"cindys" wrote in message
...
..
----------
I agree about giving up on goldfish, but in retrospect, I don't know that
the fish were unhealthy. I variously treated them for everything under the
sun. I think it took me this long to figure out (based on everyone's
advice)
that the real culprit was the food. Although it appeared that the first
one
did have fin and tail rot, I think the main issue with the other two was
swim bladder issues from floating food. If I had fed them gel-based food
from the beginning, they may very well have been okay. If I were to have
another go with the goldfish, I would feed them only the gel-based food.

I have never used gel-based foods for GF. Healthy normal GF will not get
swim-bladder from floating pellets. (Don't but the cheap brand for fancy
GF). All my fancy GF are a testament to that. You can buy GF sinking
pellets if it makes you feel better, but that wont stop swimbldder troubles
from arising if the GF has the genes for the problem. Our fancy GF have
such deformed bodies any of the fancies can get this disorder. Mine are fed
both floating and sinking pellets, dried krill, thawed frozen fishfoods,
earthworms when I find them, oranges, cukes and zucchinis

I would really like to take a break from all fish for a while. I feel very
depressed over the loss of this last fish. I'm not sure if it's simply
because I put so much effort into keeping the fish alive or because I
actually developed an emotional attachment. I suppose it's a little of
each.

Believe me I know how you feel and what you went through.

I think it's human nature to feel attached to living things which are
dependent on us.
Thanks everyone for all your help. I will you posted.
Best regards,
---Cindy S.

OK,... take care.
--
Koi-Lo....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o