Fish accidents

[Hobbit]

I’m sure we’ve all had them, but I had a particularly sad one today. 😞

I was transferring my 8 week old gourami babies to the ten gallon grow-out tank. I got three in the net at once. When I put them in the new tank they exited the net so fast that I didn’t get to count them. The net looked like it was empty so I squeezed the net to wring the water out. But it wasn’t empty. One baby was stuck in the back. I saw it pretty quickly and got it back in the water, where it fled under the sponge filter and panted, shivering. I watched it for ages. I felt terrible. Eventually it came out, very slowly. It has trouble moving forward and one of its feelers is stuck pointing backwards and it’s tail and ventral fin are torn. I feel sooooo awful. I added stress coat to their water and I’ll just have to wait and see how it’s doing in the morning.

I’ve made enough mistakes in my life that I know I can’t beat myself up over this, but still. Poor little fish.

[lefty o]

the good thing, most fish we keep are actually fairly resilient little buggers. it may come around given some time.

[FrozenFins]

the poor thing. I would try to add aquarium salt to the water, that does wonders. 

[Ken Burke]

Two kinds of fish keepers: those cleaning up after a disaster, and those about to have one.  
 

I agree on the salt btw.  No real downside, and we all need chicken soup from time to time.

[Hobbit]

Thanks everyone! Good news—the little fish is swimming almost as well as the others this morning. He’s active and eating and both his feelers are moving. Phew!!

I may try the salt, though I don’t rinse my baby brine shrimp so I won’t add too much extra on top of that. 😉

[lefty o]

that is good news that it appears to be doing ok.

[Larrimore]

Had a pleco go flying out of the tank the other day.  Not sure what he was trying to accomplish.  The hole back there is barely big enough for him to fit through. Luckily, my daughter was in the room, grabbed him, and he's doing fine.  Stuff happens.  Like someone above said, they're tougher than we give them credit for.