I was just jerking around with my water cooled LED lighting system and noticed that my empty reactor is still filled with baby shrimp. They grew a little and I am surprised they are still in there because the water goes into the bottom and out through the top so if they are day dreaming, they will be carried into the skimmer where they will have a nice sauna due to my ozonizor then, if they live through that, into my tank.
I also think my male bangai cardinal is near the end of his life. I know I said that last year but he is way past his normal life span and although looks like the picture of health, he is dying of old age and barely eats. Their lifespan in the sea is only 3 years and I have him longer than that. I thought I would have lost him months ago but he is still hanging in there.
When a fish dies of old age they act somewhat like we do. He slowed down and just hangs around his usual haunts starring at me thinking over his life, what he accomplished and what legacy he will leave behind. He lost most interest in food and I think he is too lazy to eat. We do the same thing as we age and I saw my own Mother, Mother N Law and last week ,my best friends Mom do the same thing just before they died.
Their body lost the capacity to digest food so even if I wanted to stupidly force feed him, it would do no good. Fish that are dying of old age also show no disease symptoms. Eventually he will start to go blind then other fish may pick on him. At that point, if I can grab him, I will euthanize him. No I won't hit him over the head with a hammer or lay him in the street until a school bus runs him over. Instead I will put him in salt water in the freezer where he will slow down until his heart stops. Cold blooded creatures all slow down when chilled. Turtles, lizzards, snakes, bears and Paris Hilton all slow down. (Yes I know bears are not cold blooded and I knew you would correct me.)
No need to feel bad for the fish as he lived a full and happy life. He also spawned many times. Even though he looks perfect, I give him another week. I could be wrong but that is my guess.
I am not sure if Mermaids are cold blooded. Maybe only the lower half of them
