I think I have phobia from fish? Is that even possible?

Question

I don’t know what caused it! I have a very bad fear of pet fish.. I constantly worry before entering the room that they may be dead or something may be wrong with them. I open the light and slowly peek my head in to make sure I can see movement in the fish bowl.. if not, I call someone else to go inside before me and check that everything is normal..if no one is around, I may not even enter the room until someone gets home. I tried to overcome this fear.. Over the course of my life I owned 15 fish, I thought by facing my fear I can get over it.. I was always changing in their sort..Today all 7 died for no reason. We changed the water which we are accustomed to keeping clean, I don’t over feed them and I always make sure to add three drops of water sterilizer. (I don’t actually perform this, I get my mum or fiancé to do it because im too scared to handle them.. I just watch in panic and fear until everything is done..) I don’t know what I’m doing wrong..

I want to know if anyone else experiences this very same psychological fear as me. I don’t mind normal fish I see in the market that I know will end up consumed.. its just the little pet fish that I cant stand to see dead. I start to panic, loose my breath, shut my eyes tight and yell ‘no, no’. I know im weird… I know its silly.. I feel I would be a lot more comfortable confronting a lion than I would be seeing a dead fish. What is this dreadful fear from? I don’t remember any encounters with fish as a child that scared me.

Im also great with animals.. I have a wonderful pet kitten and Im looking on extending.. I want to get her a companion.. I also absolutely love birds and adore dogs. Its just fish, and in specific dead fish. help!

Answer 1

Trace it back from childhood experience and think...what's so scary?

I had a betta and when i got it from a tank, the tail broke accidentally and the fish waddle lifelessly( that was a long time ago)

then after that i quit taking care of fish and sold all my tanks ..

later i realize...what's to be scared of... the betta lived anyway... or even if it died you can save countless of others in the petshops etc....if you learn...just read..

Answer 2

Get a larger tank for your goldfish. Goldfish will die very quickly in a bowl. Otherwise they can live up to 20 years! Knowing they will live that long might not scare you and seeing them alive every day may help. What will help even more is to get a therapist. They will help more than anyone here on Y!A and they are professionals. Dead fish scare me too but just try not to think about it. It's really yucky. You can have someone flush it for you and get a new fish. I highly recomend the therapist though. They can tell you what's going wrong and how to fix it. I've gotten over fears by doing this and so can you! Talk to your doctor about finding a therapist. That's how I got mine. This definately sounds like a phobia though and the best way to get rid of it is through professional help.

Good luck and happy fishes :)

Answer 3

Hmm, well it doesn't seem you have a 'phobia' from the fish themselves, yet perhaps you are just a very concerned/caring person :P As for the 7 fish dying - sorry to hear that, however is it possible that something scared them? I doubt it is that anyway so I will move on. I have had pets myself - perfectly cared after, never let a thing happen to them - and then suddenly they get sick/die. I'm not an expert on fish, but I know with birds such as budgies and stuff, if another budgie die they might get 'depressed' and refuse to eat. With pet rabbits, they sometimes get sick but it is very hard to notice most of the time. Perhaps your fish shared something similar?

It would appear that you are perhaps having a bit of anxiety. However it is great that you show so much affection towards your pets, and they are lucky to have it too. Perhaps you are being too hard on yourself, sometimes animals and fish alike just 'pass away'. If you know you have been an excellent carer of them, and you have done everything you can then really you should not be so scared of 'losing them'. Obviously it is understandable that you will feel a bit upset, but by the examples you have given me it does not seem like it is your fault.  

Answer 4

no fish should have to live in a bowl

maby if you kept fish in an appropriate sized aquarium it would ease your  fear as they are less likely to die

good luck