Oh crap.........

adam finley · Jan 12, 2020

So I was doing a water change a decided I would clean off some algae that was growing on the back glass. Usually I just leave it but I decided I have time I’ll just clean the glass since I’m doing a water change. So I have the lid off the tank and with my hand in the tank I’m lightly scrubbing the back glass clean no big deal I thought. That’s when my wrasse came out from under the rock work got spooked at jumped out of the tank. It took me a minute or two to pick that slimy guy off the carpet. I finally got him back in the tank and he swam for 2 seconds and disappeared I’m guessing into the sand bed. I’m a little worried about him do you think he’ll be fine?

tripdad · Jan 12, 2020

Should be fine, just freaked out.

adam finley · Jan 12, 2020

Thanks I hope so. I am just a little worried because it took me several attempts to get him off the carpet and back into the tank.

Cory · Jan 12, 2020

Yep give him 3 days max. Hell be back to normal for sure. I once had a dog faced puffer jump. He was on the carpet covered in a thick clear jello substance. I picked him up thinking he was dead and went to the toilet and dropped him in. Immediately he jerked. I freaked out nearly flushing the toilet! Grabbed him with my hands from the toilet (i know ewww) and dropped him into the tank. He swam but was full of air and rose to the top of the tank. I thought he would dry out again because his topside was exsposed floating and all. So i grabbed a fish net and dropped it to the bottom of the tank with him in it. It kept him submerged. Two hours later it was bed time and he was a big balloon still floating. I went to bed. The next morning he was normal sitting in the net. I took the net off him and he was back to normal eating and swimming! Never assume your fish is dead!

kichimark · Jan 12, 2020

Yes that has happened to me as well. He will be fine and back to normal in no time.

adam finley · Jan 12, 2020

Cory said:
Yep give him 3 days max. Hell be back to normal for sure. I once had a dog faced puffer jump. He was on the carpet covered in a thick clear jello substance. I picked him up thinking he was dead and went to the toilet and dropped him in. Immediately he jerked. I freaked out nearly flushing the toilet! Grabbed him with my hands from the toilet (i know ewww) and dropped him into the tank. He swam but was full of air and rose to the top of the tank. I thought he would dry out again because his topside was exsposed floating and all. So i grabbed a fish net and dropped it to the bottom of the tank with him in it. It kept him submerged. Two hours later it was bed time and he was a big balloon still floating. I went to bed. The next morning he was normal sitting in the net. I took the net off him and he was back to normal eating and swimming! Never assume your fish is dead!

Thanks that gives me some comfort knowing he should be fine. I was afraid I stressed him more by struggling to pick him off the carpet and removing most of his protective slime.

Cory · Jan 12, 2020

adam finley said:
Thanks that gives me some comfort knowing he should be fine. I was afraid I stressed him more by struggling to pick him off the carpet and removing most of his protective slime.

Yeah he should be okay

Daniel@R2R · Jan 13, 2020

Cory said:
Yep give him 3 days max. Hell be back to normal for sure. I once had a dog faced puffer jump. He was on the carpet covered in a thick clear jello substance. I picked him up thinking he was dead and went to the toilet and dropped him in. Immediately he jerked. I freaked out nearly flushing the toilet! Grabbed him with my hands from the toilet (i know ewww) and dropped him into the tank. He swam but was full of air and rose to the top of the tank. I thought he would dry out again because his topside was exsposed floating and all. So i grabbed a fish net and dropped it to the bottom of the tank with him in it. It kept him submerged. Two hours later it was bed time and he was a big balloon still floating. I went to bed. The next morning he was normal sitting in the net. I took the net off him and he was back to normal eating and swimming! Never assume your fish is dead!

Yikes! Crazy story! I'm guessing you both needed some therapy after that ordeal. Ha!

AllSignsPointToFish · Jan 13, 2020

I, too, think he'll be fine. I'd be wigged out too if I got scared out of my wits and jumped completely out of the atmosphere into the ocean....without being able to swim!

zalick · Jan 13, 2020

He should be fine. And don't panic if he stays hidden for a long my time. I have a 4 year old wrasse that got spooked during redoing rockwork. It hid under sand for almost 2 weeks.

adam finley · Jan 13, 2020

zalick said:
He should be fine. And don't panic if he stays hidden for a long my time. I have a 4 year old wrasse that got spooked during redoing rockwork. It hid under sand for almost 2 weeks.

Wow 2 weeks I might have just assumed he perished at that point lol. Well I definitely feel better about the situation now.