[Aurora_Bell]

It's true I am.
I don't mean to be, I try my best, I have read books, and articles, and listend to the people at the pet store, but they KEEP Dying!
So I have this .58 cent feeder gold fish, that is almost 10 years old and is the size of a small cat. He lived in an ice cream bucket for the fisrt 6 or so months of his life. Then my parents bought him his first fish tank, and then a few years his seccond, I believe they are up to 4 now. They will not let me take Gordon to my house, so I have since tried my hand at my own fish. I started with a simple feeder fish, bought a small aquarium, bought the water neutralizer, and the tester thingys, nice rocks, and gravel, food, all the goodies. I followed the instructions to a T for washing and setting up his new home. 3 weeks later, I had a floater :(
My boyfriend took pity on me and bought me another one, same thing happened. He then bought be Beta fish, the guy at the pet store said they were tough little fish. Followed the instructions, read the little book they had there, researched their care online. THis one lived for about 3 months. THen he was a goner!
WHat am I doing wrong?! I feel aweful and have obviously stopped buying fish... but I would love to have another Beta or even an Angel fish, but I don't want to kill them! Any ideas on what I am doing wrong? Or any tips on how I can stop being a fish killer? I am starting to loose sleep over this! :p

[JudyKayTee]

I have no idea but you brought a smile to my face. I thought an aquarium in the livingroom would be nice for my husband to watch and so I bought the entire set up and some type of "easy to care for" fish. They died. I bought more fish. They died. I tested the water, I added chemicals, I went back to the pet store. I bought more fish - goldfish.

They died.

My husband said he found the aquarium to be very depressing.

I gave it to my niece.

Love your post!

[Aurora_Bell]

Man it's a lot harder then it seems!
I am gald I could make someone smile with my fish-icide tendencies!

[Lucky098]

.. You're suppose to cycle the tank for a good month before adding fish :P

[JudyKayTee]

I found plastic fish are easier - it's hard to tell the difference and they're a lot less work.

[Emily94]

My betta is going to be reaching 4 years old this winter, and I have never done anything special, he lives in a jar (His name is jar :)) he gets fed once a day and when I change his water I empty the old stuff and put new tap water in.. I don't know how your killing them :P Mine must be imortal or something. He jumped out of the tank and was out for almost the whole night and he is still alive. Maybe you can borrow him for practice :)

Try guppy's, maybe you'll keep killing them, but they will have babies faster than you can kill them :P

[Aurora_Bell]

Haha Emily that's funny. I had guppies when I was in high school. My friend brought over 3 guppies in a bucket. I went out and bought a 10 gallon fish tank with a filter and a light. 3 weeks later I had like 30 guppies. This sounds awful, but I stopped feeding them for like 4 months, and they just kept producing and then eating their young. I know horrible story. I still loose sleep over it :p

Thanks Lucky, if I try my hand at fish again, I will remember to do that. Have you guys ever tried those weekly feeders that you stick to the side of the tank?