So GROSS but so worth it

[courtnee]

I went to the LFS today and browsed around a little. I have some room in my 55gl before I get my 75gl I can shop around. I saw some glo light tetra and thought they were beautiful. I told him to scoop me up 3 as they will school fine with my every growing tetra colony of various tetra.

I get my bag with 3 and all happy leaving the LFS. I get home and set them in the tank to get use to the water. They are active little things. I let them sit 20mins and go to cut the bag open to start letting in some of my water.

I open the bag and 2 of them just jump out and bail into the tank. I am stunned, shocked and trying to let my brain catch up to what just happened. I have one left in the bag and figure I can at least finish getting him use to the water.

I see him jump out of the bag....

Frustrated I take the bag to the sink, lifting it up twice to check for fish... nothing in there.

I dump the bag of water into the sink... omg there is a fish!!! I go to grab him as he falls down into the garbage disposal.

Okay the thought of having to grind the fish in there is just wrong. I dont have a flash light and I am lifting up the rubber thinger to see down in there. I see him laying still and not breathing fast or freaking out.

I *cringe* reach in there and can not get him. I grab some tank water as it is in my kitchen by me and let a little down there with him. It has been over 3mins and I cant get him out.

I feel his tail and use my nails to get a hold of it and lift him out. I toss him in the 1cp measuring cup I had with some tank water. He remains calm through this all, I am freaking out.

I toss him fast into my tank. Then I realize that prolly wasnt the best as he could of had bacteria etc on him. LOL

He swam off just fine with the other guys and it has been about 5hrs since and he is showing no signs of issues. All 3 seem happy and just being fish.

I had to share.

 

[shayfish]

Holy cow... what a story! Keep your eyes peeled for signs of injury...

Glad to hear he is doing okay though!

 

[LandGhoti]

OMG 8O That is an amazing story.
Is he still doing OK?
Post a pic of this calm little fishie if you can.

 

[aquariumnoob]

Wow, that was lucky. I understand though, I could never just leave a fish in my garbage disposal...I would also reach in and do whatever it would take to get it out, even if it meant just going to bury it.

 

[Lepomis]

Hate when strange stuff like that happens. On a side note I added a kitchen colander to my "fish stuff" a long time ago. I like it better for transfer of larger fish from bags to tanks, rinsing gravel, plants, etc....

 

[courtnee]

Still doing great this morning. He is one of these two. The 3rd one is a little bigger, these two are the same size.

No clamped fins. They just got done eating so they were all over and hard to get a pic.

One lucky fish! My daughter was so upset when he was down in the disposal. She was crying and begging me to get him out. She is turning 7 tomorrow and helped me pick out the fish yesterday. A good birthday gift to her that he made it out just fine.

 

[black hills tj]

Glad to hear everyone is happy and doing well

 

[LandGhoti]

He, whichever one he is , looks great!
Thanks for posting a pic. What an adventure. Maybe he was a cat in his previous life. 8O

 

[Zagz]

What an amazing story of a lucky fish! Glad to hear he is still doing fine.

 

[courtnee]

Thanks all! I laugh at the cat comment because the only way I got him when I did was I got a hold of his tail. Which is much safer then his head.

Also him not flopping around and not in panic mode helped A LOT. If he would of moved further over or had been flopping around, I dont think I would of got him.

 

[bs6749]

I have a friend who had this same thing happen to her. She accidentally lost a danio down the kitchen sink but was able to save it.