# Feel like I have been kicked in the nuts.....



## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

I come home to find my heaters failed in my geryi tank and all my guys dead. Not sure what this means for my freshwater hobby. I really have only one fish left that was on the emotional level of those fish to me. 5 years of care gone...and I really dont want to look at my other tanks. The talk of selling off my fish has taken a serious turn for me...and I am really disheartened with this hobby. I have suffered losses in this hobby like every one else...but nothing like this.

Not sure anyone can understand how I feel...but I am rocked by this. Some of these fish I grew from 4"...and I feel like I killed them....maybe they would have been in better care in the hands of someone else...I dont know....

So...getting drunk...after I finished netting my boys...putting them in bags..and tossing them in the freezer....not a good feeling. I am not really an emotional person...but even my gf knows to leave me alone so I can try to make sense of this...

Anyways....bad day...


----------



## Yummy (Jan 13, 2008)

Sorry to hear that GG. got any pics of the fish. R.I.P


----------



## Nick G (Jul 15, 2007)

damn GG.
im really sorry about that. you shouldnt blme yourself, a broken heater can happen to anyone, i doubt it was something you did/didnt do.
sucks though, and im not sure i do know what you are going through, but all you can do is take it one step at a time. 








sorry man.

damn GG.
im really sorry about that. you shouldnt blme yourself, a broken heater can happen to anyone, i doubt it was something you did/didnt do.
sucks though, and im not sure i do know what you are going through, but all you can do is take it one step at a time. 








sorry man.

damn GG.
im really sorry about that. you shouldnt blme yourself, a broken heater can happen to anyone, i doubt it was something you did/didnt do.
sucks though, and im not sure i do know what you are going through, but all you can do is take it one step at a time. 








sorry man.


----------



## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

Sorry about the loss!
I just lost my Spilo/Mac Wednesday! How long where they without the heater to actually die though???


----------



## Lifer374 (Dec 5, 2003)

Terrible...Just Terrible news GG.

Like Nick stated...
When you keep animals like these, there are so many factors that have to be met in this little world for them keeping them alive. Everything is simulated for them. Sometimes, like in this instance, if one thing goes wrong it spells total disaster. 
This in no way was your fault. And it can happen to any one of us at any given time. 
You are one of the best fish keepers I know of here and the first person I come to when I have questions.

I'm truely sorry for your loss Jeff.


----------



## xxwhookiddxx (Jan 10, 2007)

sorry to hear that man . . .


----------



## LS1FDRx7 (Mar 6, 2007)

Oh wow, So sorry that happened. I know how you feel. I know this might not help but I keep 2 heaters on and set them both at the correct temperature to equal 78 degrees, that way incase one fail for some reason. I still have the other one running keeping the water somewhat warmer then it would of been without one.

But yepp, what happened really sucks. Start over.


----------



## LS1FDRx7 (Mar 6, 2007)

What I do after a death of my fish is..

I think of all the things that I provided them, good water, good food, good space, great filtration.. etc. And then at the end of my thinking, I just have to tell myself I gave them an excellent environment and it couldn't be better.


----------



## ballistic (Dec 26, 2007)

dont feel bad..man i came home to find one of mines got eatin alive..LOL..hoping they all eat eachother...=)


----------



## Ja'eh (Jan 8, 2007)

I have a good idea as to how you must be feeling, a couple of months back I lost my whole mixed pygo shoal to an unknown disease. I lost an 8" cariba, an 8" and 6" ternetzi, an 8"+ orange piraya and the prize of my shoal a 10"-11" yellow piraya. I felt like giving up too! Anyways I wish you better luck for the future and I really feel for your loss. Take care.


----------



## 8o8P (Jan 13, 2007)

Sorry for your lose GG. But dont doubt yourself and the care youve been given to your fishes. You are one of the few I consider on this board to be an "expert" in the piranha hobby. What happened today could happen to anybody.


----------



## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

I appreciate the kind words...and I have lost fish over the years...but nothing like this. Im just not sure what I am going to do in this hobby anymore. Of course I am drunk....and I am sure I will get over this loss in a little while....but I just dont know....this really hit home.

