Fish emergency.....NEED ADVICE!

Chriscrna · Jun 24, 2016

My hippo got spooked and jumped out of the tank while I was cleaning the outer glass just a moment ago.

Usually, this is no big deal. But this time, she jumped out of the back and fell through the hole in my floor and landed all the way down onto the concrete basement floor.

I got her back in the tank immediately, and she appears to be swimming and breathing ok. But it looks like she has a bunch of dirt, sand, and other crap embedded in her slime coat. I thought this would wash off once back in the tank but it hasn't.

Any recommendations other than watch and wait?

shoelaceike · Jun 24, 2016

Just wait although I would be surprised if it didn't suffer internal I injuries. You should get a lid.

cale0721 · Jun 24, 2016

My blue sided wrasse jumped out when I was mounting some corals and got stuff all over him and I just put him back in. After awhile he was clean again. Maybe wait 30 minutes if not, if you can get her out again clean her off in some tank water.

Chriscrna · Jun 24, 2016

cale0721 said:
My blue sided wrasse jumped out when I was mounting some corals and got stuff all over him and I just put him back in. After awhile he was clean again. Maybe wait 30 minutes if not, if you can get her out again clean her off in some tank water.

Yeah, it's starting to come off now. Too bad she didn't land in the sump downstairs, because that's a long way to fall.

What are the odds of her jumping into that once inch gap between my overflow and wall to fall directly through the plumbing holes???

I think I will cut some foam to size and fit it around the plumbing and completely seal off the hole.

cale0721 · Jun 24, 2016

Chriscrna said:
Yeah, it's starting to come off now. Too bad she didn't land in the sump downstairs.

No kidding, you'd think that big of a sump she would have lol

Chriscrna · Jun 24, 2016

I hope she's ok. I've had her since she was the size of a quarter.

cale0721 · Jun 24, 2016

How's her coloring? Still swimming ok?

Naiad · Jun 24, 2016

Just watch carefully for internal issues. Reminds me of when years ago I was cleaning my freshwater and a fish spooked. He jumped landed on the floor and flopped into a return vent that went straight to the furnace [emoji33].

cale0721 · Jun 24, 2016

Naiad said:
Just watch carefully for internal issues. Reminds me of when years ago I was cleaning my freshwater and a fish spooked. He jumped landed on the floor and flopped into a return vent that went straight to the furnace [emoji33].

Holy cow! [HASHTAG]#notalldrainsleadtotheocean[/HASHTAG]

Naiad · Jun 24, 2016

Yea. Then I tried aquatic frogs and salamanders. Almost as bad as an octopus those guys would get out any hole and wind up dried out in weird places. My mom loved me lol.

thenissantech · Jun 24, 2016

All you can do is keep an eye on him. They are pretty resilient fish though! Hopefully he will pull through

Chriscrna · Jun 24, 2016

Naiad said:
Just watch carefully for internal issues. Reminds me of when years ago I was cleaning my freshwater and a fish spooked. He jumped landed on the floor and flopped into a return vent that went straight to the furnace [emoji33].

LOL! Don't mean to laugh, but that made me laugh out loud.

Chriscrna · Jun 24, 2016

cale0721 said:
How's her coloring? Still swimming ok?

Looks good. Most of the gunk has come off. She's got one small spot that hasn't cleared up yet....may be an abrasion. Otherwise, lights are on now and she's swimming and eating just like nothing ever happened.

She's definitely earned extra Larry's and nori today.

Reefrookie220 · Jun 24, 2016

If it's an abrasion, it'd be a safe bet to give her something to prevent an infection, if she gets an infection shell stress, we all know what tang stress lead to!

seased · Jun 25, 2016

I've got some extra netting from brs if you want to make a screen lid - you just need to get some window screen framing. I had a wrasse jump from my tank to the ground, but that was only 5-6 feet. After a few days, he was ok and swimming around like normal.

Chriscrna · Jun 25, 2016

seased said:
I've got some extra netting from brs if you want to make a screen lid - you just need to get some window screen framing. I had a wrasse jump from my tank to the ground, but that was only 5-6 feet. After a few days, he was ok and swimming around like normal.

Thanks for the offer David, but I can't bring myself to cover that beautiful tank......plus I've got that chunk of liverock protruding out of the water.

But she looks good. Been swimming around like normal and eating like a pig. So far, so good. Just freaked me out a bit......but I wasn't as freaked out as she was I'm sure. LOL.