So...there I am...wrist deep in tilapia filet, blood worms, massivore and mini mealworms. Its feeding time among my predators and I am starting with my self collected native tank. This tank is home to a pumpkinseed, a bluegill, 3 tenacious rainbow darters, and two rescues from the depths of the live bait well at my local tackle shop. One is a mosquito fish, and the other is probably one that has grown into easily one of my favorite fish and the topic of this discussion, a brook stickleback.
I always start by cutting small pieces of tilapia for my pumpkinseed, and even smaller (at least I thought) pieces for the mosquito fish and stickleback. They really have to be fast on their...fins to beat the pumpkinseed to any pieces that hit the water and often take big pieces they have NO intention or ability to eat. The stickleback especially loves to run off with half inch long strips and proceed to play catch for the next 30 or 40 seconds before he finally gives in and drops the tilapia for the awaiting horde of darters just below. Yesterday...however...with my back turned he decided the 1/4-1/2" of mass he has put on since his intro to the tank entitled him to finally run with the big dogs and swallow one of the pilfered chunks of fish.
He learned very quickly that he had literally bitten off more than he could chew...swallow...or breathe with. I had since turned my attention to my african themed tank, and was dropping in homemade gel food for the loaches (yes I know I said african themed, they have been adopted as fellow countrymen by the bichirs and bushfish) when I glance at the native tank again and noticed a very lethargic, albeit floating upside down, stickleback. I dropped everything and rushed to the tank only to see that he was indeed breathing, but heavily, and struggling to swim upright. Seeing as he had just been aggressively feeding moments before I could only assume he was choking. Thinking on my feet, and not wanting to actually put a fish in my mouth to breathe life back into him (I would have however...but thankfully I think faster than I act...) I grabbed what was available...a 3 inch, 14 gauge needle, whose primary use would have been injecting antibiotics into cattle but was salvaged by me as a vitachem/garlic fish food injector, and proceeded to fill it with tank water.
Let me tell you...nothing ups the pucker factor in the room like trying to use a giant livestock needle as a makeshift respirator for a 2.5" fish. My girlfriend sat helpless on the bed, clenching her hands with what I could only assume was the force of a car crusher, as I proceeded to ever so delicately almost eviscerate our helpless pet with my instrument of salvation. I must have filled that needle 5 times and desperately tried to get him breathing and swimming again, it had to have been the equivalent of drinking from a fire hose for the poor little guy, but it was the only thing I could think to do. After about the 5th time...I noticed when I placed him back in the tank (I was holding him like a tiny child as I did this out of the water) that he had gained control of his balance and was sinking right side up. He fell to the bottom and to my surprise was breathing as fast as he possibly could. I knew it was up to him at this point...so I left him to rest.
10 minutes go by and I finish my round of feedings among the tanks and go to check on Chomps Mckenzie (I'd have called him Swallows Mcgee but my loving girlfriend pointed out the blatant problem with the name) and to my surprise he is no longer in the spot that I was sure would be his final one in the tank. I then looked at the floating pothos plant and I'll be damned if he wasn't sitting among the roots, swimming and breathing like nothing had just happened! I couldn't believe the amazing recovery he had made, or the fact that my invasive method of airation actually worked!
Needless to say, I'll be enrolling in EMT classes next week, I think I've proven myself this day.
This story brought to you by a bored dude, stuck at work, on the biggest party day of the year.
Thanks for reading!
I always start by cutting small pieces of tilapia for my pumpkinseed, and even smaller (at least I thought) pieces for the mosquito fish and stickleback. They really have to be fast on their...fins to beat the pumpkinseed to any pieces that hit the water and often take big pieces they have NO intention or ability to eat. The stickleback especially loves to run off with half inch long strips and proceed to play catch for the next 30 or 40 seconds before he finally gives in and drops the tilapia for the awaiting horde of darters just below. Yesterday...however...with my back turned he decided the 1/4-1/2" of mass he has put on since his intro to the tank entitled him to finally run with the big dogs and swallow one of the pilfered chunks of fish.
He learned very quickly that he had literally bitten off more than he could chew...swallow...or breathe with. I had since turned my attention to my african themed tank, and was dropping in homemade gel food for the loaches (yes I know I said african themed, they have been adopted as fellow countrymen by the bichirs and bushfish) when I glance at the native tank again and noticed a very lethargic, albeit floating upside down, stickleback. I dropped everything and rushed to the tank only to see that he was indeed breathing, but heavily, and struggling to swim upright. Seeing as he had just been aggressively feeding moments before I could only assume he was choking. Thinking on my feet, and not wanting to actually put a fish in my mouth to breathe life back into him (I would have however...but thankfully I think faster than I act...) I grabbed what was available...a 3 inch, 14 gauge needle, whose primary use would have been injecting antibiotics into cattle but was salvaged by me as a vitachem/garlic fish food injector, and proceeded to fill it with tank water.
Let me tell you...nothing ups the pucker factor in the room like trying to use a giant livestock needle as a makeshift respirator for a 2.5" fish. My girlfriend sat helpless on the bed, clenching her hands with what I could only assume was the force of a car crusher, as I proceeded to ever so delicately almost eviscerate our helpless pet with my instrument of salvation. I must have filled that needle 5 times and desperately tried to get him breathing and swimming again, it had to have been the equivalent of drinking from a fire hose for the poor little guy, but it was the only thing I could think to do. After about the 5th time...I noticed when I placed him back in the tank (I was holding him like a tiny child as I did this out of the water) that he had gained control of his balance and was sinking right side up. He fell to the bottom and to my surprise was breathing as fast as he possibly could. I knew it was up to him at this point...so I left him to rest.
10 minutes go by and I finish my round of feedings among the tanks and go to check on Chomps Mckenzie (I'd have called him Swallows Mcgee but my loving girlfriend pointed out the blatant problem with the name) and to my surprise he is no longer in the spot that I was sure would be his final one in the tank. I then looked at the floating pothos plant and I'll be damned if he wasn't sitting among the roots, swimming and breathing like nothing had just happened! I couldn't believe the amazing recovery he had made, or the fact that my invasive method of airation actually worked!
Needless to say, I'll be enrolling in EMT classes next week, I think I've proven myself this day.
This story brought to you by a bored dude, stuck at work, on the biggest party day of the year.
Thanks for reading!
