Trigger accident

flyyyguy · 06/09/2009, 11:52 PM

Had a little accident last night with my large niger, who is incidentally one of the most personable fish I have ever had. I have anouther in a different system but this guy really means something to me.

I recently caught him and took him from the display in order to add a new large fish........he has killed a coupleof new additions recently as he has been getting more aggressive, so I cant add anymore fish to the display without getting him out for awhile.,,

anyway......I had him in the overflow drain half of a hundred gallon sump......I blocked entrance in to the baffle section with eggcrate layed horizontally over the first "over" baffle, weighted down with a 16 oz pyrex measuring cup full of water. sounds pretty solid one would think right?? Then on the other end of the sump the 2" intake bulkhead leading to a hammerhead I had 2 more pieces of eggcrate up against it. I should have had an spa type intake strainer like usual, but it was being used somewhere else.........didnt think he could ever even get there in the first place so I just put the eggcrate up against it to be sure in case he did.

Well he somehow did not only get through the weighted down eggcrate, but also moved the eggcrate blocking the pump. It was a well set up guard I thought.

I dont know how long he was stuck head first in the 2" intake. If you have ever stuck your hand in front of the intake of a large pump you know how much force is there.......enough to suck your hand in and hardly be able to pull it out and its gonna hurt.

I couldnt get him out his head was wedged so tight into the 2" bulkhead. I had to empty that side of the sump and then cut the pipe in order to free the bul;khead, and even then I couldnt get him out and had to cut the bulkhead in half to free him.

Although still breathing, I all but counted him as a loss last night when the ordeal was over. This morning he was still breathing but laying in the corner. Still wasnt too hopeful as there are pretty deep creases in the flesh and broken skin.

Got home this evening expecting him to be dead or in even worse shape and he is actually swimming around and I got him to eat a bunch of food.

fingers crossed

Is there anything I should do to prevent infection, or just let the fish be in the sump to heal and keep him well fed as always??

I have added some flow to keep him moving a little and wounds clean

R.W. · 06/10/2009, 12:56 AM

Wow i hope he pulls through I love how personable triggers are!

Mentat · 06/10/2009, 07:03 AM

What a crazy ordeal for both! Guess "Murphy's Law" got you good. I'm glad he appears to be pulling through.

Most injuries heal by themselves in good water. If very deep or start looking bad, Hikari makes a topical antibiotic ointment for fish called Bio-Bandage.

Recty · 06/10/2009, 09:47 AM

Man, I normally just put my "bad" fish down in my sump for a little while, I dont punish them... you're strict.

I've had some decent gashes on my triggers and everyone heals up just fine without me doing anything special. My big niger was between 12-13" and every once in a while would zip down into the rocks and put a gash down his side... it would usually only last about 3 days and then you couldnt even tell it was there.

Obviously, that isnt on the same level as the wounds your fish has, but I would think with good water quality and good foods he will recover just fine, triggers are tough fish.

It really is good that he is already eating again.

Troy the Nomad · 06/10/2009, 10:32 AM

Good luck with him and you never know. I did something similar with a clownfish, and had to remove and cut a hose. Cut, bruised and bloody-eyed at the time, you'd never know it now six months or so down the road. She was stuck for less than ten minutes though.

edit- I did make sure to garlic soak all foods for a few weeks afterward. I tend to do that several times a week anyway.

flyyyguy · 06/10/2009, 04:34 PM

thanks for the sentiment everyone

He looks great and is starting to even charge me a little when I put my hand near him.

We have played this little slapboxing game for some time......I will pop him in the side fo the head...he will try to bite me and he gets really fired up after a minute or two of this and I have to make sure I am quick or he will make me bleed a little......its good clean fun and we both enjoy it.
I of course am not actually touching him right now, but the fact that he is not only eating, but charging me business as usual when he is hungry is a good thing.

the sores look much better and all appears well. thanks for the link to the ointment. I dont think I need it but will keep it in mind next time I do something stupid like this, or get another injured fish.

flyyyguy · 06/11/2009, 02:07 PM

Who is a happy guy??

Im a happy guy

this fish is fine. Unbelievable. I have had some fish and corals live through some tough times over the years, the most notable of which besides this was a tomini who survived 100 degrees for 12 hours or more(still have him he was the sole survivor out of everything that day)........

but this one boggles me. Im trying to imagine the force of the water running backwards through this fishes gills for who knows how long, not to mention the tissue damage, and it really defies logic that he is swimming around right now a little beat up but otherwise unphased looking at me wondering when the hell Im going to let him go back into the display. lol

DamnPepShrimp · 06/11/2009, 03:07 PM

Glad to hear all is well, you hear too many times people lose their prize fish. How big is he? Have red teeth?