And really...this was my fault. I could have done things differently to ensure something like this didnt happen. I just didnt see two heaters failing on me...and with my waterchange system...I was pumping cold water into a nonheated tank which just accentuated the situation.


----------



## Winkyee (Feb 17, 2003)

Geeze man, Thats terrible.


----------



## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

Thats f'd up Jeff. To me the most frustrating part of this hobby besides a healthy appearing beauty of a fish just keeling over for no apparent reason is mechanical failure. It happens with ebos, marineland's, won brothers titaniums, etc... it happens with all of them. You just hope you catch it before damage occurs. Same thing with filters, you just never know. I try every day to at least make a pass at every tank just to make sure filters are running and touch the tanks as i pass by to make sure they are heated around the same temp. I know exactly how you feel man. The fish over the years that I lost to no apparent reason or mechanical failure is mind boggling. And yes, it does piss me off like you feel.







All you can do is take your time to get over it whether its months or not and start again another setup.







Maybe your dream of a tank full of Dents will come to fruition.


----------



## Sheppard (Jul 8, 2004)

wow. That is such a huge loss. I can only imagine the feeling of it. I have lost afew big caribe and 2 pirayas all within the last year and that hurt me pretty badly. But fish like these and actually having raised them from much smaller than when I had mine..that would be alot worse.

I had the same feeling last time I lost a fish. I just looked at my 180g and everything associated with it and said "I wonder how much all this is worth" Of course you think about selling but i'm happy I didn't because that's just a very hasty decision and I hope you don't sell off everything.

When I lost my fish it wasn't even the money that saddened me, I could care less. But it was the time I invested in them. The extra measures I would take to care for them. You obviously did that too because I have seen your tanks before and you had a waterchange system for them for eff sakes!

Anyways, Sorry to hear the news. It is most definitley a big hit to you and I hope the pain in your nuts goes away over time. On a brighter note, with this door closed a new one has opened! This gives you the opportunity to go in another direction which is always exciting. Maybe a monster Rhom? Maybe more saltwater?


----------



## Coldfire (Aug 20, 2003)

WOW, what a loss. My heart goes out for your loss. Loseing a fish sucks, but when you lose several at a time that is even worse.










I know the feeling. A while ago I killed four Nattereri (I know it is not the same as your Geryi, but) after a large water change. No idea why. I was crushed. I had grown those Nattereri from less than 1", and I would guess they were around the 9"-10" mark.


----------



## waldron (Jan 15, 2007)

wow gg, sorry to hear, personally i have not lost a prized fish yet in this hobby, but i am sure when it happens mr. tequila will be talking for me aswell..

Sorry to hear.


----------



## moron (May 26, 2006)

Sorry about you loss gg. That must really suck.


----------



## bigshawn (Dec 29, 2005)

Man real sorry to here that, you are one on the reasons that I developed a great interest in geryi's, if there is anything in my power to help just let me know don't know what I can do but.....


----------



## FishermanCanada (Feb 12, 2007)

Peace GG


----------



## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Jeff, that is beyond shitty.
I know those geryis were your pride and joy.
They were known in the piranha hobby far and wide!
All P-Fury members that have been around for awhile knew about GG and his geryis.
I remember seeing them in your setup personally... awesome fish!

I'm not a religious man by any stretch, but there is a saying that "When god closes a door, he opens a window."
Jeff, you're far too into piranhas and way too important to this hobby to call it quits.
I hope you take your time to deal with this emotionally, and then either get some more geryis or start another fascinating piranha project.

Although your geryis are gone, the time that you had them and what you did with them will always be there in your mind, in pictures and remembered by us.


----------



## cueball (May 24, 2005)

dont give up the hobby man... well if you like your fish ,,, just get something different or better next time,,in my mind ive always got a dream plan in case my fish //fishes dies,, and ya gurk i was also on that same emotional level about 2 years ago i had my prized call ducks(midgets of the tame duck world) that point to the breed is to have them stumpy as you can the closest to the size of a pigeon is better,, well it was before a bird show 4 hours away i was going to i had all the birds entered bags packed set to go, the 2 nights before i left my ducks in there condition pen to get there feathers in order, well the running water was from a small stream running through the duck pen.. well the first night i left them out 2 minks broke in the pen killing 20 of my best birds"almost priceless " what i mean by that is i payed $150 each i had 20 birds dead and more i had to put down,,,all gone in one night... end of hobby,,years and years of work


----------



## chomp chomp (Oct 28, 2003)

Sorry to hear that GG! It is not only a financial loss but an emotional loss after caring for them for so long... I would feel the same way if one of my prized tanks took a turn for the worse.

