Update now he swam a short distance is upright but labored breathing. Doing a water change and adding some Epsom and meal flax to help skin his skin.
What did I get myself into..
- Thread starter fatboy8
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Hmmm, mine nave never attempted to bail, not yet anyway. But my asotus cats are just as agile and athletic as your meridionalis.
Any suggestions or experiences with catfish jumping? I’d say he was probably under there an hour max. Still wet but stomach was a little dried. He’s still breathing very heavy but was swimming normally during the water change. He’s sitting upright on his own as well and doesn’t seem crazy effected other then the breathing. Right eye is a little damaged and his barbels were deformed but for the most part are back to normal. I’m 25% he will survive 75% he won’t. Hopefully I’m wrong.
I think having them comfortable but just in case having a tight and heavy lid is what's needed.
Some people hold the fish in the stream of a filter overflow to get oxygen circulation into their gills. I have not done this yet. personally so am not speaking from experience. Also not sure how well it would work with a catfishes barbels , might want to wear gloves?
I hope it makes it.
I hope it makes it.
Originally went to do it after I saw he continued breathing for a little after placing him in the tank. Went to net him and he started swimming off like nothing happened. I know Wes had described these fish as hardy so I'm hoping that'll play into things. I've also seen catfish out of water for long amounts of time and swim off like nothing happened. I'm just worried about any internal issues. I know his slime coat took a beating. The only positive I see are his fins aren't clinched
7:30pm update he was under his normal rock haunt. Both barbels looked back to normal and breathing back to normal. Nothing significant noted. Even fed three massivore pelts and he ate them without hesitation I figure 7am tomorrow morning will see if any serious internal damage which would cause death. Might do another 50% WC tomorrow due to loss of slime coat. Really hoping he pulls thru but very optimistic as I’ve read other threads where the fish seemed reveived but died the following morning or within a week
As of around 9:15 this morning he was swimming around the tank and active no issues and seemed to be normal. Next big thing will be the next week. I might have dodged a bullet here. Here’s what I think played out. I have an eheim filter on the tank and of course has the sideways spray bar towards the top of the tank. Personally I prefer my spray bars vertical but I went with the flow. I’ve noted him sometimes swimming and resting on the spray bar before. Now I’ve noticed when he swims there’s a lot of purpose behind it and I’m wondering if he didn’t swim up the spray bar and jump. I did notice when I first got him and he’d swim around he’d come up and hit the surface pretty hard. I thought in the back of my head he possibly might jump out but I thought my current lid was secure enough. I guessed wrong. So it was either that or he went with a spray bar ride. Tank has been completely secured and hopefully the scares are over with. Well see what the next week has in store. Going to do another 50%WC today and probably Sunday.
Great news. Hope it pulls through. Thanks for the early morning update.
Occurrences like that result in a shock and a powerful blow to an immune system. A jumper fish can suddenly become susceptible to the existing pathogen cultures in the tank and can succumb to them.
I am losing a 5' arapaima that jumped out of the 4500 gal Oct 5, almost a month ago, spent perhaps an hour on the floor, or two, and has become most obviously and gravely sick one day ago. It's been seemingly alright all this time and fed with vigor this Wed, 2 days ago.
