Here's a word of warning I can give to you all, always make sure your cover/ornaments are big enough for your fish.
I've been quarantining/getting a couple bullrouts eating as of late, and one has always been a standout to me. The fish acts more like a grunter than a bullrout, constantly swimming around, chasing me as I walk past the tank. Best eater I've had. Smashes prawns regularly and has been starting to take to pellets as well.
Regardless, I have a couple crappy ornaments which I've inherited over the years. Because I'm not going to actually put them in a tank, I've been using them as a cover/hide for fish in quarantine, due to the fact that I can easily disinfect them and reuse them.
Regardless, I had one of said ornaments with my 'star' bullrout. Didn't have an issue with it until yesterday, when I came into the fishroom and saw the bullrout's head stuck in one of the openings in the ornament. I originally thought that the poor thing was dead, and got about trying to remove the bullrout from the ornament without getting spiked. (The venom release mechanism is by pressure and works post-mortem)
Now, I know some of you fellas are probably thinking "how did he think it was dead', well the bloody thing was completely pale. No patterning whatsoever. This is a fish that is normally heavily coloured. A brown fish to a white fish is not a good sign
So as i'm trying to pry the fish from the pipe, the thing kicks, so i quickly got the fish from the thing.
Regardless trying to nurse this thing back to health, looking better today.
But how did this happen? My only thought is that he had eaten a big meal the night before, so I think the bugger put on some weight after going into the decoration, then swelled up and hasn't been able to get out.
So make sure your fish can't get stuck in your tank decorations!
I've been quarantining/getting a couple bullrouts eating as of late, and one has always been a standout to me. The fish acts more like a grunter than a bullrout, constantly swimming around, chasing me as I walk past the tank. Best eater I've had. Smashes prawns regularly and has been starting to take to pellets as well.
Regardless, I have a couple crappy ornaments which I've inherited over the years. Because I'm not going to actually put them in a tank, I've been using them as a cover/hide for fish in quarantine, due to the fact that I can easily disinfect them and reuse them.
Regardless, I had one of said ornaments with my 'star' bullrout. Didn't have an issue with it until yesterday, when I came into the fishroom and saw the bullrout's head stuck in one of the openings in the ornament. I originally thought that the poor thing was dead, and got about trying to remove the bullrout from the ornament without getting spiked. (The venom release mechanism is by pressure and works post-mortem)
Now, I know some of you fellas are probably thinking "how did he think it was dead', well the bloody thing was completely pale. No patterning whatsoever. This is a fish that is normally heavily coloured. A brown fish to a white fish is not a good sign
So as i'm trying to pry the fish from the pipe, the thing kicks, so i quickly got the fish from the thing.
Regardless trying to nurse this thing back to health, looking better today.
But how did this happen? My only thought is that he had eaten a big meal the night before, so I think the bugger put on some weight after going into the decoration, then swelled up and hasn't been able to get out.
So make sure your fish can't get stuck in your tank decorations!
