fish suck

OK- last night I didn't get to bed until 12.30pm because the addition of white-spot cure to the water then needed to be followed by faffing around the filter because apparently the carbon filter (which I only just got because the first pet shop person told me I didn't need it and this one said, 'oh no, its critical') kills the stuff killing the bad stuff - and then the filter carking it because it was so clogged with dead plant matter and God knows what else that I had to pull.it.apart. to make it work at all again. Anyway, today Gus and Goldie died. I then got rid of Nemo as even though he/she wasn't dead, the other fish (the new ones who bought the white-spot with them but now look fabulous) were eating his/her scales and fins off him/her as it swam vertically around the tank. Anyway, then I realised the filter wasn't really working properly again - so once again, more cleaning, more faffing around at 11.30 at.night. Anyway, I guess I should be thankful for the relatively easy 18 months leading to the two weeks of painfulness, instigated by my own cleaning/nesting frenzy. If this is the hassle with fish, imagine me with dogs.