Scissor Tail Tetra - stuck to filter, released, upside down but breathing

[Lyrek]

I was hoping I wouldn't be writing in this section of the forum again, so soon.

Yesterday I completed a transfer of fish from a 10 gallon tank to a 20 gallon tall.

This morning I woke up to find one of my scissor tail tetra's stuck to the filter intake and my swordtail's poking at him. No apparent damage. The scissor tail is alive, but he is upside down and still breathing quite heavily. I have no idea how long he was stuck to the filter. Any thoughts on his chances or what I can do to improve them?

Note: This scissor tail may be one of two scissor tails that jumped from the net during transfer, landing on either the table or the floor.

 

[Aquanero]

It could have injured itself. When you transfered did you cycle the new tank or use water filter/media fro the 10 gal? Add a little aquarium salt to the tank and just hope for the best at this point. Is the ten gal available as a hospital tank to use while it recovers so it's not picked at by tank mates?

 

[Lyrek]

Long story short:

The new tank was cycled with a brand new Aquaclear 30 ($40+ really!?). Some water from 10 gallon tank was used to fill the 20 gallon (2 to 3 gallons I suspect). Since two female Swordtails got pregnant in the 10 gallon; I figured the water conditions must be pretty good, or they wouldn't have mated. So, I used the water.
After cycling the tank the filter from the 10 gallon was added to the new tank.

The state of things:
1. The 10 gallon was drained sadly. So, I don't have a hospital tank.
2. I have put the the victim in a net and floated it at the top of the tank. His tank mates are not picking at him.
3. Upon closer inspection, the victim appears to have dark red lines between some of his scales, center mass.
4. He continues to breathe, just not as heavily. He is also breathing or taking in water with his mouth constantly, much faster than he opens and closes his gills.

I am kind of surprised by all of this. Aside from possibly being the fish that fell to the floor; all the fish were quite happy once in the new tank. They were active and even eating food.
(I would also like to note the victim was not introduced to the new tank like the others. In my haste to save him...he was rescued and dumped directly into the tank. He had been out of water for a minute or more.)

To introduce the fish to the new tank I did the same as always. Placed fish in the bag. Placed the bag in the new tank and added a little new tank water to the bag over a period of 30 minutes or so. They were then released into the new tank.

 

[Aquanero]

Sounds like it might make it, the red on the side might be where he was stuck to the filter like a big hicky. Add some salt to help resperation and just see what happens.

 

[Lyrek]

The fish did not survive.