Passing of a trooper......

[ErikS]

RIP C. Argi 1997/98 - 2012

 

Had a fellow member over on Sat talking tanks & Bs'ing in general. Looking in the tank & it I notice I don't see my cherub angel.....hmmm, that's odd he's always the first one out & about (been cleaning all morning) - not the shy type at all.

 

Spent some time later watching the tank, don't see him. Ah, bummer, must be gone. Turned off the pumps & scouted the tank....no corps either.

 

I'm guessing it was old age, stocking hasn't changed....besides he's survived all manner of changes over the years. Tank changes, crashes, fish changes - you name it he's been through it all. None of the tank mates could or would take him out....never picked a fight, but never backed down either.

 

On the humorous side - he always swam next to the purple tang, like a shadow (they settled their differences years ago w/ the angel's usual "leave me alone & I won't have to kill you"). Now the purple tang seems a bit discombobulated.....swims around almost like "where is that little PITA"

 

Thinking back on it I'm pretty certain it's the first fish I've had go from age.

 

Only real bummer is that a fish which such good genes didn't get to pass them along - certainly one tough fish, survived a lot during it's life.

 

Now I have a maroon clown that's just a tad younger........it couldn't have been the one to go why? (I'm betting that one's got twenty years in it)

[Fishie]

Sry for your loss...he had a good long life under your care

[jimlin]

that is a bummer.

[Coral Hind]

That must hurt but it did live for a long life. So few fish get to live in our tanks for so long.

[Chad]

It's really bittersweet. I am sorry to hear, but it's great that you had it for so long!

[ErikS]

Thanks all.........It's mostly just bummed because I never noticed. You know how it goes, don't do head counts everyday (the youngest fish I have is about 3yrs?) - you just watch the tank, sometimes it take a few days to "see" things. Last time I remember seeing the fish it was following the purple tang & picking on rocks.......

 

I'd say it was pretty tough, it survived all the mistakes I tossed at it

 

The maroon clown is about the same age, I got $20 it makes the full twenty years it could live......rat bastidge

Edited August 14, 2012 by ErikS

[treesprite]

Cherub angels are great fish. I have had them before and both times ended up giving them up due to pugnaciousness (but not aggressive), because once they got comfortable in the tank they kind of took over. The entire tank is their territory and they poke into every single spot that every single other fish occupies, so some fish got annoyed and shy fish were intimidated. They were both very hardy fish impervious to undesirable tank circumstances.

 

This is a reef safe dwarf angel which I highly recommend, but add it after the other fish. They are very small, but I would not put one in a tank under 50g with less pugnacious fish.

[dbartco]

Is it bad that I am thinking thank god it was a fish and not a police officer I first thought when reading the title?

 

I guess be glad you gave it a pretty long life

[ErikS]

Cherub angels are great fish. I have had them before and both times ended up giving them up due to pugnaciousness (but not aggressive)..........

Pretty much describes them. Never started a fight but never backed down either. Everything was fine as long as the other fish allowed the cherub to go where it wanted when it wanted........try to stop that & then it was on. It was often comical to see much larger fish so befuddled. Chase the cherub & it would dart into some crevice only to come flying out somewhere else & hit the fish from behind. More than one fish ended up in the middle of the tank swimming in circles while trying to figure out where the blue blur would hit from next.........then as soon as it gave up trying to prevent the cherub from going somewhere all was peaceful again

 

Is it bad that I am thinking thank god it was a fish and not a police officer I first thought when reading the title?

 

I guess be glad you gave it a pretty long life

Hadn't thought of the title.

 

Pretty long I guess, certainly longer than it likely would have had in the wild........but.....that's my philosophy for fish in general. You take it you accept keeping it alive as long as possible. Like the mentioned clown fish - I may make fun of it but I do my best to keep it alive for as long as I can - I often completely fail at this but that's the goal (which is why I never take them out.....I accepted the contract so to speak).