Help! Clown Loach Stuck In An Ornament!

[Amunet]

There is a clown loach that has gotten itself thoroughly stuck inside of an ornament and I don't know what to do to get it out!! I'm trying to pull it out with tweezers, but they're sharp, and the only spot I can grab the loach is by its tail.
I don't want to hurt it, but I don't know what to do.

 

[bagu]

hmm, can you use you fingers?

can you pull out the ornament quickly and try?

i dont know what to say =(

good luck!

 

[MewMew42]

oh no!

how is he stuck? is it like his body or head thats stuck?

is it a hole in the ornament that he was supposed to swim through or not?

if it is just a hole try a gentle push? if not i think you may have to use your fingers :[

sorry =[

 

[Amunet]

The hole is too small to get my fingers in there.
I grabbed ahold of its tail and tryed pulling it out w/ the tweezers, but it is stuck. I mean REALLY stuck.
I don't know what to do. going to have to maybe break it or something *shrugs*
I probably killed the poor thing. I mean I was trying to pull as gently as possible but I'm sure the poor thing is stressed as heck.

He is in a hole in the ornament. His entire body is inside of it. I can't see him unless I use a flashlight.

 

[mattbond]

leave the ornament in the tank for about half hour, lights off, let him calm down

after that, keeping the ornament submerged, try and get some kind of blade, and saw it open

and hopefully he'll live

let us know, good luck

 

[MewMew42]

oh deary i see what you mean now, i though he was half in half out of something

i dont know what to suggest =[ how long has he been there?

i dont think you could break it unless it was a huge ornament so there wouldnt be a chance of hurting him..

im not sure what to suggest =[

i bet that once you turn your back he would have gotten out and be swimming around fine!...well heres hoping anyways! fingers crossed!

 

[Amunet]

I took a screwdriver and a hammer and started chiseling at the ornament.
Finally got the top part off where the loach was, poor thing looked awful Still breathing but who knows.
I think I may have hit him when the top part came off b/c it came off kinda quickly and right by its head
I feel so awful. I really hope it lives.
Not putting the ornament back in the tank until it dries and I have a chance to silicone all the little holes right up.

 

[Storm20]

Awww just knock the light off and let him rest.

 

[mattbond]

did he get out of it then? just bin the ornament seriously, its more trouble than its worth

 

[MewMew42]

awww i really hope he's okay!!!

ah clown loaches the trouble they can get themsleves into

 

[Amunet]

Our black ghost knife really likes it, and well my hubby likes it as well lol.
I have some left over aquarium silicone so it's not any trouble to seal up all the holes.

Some photos of where it was stuck....

The part that came off.

The inside of the top here opened up some, but the loach was stuck in the tiny holes before this part

Top view of the castle. The hole is smaller than the size of a dime.

And inside view...

When I was getting the fish out of the storage bin they were in... it was swimming just fine with the rest of them, so really hope it's ok.

 

[WILDER]

Bless Him. How he doing now.

 

[Amunet]

Good news to report. It looks like he's ok.
Went to feed the tank. Noticed the rest of the loaches swimming around but not that one so got worried.
As soon as I put some food in the tank, it appeared.
Tailfin is a bit raggedy as I expected it to be, but other than that, it looked fine and was eagerly munching on the food. WHEW!

 

[WILDER]

Glad he's ok bless him.

 

[mattbond]

have you got rid of the ornament though? its really not worth the hassle