Coral Hind December 20, 2010 Share December 20, 2010 Well I got up this morning and checked on the tanks like I always do around 5am and everything seemed fine. A few hours later I walked back downstairs to find my family's favorite fish, a pink tail trigger, stiff as a board on the carpet. Pretty much dry on the top side and no life. I took it upstairs and as I am standing over the trash can about to slide it into an old bread bag I saw a fin twitch. I figured it was a reflex but then it did it again. So I ran back downstairs and placed its face in front of a nano stream to push water across its gills. After about ten minutes one pectoral, the one on the carpet side which was still moist and the dorsal fin were moving normally. It was still stiff as a board and when I moved it away from the power head it would take about three breaths and stop. Twenty minutes later, my arm is getting tired and my foot went to sleep but I still kept holding it in front of the power head. Then it started to become limp and slime up. It is now breathing unassisted but is just sitting upright on top of a rock. I'm not sure if it will make but I am just glad I decided to blow off two meetings and stay home today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert December 20, 2010 Share December 20, 2010 That sucks, I hope you can save it's life! If not oh well, still got that big huge clam!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der ABT December 20, 2010 Share December 20, 2010 holy cow, i never woulda though about the powerhead, Hope he/she makes it. I wish i woulda done that to my picasso (though it was bone dry as it was on concrete) i wouldnt be suprised if the carpet saved its life. here hoping for a holiday miracle, i think the coworkers will understand (i know mine think im nuts) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami December 20, 2010 Share December 20, 2010 Good luck. Hopefully this story has a happy ending! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trockafella December 20, 2010 Share December 20, 2010 Good luck. Hopefully this story has a happy ending! +1.. bEST OF LUCK TO YOU.!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind December 20, 2010 Author Share December 20, 2010 Thanks! He is still alive but just resting in the same place. Hey looks funny right now in that the side that was on the carpet and stayed moist is his original dark green color and the side that was up and dry is really black. Finger's crossed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikS December 20, 2010 Share December 20, 2010 Glad to hear it's alive........wonder how much tissue trauma a fish can handle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbartco December 20, 2010 Share December 20, 2010 had a freshwater fish do the exact same thing years ago in college. Peeled him off the carpet. Was dry, eyes clouded over, but his gill moved just before placing in the trash. I had to manually move him back and forth for hours (no powerhead). Took a few months to regenerate all his scales/fins - but lived. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 December 20, 2010 Share December 20, 2010 Some can live for hours out of the water. The key is that they don't dry up inside too much and damage their organs and their gills. I'd rig something up if you can to kind of hold it steady and in some decent water flow. The gills tend to stick together so breathing may be very difficult for it. Different kind of fish, but I have cleaned out fish to eat and had beating hearts 4 hours plus after I removed them from the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldReefer December 20, 2010 Share December 20, 2010 That is an ugly story with a nice fish. Hope it ends well. I am happy to build one of those clear mesh-screen tops with you. I never thought of Triggers as big jumpers?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind December 20, 2010 Author Share December 20, 2010 Thanks for the offer Bill. I actually have a screen top that L82Rise made for me. I just didn't use it as I never would have thought the trigger would have jumped. It is on the tank now. Doug that story provided lots of hope for the family. It is swimming around now, not as energetic as normal but at least it is swimming. I think it will make it as long as there are no infections from the dead tissue. The one eye is all cloudy, hopefully that heals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k December 20, 2010 Share December 20, 2010 almost as sturdy as an eel. I'm sure it will be fine since you resuscitated it. You can always hold it by its' tail and pull it back and forth in the water to flush water thru the gills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisTran December 21, 2010 Share December 21, 2010 goodluck and keep us updated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad December 21, 2010 Share December 21, 2010 Sorry to hear about the bad luck David, I have my fingers crossed that it pulls through ok. It sounds like The prognosis is hopeful though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mogurnda December 21, 2010 Share December 21, 2010 Sounds like it might pull through. Fingers crossed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoyden December 21, 2010 Share December 21, 2010 I hope he survives. This has absolutely pushed me to cover my FOWLR - I only have a grouper, a desjardinii and a sacrificial damsel in it, but I would be heartbroken if I lost the grouper or tang. I tried to revive a bandtail puffer at the aquarium the other day with no sucess. He landed on concrete after making it through a tiny gap in the jump barrier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind December 22, 2010 Author Share December 22, 2010 Just an update for you. It is not swimming around much but it is eating. Here is a picture showing the two toned look of it. The moist side that was on the carpet still has the nice dark green but the dried side looks really nasty. It reminds me of Mr. Deeds foot in the movie. [/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der ABT December 23, 2010 Share December 23, 2010 wow what a two face looks like he is doing good i hope you get a full recovery, one of the pet places i used to work at in roanoke had one of these that loved to be petted i mean for like 10 or 15 min it would sit there and let you touch it pick it up without moving etc. how is the eye on that side doin? again good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad December 23, 2010 Share December 23, 2010 Wow, I hope he does ok, it seems a good sign that he is moving around a bit. Athough he is very, very sneaky sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan December 23, 2010 Share December 23, 2010 +1. Had a red freshwater swordfish do the same thing. It was dry. I put it back in the water and moved it back and forth a little and the darn thing started breath and took off swimming. It lived for a few years after that. had a freshwater fish do the exact same thing years ago in college. Peeled him off the carpet. Was dry, eyes clouded over, but his gill moved just before placing in the trash. I had to manually move him back and forth for hours (no powerhead). Took a few months to regenerate all his scales/fins - but lived. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind December 23, 2010 Author Share December 23, 2010 how is the eye on that side doin? again good luck The eye is cloudy but I think he can see out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD December 23, 2010 Share December 23, 2010 I had a fairy wrasse that went hardwood floor surfing. Now I'm thinking I put it in the trash too early without trying to bring it back from the dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite December 23, 2010 Share December 23, 2010 Wow, what a save! Now I know that if I ever have a fish jump, I need to make sure to not assume it's dead just because it's not moving. Thanks for sharing this unfortunate event with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incredible Corals December 23, 2010 Share December 23, 2010 Would adding a cleaner shrimp help out with removing the dead skin? The shrimp will probably molt ever few days he will have so much to eat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluce December 23, 2010 Share December 23, 2010 Amazing story Dave - I wouldn't have thought that you could resusitate a fish like that.. Sounds like you gave him a great chance at recovery. I always wanted a trigger, but am afraid it would kill my corals. How is the pink tail with corals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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