Losing interest...?

Hi, all. I hope this is in the right forum. I didnt know where to put it.

I feel horrible for saying this but I think that I am losing interest in fishkeeping.
Here me out please.

Ive been successfully keeping goldfish for about a year now. In late November, I found my dream goldfish at a Petsmart (of course) and brought her home. She quickly became my most favorite fish ever with her funny personality (but I won't bore you with the details).
I decided to add another goldie in February, but this fish I did not quarantine like I usually did. I guess I just got too confident and since everything was going perfect, didnt think anything bad would happen.

No need to yell and me and give me speeches. Ive been tough on myself as it is... Its one of (if not the) biggest regret of my life.

Well. I'm sure you know that's not what happened. The fish was carrying ich (that infected the whole tank). Luckily, I was able to treat everyone back to health. But that's not all. The fish was also carrying some type of fluke that wiped out every single goldfish (except one). My favorite fish did not survive.

That happened about three weeks ago. I have one fish left out of my stock. Shes doing great. I treated for flukes and she is as healthy as can be. But I am just not excited about fishkeeping anymore. Losing my favorite fish (and everyone else) really hit me (as ridicululous as it might sound). I am still not over her death.

I thought about buying another fish to start up the hobby again (although I have one currently) but I feel like that's like replacing my fish, and I don't mean to do that. And yes, everything is perfect now, so the tank is ready for a new fish. IM the one that's not ready.

Has anyone else felt this way before? What do you suggest?
Thank you, if you have taken the time to read all of this. And an even bigger thanks if you happen to share your thoughts on this topic.

 

I'm curious how size is the tank and how many goldfish did you have and what kind?

 

Its a 60 gallon and I had 4 (two small, two larger). Ive done my research... And they were fancy goldfish (not common), just to make that clear since most think "common" when someone mentions goldfish.

 

Yes, I've felt this way many times. Pretty much every time I lose a special pet I feel like I should just get rid of the rest and it's all I can do to drag myself up to do what needs to be done for the pets I still have. It's all I can do to take care of their necessities. I find that if I stick to it for a while though eventually my love for my pets wins out, though it helps to have a friend or two willing to help out and pick up any slack while you're recovering.

Sorry for your losses x

 

The first fish I got attached to was an Angel fish. She lived till the rip old age of 4 . When she died I gave up the hobby for a few years.I know how you feel. Its not an easy hobby.

 

Nobody's gonna yell or lecture because you're in mourning and it's damaged your interest.

If I were in your situation, the course I would follow is to find a good home for the last remaining goldfish while I recovered. I have the type of personality where, if I'm forced to do something I don't enjoy doing, I'll very quickly resent it and eventually get angry with it and apathy will turn into hate.

This situation happened to me before. Instead of rehoming my RTB shark, I left her to die on her own, forgetting feedings and wcs and just in general completely neglecting her. She went on for well over a year like that before the tank sprung a leak and she kicked the bucket. It took 10 years for me to get excited about fish keeping, and the passion I have for them is unstoppable right now.

I'll never stop feeling horrible about Jerk and what I put her through. It's my hope that the rainbow shark I was given last weekend will be my redemption.

 

I recommend going to a fish shop and just looking at the fish and chatting to the staff. Whenever I lose one of my water babies and feel like tearing the thing down I always go to my LFS, talk to the guys in there, look at fish and I get excited again. Nothing helps more.

Always wanted to keep fancy goldfish but my tank is planted and tropical at the moment, I know they love to eat plants haha.

 

For years I would back off seasonally, in summer sales are slow, not many fish related events going on. The past 18 months has been a bit different, due to my wife's med issues & other family situations, down to 3 tanks running out of 30. In many ways it is a welcome break, decades of being a fishroom slave can get grueling. Many folks with multiple tanks will do this from time to time, life evens out, we all get gung ho back into it.