Horrible amateur mistake. I got a sterlet to keep my male flowerhorn company thinking that this fish is built like a tank. Literally, fully armored prehistoric fish. I was blasting the bubbler trying to keep oxygen levels up and keeping a very close eye on the two to make sure there were no altercations. Everything was going quite well as I observed how they interacted for several hours. Bedtime.... time to shut the lights off and hit the hay. Nope go to snuff the lights and catch the FH tagging the sterlet at the bottom of the tank. I go to rescue the poor bastard only to discover he has NO EYES! I moved him to his own tank where he lived out the rest of his life (another 6 months). Lesson is NEVER trust a flowerhorn under any circumstance. They lead happy lives of solitude with some occasional sex. Secondly NEVER try and keep a sterlet in an aquarium without a chiller and proper conditions. These things belong in ponds outdoors in the cold and are appropriate for almost no one. This is my my most guilt ridden embarrassing mistake in fish keeping.
poor fish