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View Full Version : Gobi near the end of his life


Paul B
01/23/2012, 09:05 AM
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
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/tank007.jpg

Teenager with his main squeeze

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/2008reef011.jpg

Tending the eggs
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/Gobieggs026.jpg

Middle age
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/Gobieggs006.jpg

In morning for his sweetheart

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/Custo009.jpg

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

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/IMG_1721.jpg

Sugar Magnolia
01/23/2012, 09:21 AM
Darn Paul, that's rough. He's lived a long happy life.

humaguy
01/23/2012, 09:22 AM
really sad, very sorry, but what a great run you had together...damn, I am choked-up...

Paul B
01/23/2012, 09:30 AM
Thanks, he is a cool fish. But he did have a good life. I will try to catch him tonight before the bristle worms get him. I imagine he may have a few more days to go but it is not worth it and I would rather let him die in peace.
He looks so sad now because he is on the side of the tank near the front just starring out at me. Although I think he is almost blind. I know that look as I have seen it many times before. But I feel that if a fish can live long enough to die of old age, I did my job and I am happy for him.
Fish go downhill very fast when their lifespan is almost over.

slojmn
01/23/2012, 09:38 AM
Awww Paul, sad to see a special little friend pass on. Clearly he lived a blessed and peaceful life in your care. Your commitment and care shows through your tender tribute here on Reef Central. RIP little fella :(

small alien
01/23/2012, 09:59 AM
Thank you for sharing, Paul. I always love reading your posts. They are, of course, knowledgable, but also filled with heart and humor. RIP little goby.

Paul B
01/23/2012, 06:40 PM
He died at 7:00pm tonight. I just watched him take his last breath.
Then 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 smoke.
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

tqpolo
01/23/2012, 06:55 PM
Did you ever have any fries from those eggs?

Wolverine
01/23/2012, 07:35 PM
But I feel that if a fish can live long enough to die of old age, I did my job and I am happy for him.

Absolutely.

Fish go downhill very fast when their lifespan is almost over.

I agree. Sadly, other pets seem to do that as well.

dixiedog
01/23/2012, 10:01 PM
Thank you for sharing, Paul. I always love reading your posts. They are, of course, knowledgable, but also filled with heart and humor. RIP little goby.


This.

I do also love reading your posts Paul; I wish I knew you personally.


:beer:

humaguy
01/24/2012, 05:30 AM
very sorry...

Paul B
01/24/2012, 05:51 AM
I do also love reading your posts Paul; I wish I knew you personally.




DixieDog, Thank you. I am just a normal guy who goes collecting in a tuxedo, like everyone else. :beer:
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/TidePool.gif

Sugar Magnolia
01/24/2012, 08:30 AM
Sorry for your loss Paul. :(

spieszak
01/24/2012, 08:40 AM
A question. I re-read to be sure. I see that you said his mate passed last year, but that could be 12 months, or 6 weeks. If I doesn't trouble you to answer, would you note how long he survived after the loss of his mate? I don't attribute "love" to fish since as far as we know they really aren't emotional creatures, but i wonder if the lack of his partner, pushing him to spawn and protect.. and the interactivity... well, if it helped push and aged fish along a little...
(please note that I'm not saying you should have provided another mate, or done anything differently.. its hard to read tone, and I don't want it to sound as though I'm saying anything other than I'm sorry for you loss, and to examine the question a bit.)

Paul B
01/24/2012, 09:03 AM
(please note that I'm not saying you should have provided another mate, or done anything differently.. its hard to read tone, and I don't want it to sound as though I'm saying anything other than I'm sorry for you loss, and to examine the question a bit.)


Spieszak, I never read anything into these posts. I also know it was a fish and not someone in my family or friends. He lived the best life he could have and I am sure he died of old age. I think his mate died about 9 months ago but I could be off by a couple of months. She just disappeared and I never found her but I have a load of large bristle worms in the tank. They were almost the same age and both very young when I got them. I don't think fish have much of a memory and I don't think they miss their partners but fish that live together as mated pairs probably live longer than single fish.
Maybe it gives them a purpose in life by spawning and chasing away other males. These two gobies were never far from each other and were usually in physical contact with each other.

velvetelvis
01/24/2012, 09:04 AM
What a touching tribute to an old, well-loved friend. I'm sorry for your loss, but I really enjoyed reading his story and seeing his pictures. I wish all captive animals could have such long, happy, sheltered lives. Thanks for sharing with us.

tfp
01/24/2012, 10:52 AM
paul, 12years for any fish is a great run! you are an inspiration man.

bLac2
01/24/2012, 01:27 PM
I feel ya brother, that was a beautiful pair you had. I had mine for a little over a year. To keep a pair for almost 12 years is amazing. You did a great job and I'm sorry for your loss. I really enjoyed the pic title of "his main squeeze", quite comical... :) Take it easy man. :)

Paul B
01/24/2012, 01:46 PM
BLac2, I also have a main squeeze. Usually if a fish lives for the first two weeks, it will live forever. Except for certain fish like moorish Idols and long nose butterflies. Those two fish I can't get to live long enough to die from old age. They always seem to have an accident like jumping out long before that. If my fish get too large, I give them away, sometimes to public aquariums.
I once had a tiny remora, in a few months, the thing grew almost a foot and he went to the New York Aquarium.

My main squeeze
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/MeandDale.jpg

This guy I collected in the ocean and when he got to large he want to the Riverhead Aquarium.

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/boxfish007-1.jpg

This guy went to another hobbiest

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/Valantinesday017.jpg

lilalove
01/24/2012, 03:03 PM
Awww. I got a little choked up. RIP little goby. 12 years is a mighty fine life for any captive fish, even more so for a goby. I didn't think the smaller fish lived that long.

Recty
01/24/2012, 03:07 PM
In a hobby where a lot of people measure success in periods of months, you're an inspiration :)

Good job being an A+ fish keeper!

bryanr
01/24/2012, 05:09 PM
Sorry to hear about your loss. 12 years for a goby is amazing.

pinnatus
01/24/2012, 05:23 PM
Paul -

What is the longest you have had a Moorish Idol?

Mine is about 3 yrs old now.

Monster00101
01/24/2012, 06:53 PM
That's sad. I don't like losing fish. Lost both my tanks when my town was evacuated. What fish is that in the second pic?

Sandia97
01/24/2012, 08:19 PM
:'(

SushiGirl
01/24/2012, 08:37 PM
Sorry for your loss, Paul. Great job on giving him a long, fulfilling life, though!

And is that a pineapple/pinecone fish up there?

Paul B
01/25/2012, 05:23 AM
My moorish Idol was just under five

pinnatus
01/25/2012, 01:11 PM
Paul - I think 5 years is pretty good! And if I remember correctly, it died due to some equipment malfunction rather than some medical issue? I am pretty amazed that mine is 3 years and still looks and acts great.

So what is the longest anyone has had an Idol in captivity?

aleonn
01/25/2012, 01:29 PM
The goby lived a great 12 years!

Paul B
01/25/2012, 02:07 PM
The moorish Idol along with a bunch of old fish died when I was away for a few days for a family emergency. The fish were in a smaller tank and I was doing maintenance and re aquascaping. I was not supposed to be gone long but my Mother ended up dying and I was not taking care of the tank for a few days. All the fish in the smaller tank died including a 18 year old cusk eel.
I spent a week in Tahiti diving with Idols and I now think I know their secret and I found a great sponge source growing here they love and I can harvest.
If I had a larger tank I would get another one.
I also lost this mandarin with the other fish but the old fireclown is still with me.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/CopyofGorgonians1005.jpg