Rotten Week

[gratitude28]

Hi All,
DO NOT READ if you are looking for upbeat happy crud. I really need to get some stuff out. Forgive me and please feel free to add your garbage and then we can let this thread be buried in the flotsam of past topics...
At any rate, I don't know even where to start, so I guess it will be a mish mash:
My guppies got some disease and are dying... one or two a day. I have had them for a few years, they have babies, I watch them grow and get colorful and now they are dying and I feel like I have let them down and I can't seem to save them.
My husband leaves Sunday to go to Iraq. We are having "fun" this week... but it feels like "fun with a purpose," nad underneath my cheery front, I am dreading his departure. He will be gone 7 months. And we had to deal with all the yucky stuff like getting a will. I know probably everything will be fine, but... well, I know you get it.
My cousin died this weekend. He has been sick, but holding on and had a massive heart attack. My pig of a mother inserted this in the middle of a chatty letter about how great her vacation was and how much stuff she got. She also told my aunt that she just couldn't take any more time off now to go see her b/c they just got back from vacation. I talked to my Aunt and we cried and laughed and chatted together. I love her and feel so bad for her. She lost another daughter to suicide this year, and my uncle has advanced alzheimer's. She is a strong and wonderful woman.
I am leaving for America next week, and, honestly, I hate flying. I also have to do this entire vacation by myself since my husband will be gone. GOD GIVE ME STRENGTH. It will be my first time sober at my parents' house. ALthough, the alcohol never helped enough anyway.
My son's eardrum burst this week. We just got over a FULL MONTH of rain and went swimming for one weekend and the poor thing had about 48 hours during which he said his ear was hurting and then it burst.
OK, I feel a little bit better. Thanks for letting me vent.
All complaints to this thread will be taken seriously. 
Love, Beth

[Certain Hope]

Hey Beth... maybe we can help re: the guppies?  My husband knows alot about fish and he's sitting right here. What's goin on with the little feeshies?

Love, Hope

[gratitude28]

It's gross. They get what looks like a blood spot inside and then their skin seems to deteriorate in patches. It is like they are being eaten. I cleaned a new tank and moved my babies, but they all died anyways. Some still seem healthy, but it seems to take only a day to take hold and kill them.
Any clues???

[adrift]

I was going to say the same thing as Sugarre, your plate IS full.  It's o.k. to vent, you've got a lot going on.  I don't have much advice, but I'll gladly listen

Adrift

[gratitude28]

Thanks all! I really just need an ear. I am trying to stay "up" for my kids and husband. I don't want them to be worried.
Love, Beth

[Stormchild]

Fish thing sounds protozoal... we've had it in local bodies of water here. Try metronidazole 250 mg per 10 gallons water? Hope, help, I'm not real good at fish stuff... I know the drug is right for protozoa, ditto concentration, but not how often it needs refreshing and how long to treat?

OMG Beth -- "another daughter to suicide" -- who now, who before? Did I not see this? I am so sorry for missing this, it's so sad!!!!!

You are in the middle of what I call a crap storm, except I don't call it crap. I don't know what to say except damn damn damn damn damn damn damn tie a knot hold on tight...

((((((((((Beth))))))))))

[gratitude28]

(((((((((((((((((((((((Stormy)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Could you translate the part of your message about the fish into Japanese so I can ask them at the pet store what to do? I'm not very good at imitating dead fish with flesheating parasites...

[Certain Hope]

Hi again Beth. Sorry... didn't mean to hit post so soon before, but then I got called away. Whew... you do have alot going on and I sure didn't mean to gloss over the heavier troublesome stuff. Re: the guppies, the fishman here says it sounds like a bacterial infection. Generally this is due to housekeeping problems... possibly need to change the water more regularly and also clean out the gravel (vacuum). Also sometimes if you've gotten any new fish recently, they can introduce an infection like that to your tank. Unfortunately, he says there really is no reliable treatment, other than to get the sick fish out of the general population asap.    Sorry not to be of any more help there. Hope you're settling in for the evening now and have a chance to get some good, peaceful rest.

Hope

[Stormchild]

Sending you some links

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/metranidazole.htm

http://www.guppylog.com/special/quicklinks

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/information/Diseases.htm

hope this helps - metronidazole is Flagyl - but the word metronidazole is the generic name worldwide I think

I think Hope is right, though, unfortunately, sounds like meds may not help much. Metronidazole is a kidney toxin to fish so it's a last resort.

