So I go to catch a different fish for a 'for sale' measurement yesterday, and apparently scared my big fire eel badly. He managed to lift the glass lid of my 180 gal. and the light that sits on top of it to jump out of the tank. He managed to land behind the 100 gallon sump and was wedged between it, a 110 gal. stock tank and the R/O water tower. Obviously, I wasn't about to be able to move anything fast enough to save him. Fortunately, he moved over to where I stood at least some chance of getting ahold of him. He could MOVE! He was fast as a snake.
He then tried to head into the wood pile behind the stock tank, which I knew would mean death. I grabbed some paper towels as I knew I wasn't going to be able to hang onto Nobert as he is solid muscle, slippery as snot, and so thick I can't get my hands around him. Well, I grabbed him, he shredded the towel with his spines. I finally decided it was sure death or force him to crawl through an opening littered with the leftover mess from drilling acrylic. Well, I finally netted him, picked off a few large chunks of acrylic and threw him back in. He was probably out of the water for 45 seconds, though it seemed longer.
Later that night I called him and he came up for dinner! I couldn't believe he still had a raging appetite. I think he got a little scrapped up, but nothing serious. I think I'm the only one who actually bled as I have cuts on three finger tips from throwing caution to the wind and grabbing him to keep him out of the wood pile. So, I'll just keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't get an infection, but I think he'll be just fine.
He then tried to head into the wood pile behind the stock tank, which I knew would mean death. I grabbed some paper towels as I knew I wasn't going to be able to hang onto Nobert as he is solid muscle, slippery as snot, and so thick I can't get my hands around him. Well, I grabbed him, he shredded the towel with his spines. I finally decided it was sure death or force him to crawl through an opening littered with the leftover mess from drilling acrylic. Well, I finally netted him, picked off a few large chunks of acrylic and threw him back in. He was probably out of the water for 45 seconds, though it seemed longer.
Later that night I called him and he came up for dinner! I couldn't believe he still had a raging appetite. I think he got a little scrapped up, but nothing serious. I think I'm the only one who actually bled as I have cuts on three finger tips from throwing caution to the wind and grabbing him to keep him out of the wood pile. So, I'll just keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't get an infection, but I think he'll be just fine.
