=823#

 

[fashionfobie]

Thank you Andrea. Those pendants are very beautiful. I think I will make a high definition print of him to place on a wall. I have a few photos of him that are stunning.

We just buried him, my partner is home from work for the holiday so he helped. It is actually not legal to keep goldies in an outdoor pond where I live. When I buy a house I would like to build a larger patio pond for the fish. I think fancy goldfish are just difficult in general, they are bred to be cute...but there is a lot of mutation going on in those little bodies. I mean they have two tails. Common health issues are related to poorly situated swim bladders. I am not sure how old he was when I got him. I also know nothing of his bloodline or lineage. He was not show quality at all. He had fused tail fins. There could have been something else going on in his adorable little body. He was around 250g.

For now I am just a mixed bag. I can't believe he is gone. At the same time he lived a happy life with his friends he either has a stroke of cardiac event. He didn't suffer for years with a bladder condition. The reality hasn't sank it.. it all happened fast. I think tomorrow when I go to feed him breakfast I will feel a lot more heart break.

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

I'm so sorry for your loss of Waffles. He was a beautiful little fish Thanks for sharing him with us even if it just a little bit

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

I'm so sorry for your loss of Waffles

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

Thank you Andrea. Those pendants are very beautiful. I think I will make a high definition print of him to place on a wall. I have a few photos of him that are stunning.

We just buried him, my partner is home from work for the holiday so he helped. It is actually not legal to keep goldies in an outdoor pond where I live. When I buy a house I would like to build a larger patio pond for the fish. I think fancy goldfish are just difficult in general, they are bred to be cute...but there is a lot of mutation going on in those little bodies. I mean they have two tails. Common health issues are related to poorly situated swim bladders. I am not sure how old he was when I got him. I also know nothing of his bloodline or lineage. He was not show quality at all. He had fused tail fins. There could have been something else going on in his adorable little body. He was around 250g.

For now I am just a mixed bag. I can't believe he is gone. At the same time he lived a happy life with his friends he either has a stroke of cardiac event. He didn't suffer for years with a bladder condition. The reality hasn't sank it.. it all happened fast. I think tomorrow when I go to feed him breakfast I will feel a lot more heart break.


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How could you not love an adorable face like his. I completely understand and know the joy of watching them swimming around a tank. I was heartbroken when I lost mine. I know the issues with swim bladders too. It's so common with these chubby bodied goldfish. Before the goldfish I had angelfish. Beautiful black.. a pair. Eventually I fell in love with some babies at a pet shop and added them to my tank. Within a day a couple died and then my male angel succumbed and died. I was sick and knew I had introduced those babies with a serious health issue. Nothing I could do to save the other two babies and then my female black angel fell ill. Her fins rotted off. I put her in a small hospital tank and pretty much bombed her with medications. It took a long time for her to recover but she did. Many months later I lost her too. Angels can be a tough one, I gave it my all.... they are so elegant.

I think a nice print of him would be a great honor. I love the photo of him looking at you. What a cool guy. Again... my sympathies. Hugs to you dearie...

 

[cassiesdad]

I am so sorry for your loss.

Swim Free in the beautiful waters at the Bridge, Waffles..

 

[expressmailtome]

I am sorry for your loss.

 

[fashionfobie]

 

[faislaq]

I'm sorry your sweet Waffles is gone. He sounds like he was a very special guy and I'm glad he was able to have such a blessed life with you. I hope Marble isn't too lost without her friend.

Years ago, I had a plain ol' orange fantail I brought home from a pet shop after noticing that he didn't swim quite like the others. One of the employees said they thought it might be a swim bladder issue, but that wasn't it. Looking closer I could see that his retinas were damaged, likely from rough handling, so I bought him home to get him out of that crowded tank. Almost immediately Riddick began to follow my sister's black moor, Dot, around almost like a seeing eye fish. They were inseparable like your Waffle and Marble.

Years later, when Dot finally passed, poor Riddick seemed lost; he mostly stayed in one spot and had a tougher time finding food. I searched for a companion that wouldn't be too fast of a swimmer so they wouldn't be too much competition for him for food. I was lucky to finally find a young calico telescope with one pectoral fin smaller than the other. She could still get around easily enough, but was much slower than her tank mates. Pfaffenbach found Riddick right away and within a few days he was following her around the tank.

I know there's no replacement for Waffle for you, but I hope Marble chooses someone else if she needs someone.

 

[fashionfobie]

@faislaq Your message was very kind and thoughtful. Thank you. Marble does eat from my hand so she will find food. She is so sweet. She is missing both of her eyes and I have had her for about 2 years. Clearly that sweet little face took my heart. I am so sad that she lost her friend. They really were best friends. I am thinking of separating Marble from Cosmo and Wanda. I think those two are too pushy for her. Waffles would usually handle all of their curious pokes. It was really sweet of him. A real champion. I am hesitant sticking her with a new fish because she is very immobile. We are talking about building a small pond for her to enjoy, though nothing is set in stone at this moment.

I know I lost a friend today. Waffles was a one of those special fish. Really hard to walk by the fish tank right now.

 

[faislaq]

Really hard to walk by the fish tank right now.