If the financial means are there, I would set up a new tank. There are ups and downs in the hobby but it seems I always come back.

You have passed much andvice/knowlege to many members on the board and I would be ashame if got out of the hobby completely. Perhaps take a break and run a solo serra tank for a while.

-Matt


----------



## rhomkeeper (Mar 31, 2008)

wow that realy sucks ass. i lost an entire tank of discus last summer that i had raised for years when my heater stuck on . after that i thought about getting rid of everything and calling it quits, but some how it re-opened my teenage interest in pranhas all over again, and now i'm even more serious about the hobby than i ever was.

any way realy sorry for your loss


----------



## Piranha Dan (Nov 11, 2007)

You actually had _two_ heaters die on you at _once_?!? Man, that has to be the shittiest coincidence in the history of fish keeping. Sorry for your loss. I hope you change your mind about getting out of the hobby.


----------



## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Thanks again....guys. Im not planning on leaving the hobby altogether...I dont see myself ever parting with my rhom...but I am thinking about downsizing to just one freshwater tank and one salt tank. I think I just need to simplify my hobby. And I am sure my rhom would love that 450 gallon tank I have waiting to be set up.

So about 2am and very intoxicated....I finally went to see how this could have happened. It turns out that I had both heaters on the same powerstrip...and it had been reset...or flipped.....or whatever they do. Not sure how or why that happened. I feel sick about this and my lack of planning.....what an amazingly stupid thing to do. Anyways...I guess you live and learn....unfortunately sometimes it seems like the punishment is a little harsher then it should be...


----------



## Piranha Dan (Nov 11, 2007)

Ouch man....that sucks. Not even a heater malfunction but a damn breaker. I've always found those things to be more of a pain the ass then they're worth. I used to have all my computer stuff plugged into one and it tripped all the time on me like that.


----------



## Piranha Tank (Mar 22, 2006)

sorry to hear about yr loss gg , anyway like you said just keep two tanks good luck
shabbir


----------



## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

Pick ya head back up man....

I know how you feel with just loseing a crap load of stock as well and literally thousands of dollars down the drain...Many years of care down the drain also
But I'm still here and keep building the stock back up man...I too have certainly downsized and it will continue to be that way man-

But you certainly know this isn't your fault and dont lay so much blame on your shoulders Sir....
Look at what ya have left and make the best of the situation.....Your care and stock is beyond most other's and it shows......

N e how just make the best of things Sir....

Really sorry to hear about this GG-Certainly a hard hit man.......


----------



## n0bie (Feb 15, 2004)

sorry for your loss


----------



## Buckman (Jan 10, 2007)

Don't give it up, stick with it GG. i dont personally know you but i kinda get the feeling you love this hobby too much to quit. me thinks the drink was talking.


----------



## ICEE (Feb 3, 2007)

do what you feel dont let anyone change your mind









sorrry for the loss


----------



## Puddjuice (Mar 11, 2004)

I have seen you give advice and even though I really have never directly asked you for it, the help you have gave others have made me change the way I do things. From all the knowledge you put out on piranha, I don't know how you could imagine it was your fault. I do know one thing though, if you only keep your Rhom and your reef tank, that is going to be the best taken care of Rhom, and your reef tank will look like a chunk of the Great Barrier. Anyways man, things happen. You know you take good care of your fish, so don't question it. What do you do when you fall off the horse?


----------



## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Again....I really do appreciate all the kind words I have received...whether deserved or not. David..thanks for the call man...it was needed.

I know this might seem like a ploy for attention to some...and that is fine...but I have never felt like this in my years in the hobby. I lost Norman not long ago...my bullmastif....and this feels somewhat the same. I didnt realize the connection I had with these fish until now...and I feel like crap...because no matter what people say...I know it was my error that caused this to happen. Im not saying that I am done with this hobby...just that I have been rocked by the loss of these fish. Im sure I will be fine....but I am just questioning a lot of things right now.