[gratitude28]

Thanks for the fish info... I think it was some new fish I got. I had set up a little tank for my son and got him some guppies recently. Two of them died, and I assumed it had something to do with the fact that they were in the new little tank. So I moved the remaining fish into my main tank and cleaned out the little tank... thereby, according to your info (and what I realized when I was thinking about the chain of events), infecting those in the big tank. Arrgghh. It just never entered my mind. You know, generally, guppies can live in soup  I have a tiny tak here on my desk and they are well. My daughter also has a tank of healthy guys. The main tank seems to be ok at the moment, but I will clean it again tonight and make sure any unhealthy ones are removed. It's hard to tell... they get sick quickly and I feel too guilty plucking out one who might be healthy, although usually my suspicions are correct as to their state of health.

tt... thanks for the encouragement. In spite of teh week, I am feeling good. My husband and I went through a bit of a distancing time a while back, so now we are appreciating and enjoying each other. And I think the time will go fairly quickly with him gone (I can hog up the computer and play on my game site and I don't have to worry about what/when we eat dinner!). I generally like having a little break... but this is a long one.

I plan to be adding happy news here again soon! It has been nice to read all of your posts today on all of the topics. I am also happy to see we have some new people joining.
Love, Beth

[moonlight52]

Beth, wow this is just too much .I knew Stomy would know just how to save the guppies,PH of water ,fish food etc website Stormy what a mind!Also Beth your hubby's going for 7 months only thing to do is take it one day at a time .
Beth your Aunt sounds great .She has been thu a lot .That shows how some folks that have been thu a lot become strong and thoughtful like your Aunt.Well your n mom and my n dad seem to have the same foot in mouth
thingy(DO THEY DO IT ON PURPOSE? Mine does)
Lots of health problems on top of everything Oh Beth .What did Stormy say you were going thu a crap storm.What a strong Aunt you have she must help a lot.
Beth Is your little boy's eardrum feeling better?
Just one day at a time and let us know how your little one's doing.
God Bless
Hugs 
Moon

[Healing&Hopeful]

Hiya hon

While reading your post the phrase came to mind… “It never rains but it pours”

Poor little fishes (I had no idea what guppies were until I read the replies!)… however there is a lot of advice….

Re: Your hubby.  Wow hon, this is tough.  Has he any holiday booked?  I take it he will be home in between the 7 months.  My hubby works away and I do know how tough it can be… wishing the time away until you see them, trying to keep busy… but I do believe he will be ok, and while it is horrible when they go away… it’s always fun at the other end, when they come back.  Swings and roundabouts I guess.

I’m so sorry to hear about your cousin and the way you found out, but I’m glad you were able to talk to your aunt.  ((((((((Beth)))))))))

Flying…. I can’t say I’m a big fan either… see it as a means to an end.  Hope the journey’s not too long and you get a lovely airplane meal (some of them aren’t too bad, had a lovely thai meal last year on the plane!).  As you’re at your parents house, is that a vacation?  Well, I hope you have plenty more friends and family you can catch up with too and lots of nice things to keep you busy and as stress free as possible.

Ahhh, your poor son…. That must be very painful for him but luckily he has a great Mum.

(((((((((((((((Beth)))))))))))))))

Love H&H xx

[Hops]

Dear Beth,
I can't help with guppies but I am so sorry you are facing your husband's tour in Iraq. I send strength to you both. Can you stay in fairly regular contact with him by email? Do you know what zone of situation he'll be in? (I hope he's a computer guy in the Green Zone.)

So sorry for your little boy too. Pain makes no sense to kids. I'm sure he'll rebound like a rubber bunny, though.

And for your aunt, and you, in the loss of your cousin (and her other unspeakable loss)...words do fail me. But I am very glad you can hold each other up.

(Your mother is beyond the pale. Her announcement of your cousin's death as somewhere in between shopping and other trivia sounds very familiar to me...NMom.)

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Beth))))))))))))))))))))))))))

This is a tough time. Please keep venting.
What general region of the States will you be visiting?

Hops

[mum]

HI, Beth. I just want to add to the general appreciation of what you do here on the board. You give so much to all of us.
I will send positive and protective energy to your family....even the gups...(you are such a nice person, and the fish stuff just confirms it).

[gratitude28]

Wow,
You all have made me feel so nice. I am still a bit emotional, but have good news in the guppy department... I fished out one female (she was just starting to get sick and it hurt me to do so) but the rest look okay now. No one is displaying signs of sickness. Also, the females released all  of their babies before they got sick (or as they were getting sick) so that the tank seems to be repopulating. I am going to do a big cleaning and we'll see what happens while I am gone. A few seem very strong. Nature takes care of itself.
My son's eardrum is feeling better. He is such a good and sweet boy and is taking it in stride. It always amazes me how mature he is in dealing with adversity. I hope it will be all healed before we get on the plane.
I would like to think of something to do for my aunt. Do you have any ideas? I was thinking of having a tree sent that she could plant or something along those lines. They are having only a memorial serive as he gave his body to science. It was so nice of him to do so as he had kidney disease and maybe they can learn from him.
Yes! My husband is a computer geek and will be in the Green Zone!! So we do have that advantage. I think it will go quickly. It's just hard that bit of time before things get underway, you know???? I want to enjoy the little time remaining, but at the same time, I just want the separation to be over with.
Again, thank you all sooooooooooo much. I can't tell you how much it means to me that you listened and cared.
Love, Beth