My biggest OOOPS YET!

[pkremer]

OK, I just made my biggest OOPS yet, in a long line of OOPS this week. I'm beginning to feel like Menagerie, only my mistakes are stupider and based on a lot less experience!

Maybe some have been following my cycle problems here, maybe not...
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=25835

Anyway, I decided to fish the 4 killifish out of my 38 gallon and put them back in my 10 gallon because the gourami and loaches have been harassing them. I changed out most of the water, treated, heated to appropriate temp, all parameters look great. Ammonia and Nitrite were not registering, so I began my attempt to fish the killies out of the 38. After about 20 minutes, I finally had two of them and transferred them over, however the other 2 proved much smarter and were hiding in and around my decorations. After another 20 minutes, I became frustrated and started to remove all decorations from my tank. I did so very slowly so that all the fish inside them would be sure to escape. Found all my fish....or so I thought.

OK, so all my decorations are out, it takes me approximately 5 minutes to get the killies out (as you can tell, I am still new at netting fish, especially these lightning killies). So I begin to put my decorations back in. First the driftwood, then the fake log. I pick up my large decoration and underneath it is one of my yo-yo loaches!!! AUUUGH!

I figure he is dead, but I had to make sure. I know I am not supposed to touch him, so I scoop him up with the net, and put him back in the water....he starts to wriggle, and promptly catches his barbels in my net. I tried to help him without touching him and after about 5 minutes, he finally wriggled free and screamed over behind the driftwood where he sleeps. 20 minutes later after this horrific episode, he is still alive and well! I am both shocked at my idiocy and the fact he lived for 5 minutes outside my aquarium with no water!!!

I'll have to wait I guess to see if he has any lasting ill effects, but I am hopeful. How can one person get so lucky so many times? So there you have it. I am ready for my lashing. If it helps, the killies are out of the stresses of my 38 and in clean water. I will float a biowheel to hopefully help it stay that way.

Paul

[shawmutt]

How can one person get so lucky so many times?

Less about luck and more about a fish's ability to adapt. I had a catfish who disappeared for months at a time, and would only show up after I drained the tank! Once in a situation identical to yours. Another time I drained all but a half inch or so of water, moved the tank, and refilled the water--all told taking about 20 minutes with no sign of the catfish--and guess who should be swimming about?) About catching, my cichlids hate the net, and have so many hiding places that I have to remove all 50# of rockwork just to catch them!

Good luck with your loach, I hope he stays well!

[TankGirl]

I don't think you have done anything stupid at all - there is no reason to think that a fish would do anything but flee when a decoration is being removed. I lost a pleco inside a PetsMart fake root ornament, but it took me forever to realize he had gotten inside. A baby angel I had once also got trapped inside a similar ornament but I remembered to check and got him out.

For loaches and cats I generally scoop them gently in my hands, very loosely, because those barbels do get snagged in nets and damaged, but you are right to be cautious about the slime coat that can be disrupted by handling.

A tip on catching lightening quick fish - get yourself a tank divider and make the area where they can get to smaller and smaller until you catch them.

Now all you have to do is daily water changes on the 10 - don't forget to put something from your 38 into it to help with the cycle.

Once all of this is over with you will be expert at all things "cycle" and will be able to guide other newbies through the process. Silver lining, and all

[Maillis]

Netting fish is fun. Just a word of advice....never corner a 5" bala shark. They WILL jump right out of the tank and onto your floor to avoid being netted. Not that I know from personal experience or anything.... hehe.