----------



## 333 (Mar 23, 2008)

Sorry to hear that GG!


----------



## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

Dont blame yourself Jeff. I am sure out of 100 people who have multiple tank setups with multiple heaters in tanks the percentage of them who have 2 heaters on 2 different outlets is very minute. I for one never thought of this either having it on 2 separate outlets. In a very strange way your experience shared with us only improves the hobby and educates the masses.


----------



## bernokarl (Mar 26, 2007)

That is BAD ! Sorry


----------



## Devon Amazon (Apr 3, 2005)

Thats a real shame!
I was a big admirer of your geryi com

Hope it doesnt put you off keeping fish for good


----------



## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

Grosse Gurke said:


> I appreciate the kind words...and I have lost fish over the years...but nothing like this. Im just not sure what I am going to do in this hobby anymore. Of course I am drunk....and I am sure I will get over this loss in a little while....but I just dont know....this really hit home.
> 
> And really...this was my fault. I could have done things differently to ensure something like this didnt happen. I just didnt see two heaters failing on me...and with my waterchange system...I was pumping cold water into a nonheated tank which just accentuated the situation.


Thats just horrible! I see your extreme frustration now! That just doesnt make a bit of sense!
**EDIT**
I just read about the power strip.


----------



## Puddjuice (Mar 11, 2004)

Devon Amazon said:


> Thats a real shame!
> I was a big admirer of your geryi com
> 
> Hope it doesnt put you off keeping fish for good


That tank was an amazing tank and still is.


----------



## Piranha Dan (Nov 11, 2007)

Grosse Gurke said:


> Again....I really do appreciate all the kind words I have received...whether deserved or not. David..thanks for the call man...it was needed.
> 
> I know this might seem like a ploy for attention to some...and that is fine...but I have never felt like this in my years in the hobby. I lost Norman not long ago...my bullmastif....and this feels somewhat the same. I didnt realize the connection I had with these fish until now...and I feel like crap...because no matter what people say...I know it was my error that caused this to happen. Im not saying that I am done with this hobby...just that I have been rocked by the loss of these fish. Im sure I will be fine....but I am just questioning a lot of things right now.


There's nothing wrong with the way you feel. I love all my pets equally, be they fish, mammal, arthropod, whatever. There's nothing wrong with feeling sad about losing a pet, even if it was a fish. If I came home and found my Reds belly up, I'd feel the same way I did the day I had to put my dog to sleep. There's no difference.


----------



## MiGsTeR (Jan 19, 2008)

Sorry to hear that man.. Just keep your heads up, thers plenty more for you.


----------



## stevepedersen (Mar 13, 2006)

thats really crappy man, same thing happened to me about a year and a half ago. i come home and my 5rbp are floating. My breaker blew in my apt(stupid roommate) and well u can guess the rest. those were my only fish at the time and i gave up on the hobby for a while. just bought 7 new rbp this past weekend and feels good to have some little buddies around again.


----------



## spike (Nov 27, 2002)

Know how you feel mate.I lost over £400 of wild caught malawi cichlids last summer.After that i drained the tank and it lay empty for about 10 weeks not knowing if i was going to ever fill it up again.I eventually did and got back into piranhas,i bought 9 caribe.They are the bollocks and now a never look back.As someone said in an earlier post things happen for a reason.One door shuts and another one opens.

Keep the chin up mate.


----------



## mykil73g (Aug 28, 2004)

Holy sh*t thats devastating. i'm not gonna try to relate... just say I hope that bummer feeling doesnt last any longer than it has to. and hope you don't give up entirely on the hobby. maye some kinda hiatus or somethin??? Again, sorry to hear about your misfortune.


----------



## Chapz (Jul 9, 2007)

That totally sucks but things happen.
It will get better someday.
Fortunately, my apartment is normally hot, the temp in my is in the low 80's.
No need for heaters.

Anyways, how cold did the water get since the heaters died?


----------



## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

Sorry about your lost GG.







Give yourself a little time to grieve and I know you will make the right decision whether to continue with the hobby or not.


----------