06/09/2009, 11:52 PM	#1
flyyyguy King of the white corals Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,244	Trigger accident Had a little accident last night with my large niger, who is incidentally one of the most personable fish I have ever had. I have anouther in a different system but this guy really means something to me. I recently caught him and took him from the display in order to add a new large fish........he has killed a coupleof new additions recently as he has been getting more aggressive, so I cant add anymore fish to the display without getting him out for awhile.,, anyway......I had him in the overflow drain half of a hundred gallon sump......I blocked entrance in to the baffle section with eggcrate layed horizontally over the first "over" baffle, weighted down with a 16 oz pyrex measuring cup full of water. sounds pretty solid one would think right?? Then on the other end of the sump the 2" intake bulkhead leading to a hammerhead I had 2 more pieces of eggcrate up against it. I should have had an spa type intake strainer like usual, but it was being used somewhere else.........didnt think he could ever even get there in the first place so I just put the eggcrate up against it to be sure in case he did. Well he somehow did not only get through the weighted down eggcrate, but also moved the eggcrate blocking the pump. It was a well set up guard I thought. I dont know how long he was stuck head first in the 2" intake. If you have ever stuck your hand in front of the intake of a large pump you know how much force is there.......enough to suck your hand in and hardly be able to pull it out and its gonna hurt. I couldnt get him out his head was wedged so tight into the 2" bulkhead. I had to empty that side of the sump and then cut the pipe in order to free the bul;khead, and even then I couldnt get him out and had to cut the bulkhead in half to free him. Although still breathing, I all but counted him as a loss last night when the ordeal was over. This morning he was still breathing but laying in the corner. Still wasnt too hopeful as there are pretty deep creases in the flesh and broken skin. Got home this evening expecting him to be dead or in even worse shape and he is actually swimming around and I got him to eat a bunch of food. fingers crossed Is there anything I should do to prevent infection, or just let the fish be in the sump to heal and keep him well fed as always?? I have added some flow to keep him moving a little and wounds clean __________________ I like holding hands, snuggling, and long walks on the beach

06/10/2009, 12:56 AM	#2
R.W. Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 803	Wow i hope he pulls through I love how personable triggers are! __________________ 180g FOWLR "Sun bathing on the floor next to your tank is not, in any way equivalent to spending time outdoors."

06/10/2009, 10:32 AM	#5
Troy the Nomad Laissez LeBonTempsRouler! Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Slidell, LA Posts: 197	Good luck with him and you never know. I did something similar with a clownfish, and had to remove and cut a hose. Cut, bruised and bloody-eyed at the time, you'd never know it now six months or so down the road. She was stuck for less than ten minutes though. edit- I did make sure to garlic soak all foods for a few weeks afterward. I tend to do that several times a week anyway. __________________ A heroin addiction would of been cheaper... Current Tank Info: 55g reef, lps, softies and some sps. 24g JBJ reef, letting the RBTA's take over Last edited by Troy the Nomad; 06/10/2009 at 10:40 AM.

06/10/2009, 04:34 PM	#6
flyyyguy King of the white corals Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,244	thanks for the sentiment everyone He looks great and is starting to even charge me a little when I put my hand near him. We have played this little slapboxing game for some time......I will pop him in the side fo the head...he will try to bite me and he gets really fired up after a minute or two of this and I have to make sure I am quick or he will make me bleed a little......its good clean fun and we both enjoy it. I of course am not actually touching him right now, but the fact that he is not only eating, but charging me business as usual when he is hungry is a good thing. the sores look much better and all appears well. thanks for the link to the ointment. I dont think I need it but will keep it in mind next time I do something stupid like this, or get another injured fish. __________________ I like holding hands, snuggling, and long walks on the beach

06/11/2009, 02:07 PM	#7
flyyyguy King of the white corals Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,244	Who is a happy guy?? Im a happy guy this fish is fine. Unbelievable. I have had some fish and corals live through some tough times over the years, the most notable of which besides this was a tomini who survived 100 degrees for 12 hours or more(still have him he was the sole survivor out of everything that day)........ but this one boggles me. Im trying to imagine the force of the water running backwards through this fishes gills for who knows how long, not to mention the tissue damage, and it really defies logic that he is swimming around right now a little beat up but otherwise unphased looking at me wondering when the hell Im going to let him go back into the display. lol __________________ I like holding hands, snuggling, and long walks on the beach

06/10/2009, 07:03 AM	#3
Mentat Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA USA Posts: 1,173	What a crazy ordeal for both! Guess "Murphy's Law" got you good. I'm glad he appears to be pulling through. Most injuries heal by themselves in good water. If very deep or start looking bad, Hikari makes a topical antibiotic ointment for fish called Bio-Bandage.

06/10/2009, 09:47 AM	#4
Recty Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Alaska Posts: 6,556	Man, I normally just put my "bad" fish down in my sump for a little while, I dont punish them... you're strict. I've had some decent gashes on my triggers and everyone heals up just fine without me doing anything special. My big niger was between 12-13" and every once in a while would zip down into the rocks and put a gash down his side... it would usually only last about 3 days and then you couldnt even tell it was there. Obviously, that isnt on the same level as the wounds your fish has, but I would think with good water quality and good foods he will recover just fine, triggers are tough fish. It really is good that he is already eating again.

06/11/2009, 03:07 PM	#8
DamnPepShrimp Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Delaware Posts: 5,154	Glad to hear all is well, you hear too many times people lose their prize fish. How big is he? Have red teeth?