Few months ago i was syphoning water out of my main tank with one of those syphon kits with a squeezy rubber pump halfway down to start the syphon off. Well i took the plastic protector off the end because i found it "more effective" without. Well, in an instant my Armoured Bichir decided he wanted to go for flume shoot ride and went whizzing down the pipe. It wedged his head into the squeezy pump and he was stuck. I cut the pipe in half, chopped off the pump and did every thing i could, but his gills were well and truely stuck. He had no hope of getting out, after 20 frantic minutes his breathing was getting really slow and sporadic so i made the gut wrenching decision to end his life quickly. I'd exhausted all options and was devastated. All because i had one moment of absolute stupidity, it cost me alot of heart-ache and a £27 Armoured Bichir that i'd had a little over a month.
We all cut corners, or try something that we think will be 'fine', but its never worth the risk. Were human, so we will forever learn the hard-way, because thats what sod's law means. Its unfortunate, but as a fish-keeper i'm better for it now i've learnt. I never cut corners, or risk anything anymore.
Hopefully some will take heed from these such events, as its awefull when we experience them, but we've all been there.
