Help Spiney Eel Stuck In Rock

[indigoj]

One of my eels has got stuck, I think he tried to follow a baby loach through a tiny hole (he's ignored it as if knowing it was too small before now) and he is stuck half way. Can't go back because of his spines, or forward because his back half is thicker.

Would he survive if we hammer/drill the rock? (we'd have todo this out of water)

Any other ideas on getting him out?

Posting here as you oddballers may have experienced this before!

 

[CAC]

So its actually a hole through a rock, not between two rocks?
If you can, try and ease him through, I would say thats your best bet. How long has it been there for? Try kinda massaging the part you want him to go away from (i.e his head if you want him to go back, tail if forward). Thats about all I can think of. Its semi-likly it will just get itself out somehow, but you cant be garenteed.

 

[indigoj]

We tried gently manouvering him but his spines just dig into the rock. Thanks for replying though. OH is using a jigsaw now to try and cut a section out of the rock... gulp. Let you know how he gets on!

 

[indigoj]

He's out! Bit stressed and scraped but alive and well. Hole now 3 x bigger thanks to OH with his jigsaw.

 

[CAC]

Nice, thats really great news. Sounds like a scary time! When mine was stuck in my internal filter I was the same...

 

[Straydum]

try to source out any other possible holes it might get stuck in again and get rid of them.

 

[indigoj]

Lol, don't worry, no more holes they could get stuck in! Going to check periodically as they grow though. Think he is still in shock but doing ok, he's just hiding more than usual. Think the sawing out was more traumatic that being stuck and he is terrified of his knight in shining armour (other half) who did the sawing.

 

[cane76]

i would treat the scrapes with melafix as a precaution
eels are a nightmare for this type thing