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Swimming Decorator crab

Gobi near the end of his long life

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by
Paul B
, 01-23-2012 at 09:26 AM (1298 Views)
I thought I would document the life of one of my favorite fish. This gobi has been with me for I think about 12 years. When I got him he looked like the first picture. Yellow and skinny. As he grew a little I bought another one and they became inseperable. After a few months, they turned grayish brown and developed bright blue spots all over him and became almost colorful. After a few years they started to spawn and kept spawning all their life until the female died last year at about 11 years old.
The male who is just over 4" continued to be healthy until last week when I noticed he did not come out to eat and I had to feed him in his cave. Then I practically had to hand feed him and this morning, before the lights came on, I noticed him sleeping in the front of the tank. This fish never came to the front so I knew the end was near. Today he is refusing his favorite meal of clam even if I put it right in his mouth. I am pretty sure he is also blind.
I am not sure how long gobies live but I am quite sure this one is dying of old age. He has no paracites, torn fins or cloudy eyes and he can swim.
Except for the fact, he is no longer eating and is sitting in the front, he looks perfect. I think tomorrow will be his last day and if I could catch him I would remove him today because I am sure the bristle worms will grab him as he becomes weaker.
I will miss him.
A baby

Teenager with his main squeeze

Tending the eggs

Middle age

In morning for his sweetheart

Early this morning hanging out near the front glass.
This will be his last picture of him.

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Comments

  1. Blake's Avatar
    im sorry that ull be losing such an old friend, that really sucks. but may i ask how do you get your pictures to go down the page like that?
  2. Paul B's Avatar
    I keep Photobucket open on my computer and just go back and fourth from here to there and copy them one at a time from there and put them here.
  3. Heathd's Avatar
    Sorry that he is on his last stretch of life, but he had a good one. A safe home and a steady supply of food.

    I hope one day I can say that I successfully keep a fish for 12+ years.
  4. maroun.c's Avatar
    Amazing thx for sharing.
    Sorry to hear your loosing him
  5. melev's Avatar
    Sorry to read this Paul. Great pictures - and thank you for sharing this with us on R.A.
  6. Paul B's Avatar
    He died at 7:00pm last night. I just watched him take his last breath. He had a very peaceful death, I hope I have the same. When fish die a natural death they just kind of slow down until they stop. Their breathing becomes very shallow until they just don't get enough oxygen any more and stop. I am glad I was able to catch him in the reef but he put up little resistance and probably knew it was his end.

    Right after he died, I autopsed his gills to see if I could find any paracites because that is the best way to tell if you have any in your tank.
    He had the gills of a teenager, who never smoked.
    His gills were in perfect shape and I could not find one gill filimant out of place or even one paracite, which is strange.
    But I know he died of old age and nothing else. There was no need to do a full autopsy
  7. Whodey's Avatar
    Sorry to hear Paul, But I am glad you gave him a good life.
  8. melev's Avatar
    Very interesting. I wouldn't know where to start with a fish autopsy.
  9. Paul B's Avatar
    Very interesting. I wouldn't know where to start with a fish autopsy.
    I always start with a dead fish
    And of course a microscope.