juliethegr8t
Addicted and in Therapy
I remember reading stories like this in the past, but after having it happen to myself, I really want to share my own to maybe prevent it from happening to someone else.
The other day I had just turned off the light in the 10 gallon tank after viewing for awhile, and as I went to leave (wasn't even looking at the fish anymore), I heard a rapid, loud thumping noise. Never heard anything like it before, so I went to look in the tank, and immediately spotted that my Dwarf Gourami was in the hole in my decoration.... stuck to be exact.
The noise was coming from him beating his tail aganist the ornament in an effort to free himself. I know that he can fit in this hole, as I have seen him do it several times with no problem, but this time he went through at just the wrong angle. He was firmly wedged with his dorsal fin and belly. I immediately pulled the ornament up and tried everything to get him out - squirting water through the hole, pushing him from the front, from the back... nothing worked. Finally my mom heard me screamin and came to the rescue. She somehow used the end of my filter brush to pop him out, and he went flying to the other side of the tank.
He was breathing very hard and fast, and immediately went to the surface to get air (labyrinth fish). I added Melafix, Stress Coat, turned the light off, and left him alone. When I checked on him later I was able to assess his injuries. His dorsal fin is a little scraped up, and his sides too. Thankfully I think he is going to be ok... he is eating and swimming like normal now. I'm just glad I was able to be there when he got stuck, or I know he would have drowned.
I have cut a piece of filter sponge and stuffed it in the hole so this cannot happen again. Please, PLEASE inspect all of your ornaments and decorations to make sure there is nowhere a fish can get stuck. Even if they've been going through it with no problem, make sure there isn't an angle they could get stuck - I learned this the hard way. I don't want anyone losing a fish, so thanks for readin my book.
The other day I had just turned off the light in the 10 gallon tank after viewing for awhile, and as I went to leave (wasn't even looking at the fish anymore), I heard a rapid, loud thumping noise. Never heard anything like it before, so I went to look in the tank, and immediately spotted that my Dwarf Gourami was in the hole in my decoration.... stuck to be exact.
The noise was coming from him beating his tail aganist the ornament in an effort to free himself. I know that he can fit in this hole, as I have seen him do it several times with no problem, but this time he went through at just the wrong angle. He was firmly wedged with his dorsal fin and belly. I immediately pulled the ornament up and tried everything to get him out - squirting water through the hole, pushing him from the front, from the back... nothing worked. Finally my mom heard me screamin and came to the rescue. She somehow used the end of my filter brush to pop him out, and he went flying to the other side of the tank.He was breathing very hard and fast, and immediately went to the surface to get air (labyrinth fish). I added Melafix, Stress Coat, turned the light off, and left him alone. When I checked on him later I was able to assess his injuries. His dorsal fin is a little scraped up, and his sides too. Thankfully I think he is going to be ok... he is eating and swimming like normal now. I'm just glad I was able to be there when he got stuck, or I know he would have drowned.
I have cut a piece of filter sponge and stuffed it in the hole so this cannot happen again. Please, PLEASE inspect all of your ornaments and decorations to make sure there is nowhere a fish can get stuck. Even if they've been going through it with no problem, make sure there isn't an angle they could get stuck - I learned this the hard way. I don't want anyone losing a fish, so thanks for readin my book.
