EMERGENCY!! Accidentally threw fish in the trash please help!!

[nerdyaquarist]

I’ve been doing aggressive plant maintenance for the last hour and after that I fed the my tank. I noticed I was missing 2 of my Endler’s and started to panic. I looked through my trash until I found the two fish curled up and unresponsive. They were not dry, still moist. I got some aquarium water and put it in a container and desperately tried to move them around the water so their gills could breathe. One of the endlers sinks in the other floats. That was unsuccessful, so I’m agitating the water currently with a turkey baster and they’re still not responding.

Is it too late? Should I keep trying? What else can I do? I don’t want them to die 😭

[TOtrees]

A holding tank with tank water is the best you can do. There’s no treatment or medication here, either you got to them in time or you didn’t. If they aren’t doing better within 5 or 10 mins, I think you’re out of luck. 😞 

Fingers crossed for you. 

Edited December 12, 2022 by TOtrees

[nerdyaquarist]

On 12/11/2022 at 5:38 PM, TOtrees said:

A holding tank with tank water is the best you can do. There’s no treatment or medication here, either you got to them in time or you didn’t. If they aren’t doing better within 5 or 10 mins, I think you’re out of luck. 😞 

Fingers crossed for you. 

Yea I was moving them and aerating the water for maybe 15 minutes and nothing 😞 

I posted this on Reddit too and a redditor recommended me to “pump” them with my fingers and I did it super gently and ended up crushing one :(( this is too much and the crushing part was traumatic I feel like giving up….

[Patrick_G]

So sorry 😥.

I spilled a whole bucket of guppies on the way to sell them a few months ago. Some survived and then reproduced like crazy. 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I'm sorry @nerdyaquarist that really, really sucks. It sadly happens so you're not alone in this, but I know that isn't really a comfort. At least you did find them. :-( 

[lefty o]

mistakes happen. if they dont respond in a few minutes after being out of the water for a while, there's really not too much you can do for them.

[BeeD]

You weren't trying to hurt them, and our human eyes can't be perfect. Don't give up based on this. Many of their relatives will live happy endler lives.

[TheSwissAquarist]

Sorry that happened to you 😢.

[JJenna]

I'm sure they've gone to Endler Heaven! You did all that you could and more.

[AquaHobbyist123]

I'm so sorry to hear this. It wasn't intentional, and It happens (sadly).

[Cinnebuns]

On 12/11/2022 at 7:46 PM, nerdyaquarist said:

Yea I was moving them and aerating the water for maybe 15 minutes and nothing 😞 

I posted this on Reddit too and a redditor recommended me to “pump” them with my fingers and I did it super gently and ended up crushing one :(( this is too much and the crushing part was traumatic I feel like giving up….

I'm so sorry this happened. Tbh, I question the wisdom of that advice to pump them. Sounds like a super high chance of fail with an extremely low chance of success. That sounds very traumatic I'm so sorry. 

[AndEEss]

When someone takes to long to unhook a trout (or any fish), the best course of action is to put them into the water, facing upstream. This forces water into their mouths, and thus gills. 
 

I’d hold the fish in my filter outflow, if possible, in this scenario.
 

 

[Tanked]

On 12/12/2022 at 10:21 PM, AndEEss said:

When someone takes to long to unhook a trout (or any fish), the best course of action is to put them into the water, facing upstream. This forces water into their mouths, and thus gills. 
 

I’d hold the fish in my filter outflow, if possible, in this scenario.
 

 

I have successfully revived a red tail shark by dipping like a teabag. Sadly I doubt that the tiny fish can survive long enough to benefit from either of these methods.