Flying Convict

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trogdor1980

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 14, 2005
15
0
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Hi all.

I have a problem with my convict. He is a fully grown and very, very sick.

By way of background, my tank is covered with glass sheets and on top of them a wooden hood. There is a small slot where the filter, power, and air hoses come into the tank. One would think they are way too small for a fish to fit through, but one would be very wrong!

Two days ago I was having breakfast early and heard noises in my apartment. Like a banging noise. I was half asleep and just thought it was the neighbours banging. Cut a long story short, got ready for work, and over an hour later on my way to work saw poor convict on the floor against the wall.

Thought he was dead, but put him in the water anyway. He sank to the bottom. Was going to scoop him out but he started breathing. After 10 mins he was shooting around the tank, rather quickly, upside down, sideways, randomly....

Two days later he lays on his side, breathes, twitches, and doesnt do much else. His breathing appears to be strong and rapid.

What should I do. Can I help him recover, is he in pain??? Should I put him out of his misery somehow???

By the way - how long can such a fish live out of water?? Seems like a very very long time.

Any help welcome!

Thanks!
 
It sounds like that he broke his swimming bladder. It is very hard to cure. Add some salt and melafix to see if that helps. Good luck.
 
Either that or has some brain damage. If he doesn't start to show signs of healin in the next 5 days i would just go ahead and put him outa his misery....if he isn't already dead by then. Sorry......
 
I've had one do that and he is now in the big pond in the sky :cry: I don't know of any cure.... sorry
 
I've had pleanty of fish jump out of my tanks and I find them later put them in, they start swimming randomly, but with in a week they normall die, dont know of any cures =( Sorry, best of luck.
 
Guess what - he took a couple of days laying on his side breathing, then he was able to 'sit up' normally but not move, and today he is swimming normally, but very slowly, and fanning his fins. He also ate some crumbs that came out of my oscars gills and fell on the convict.

Does that mean he might be ok?

Cant believe how tough these convicts are!
 
trogdor1980 said:
Guess what - he took a couple of days laying on his side breathing, then he was able to 'sit up' normally but not move, and today he is swimming normally, but very slowly, and fanning his fins. He also ate some crumbs that came out of my oscars gills and fell on the convict.

Does that mean he might be ok?

Cant believe how tough these convicts are!

YES!!!, its a very good chance he might survive.
 
Awesome!

Love that fish - great news :)

I hope he has learnt his lesson about jumping out...
 
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