Goby took a dive.... into Disposal!!

TJDaddio · 07/25/2012, 10:37 AM

((Before anyone freaks out, he's alive and well.))

I purchased a yellow headed goby last week and got him home. Took the bag and put it in a huge glass bowl (my temporary holding spot while I drip acclimate each fish/coral - which, I will now use a 5gal tall bucket after this ordeal). I cut the plastic bag and poured the water and goby into the bowl. Shame on me, as I learned a valuable lesson here- make sure you are at least 3 feet away from your sink! I was not, and I will never do this again. My goby LEAPED out of the glass bowl and into my disposal - and this is not a few inches, but close to a foot and a half space! He didn't even leap into the sink part, but went straight down into the actual disposal.

My boyfriend was in the bathroom (we live together, almost 2 yrs now) and I let out a shreak that I have never let out before. He came running out of the bathroom faster than I've ever seen him move before lol. I was almost in tears explaining what happenned - he of course already saying (as most of you probably are thinking) "What do you mean? Why would you do that so close to the sink you dummy!" Thankfully I have small hands and could fit my whole hand and wrist into my disposal (very carefully) and could feel the goby jumping around in there. Then... in an instant... he was gone. He somehow went into the small tube that the water runs down. I could fit my pinky finger through the opening for this at the bottom side of my disposal, opened the cabinet and looked underneath to figure out which hose it was. I screamed to my boyfriend to get a screwdriver, but running out of time, he just pulled the hose off from the disposal and started shaking it. Out came my Goby, we put him back in the glass bowl (on other side of kitchen at this point lol), and he is now fine. We waited an extra long time to acclimate him after that stress, and he's been in my tank now for about 5 days.

Phew, what a scare... He is doing great. He built a little burrow under one of my rocks and he moves the sand with his mouth then spits it out - we love him, and we now have a great story to go along with him! lol Had to share.

sammy77 · 07/25/2012, 10:49 AM

You're a lucky one. Life is a lesson it itself. We all do things without thinking sometimes. lol

sponger0 · 07/25/2012, 10:54 AM

Same reason I use eggcrate on top of my acclimation bucket. Get a sheet. The stuff is useful for so many things.

EricSIny · 07/25/2012, 10:56 AM

So your saying you dont QT new fish?

Either way lesson learned, glad it worked out for you and the goby made it.

BeanMachine · 07/25/2012, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sponger0

Same reason I use eggcrate on top of my acclimation bucket. Get a sheet. The stuff is useful for so many things.

I learned this the hard way as well. I had a lineatus fairy wrasse jump out of a five gallon bucket easily 2 or 3 feet out. Luckily I managed to grab him and put him back into the bucket and covered it.

PR_Reefer · 07/25/2012, 11:04 AM

Watch him for the next few days and make sure he doesnt get sick or gets ich because you will have to pull him out into a QT... IMO after that event I would have done the QT process before adding to DT but good luck...

TJDaddio · 07/25/2012, 11:10 AM

He has been doing great so far. But no... don't quarantine. I was brought up in a family who had a 250gal and we never quarantined either.. Never had a problem and only buy from one family owned LFS we know and trust. I know its a risk, but its been this way for a long time and never had any problems.

fishgate · 07/25/2012, 12:45 PM

Great story with a happy ending!

Chaotic Reefer4u · 07/25/2012, 12:51 PM

Thank's for sharing! Happy ending indeed...

FlyingRev · 07/25/2012, 01:58 PM

As a rule, sticking your hand down into a disposal is a very bad idea. A VERY bad idea. They have been known to engage even without the switch being thrown.

Anyway, I am glad it had a happy ending, and that you do not need your boyfriend to open your ketchup bottles in the future.

Entropy · 07/25/2012, 02:28 PM

Happy ending.

Gobies seem to be pretty hardy. My last yellow watchman actually jumped out of the tank at the LFS. I saw him on the floor still kicking and when the guy got him back in the tank he came right to the front glass and gave me a dirty look (I swear). I told the guy "I will take him". Had that fish for several years (left the tank when I sold the house, but I like to think he is still in there).

07/25/2012, 10:37 AM	#1
TJDaddio Moved On Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Delray Beach, FL Posts: 201	Goby took a dive.... into Disposal!! ((Before anyone freaks out, he's alive and well.)) I purchased a yellow headed goby last week and got him home. Took the bag and put it in a huge glass bowl (my temporary holding spot while I drip acclimate each fish/coral - which, I will now use a 5gal tall bucket after this ordeal). I cut the plastic bag and poured the water and goby into the bowl. Shame on me, as I learned a valuable lesson here- make sure you are at least 3 feet away from your sink! I was not, and I will never do this again. My goby LEAPED out of the glass bowl and into my disposal - and this is not a few inches, but close to a foot and a half space! He didn't even leap into the sink part, but went straight down into the actual disposal. My boyfriend was in the bathroom (we live together, almost 2 yrs now) and I let out a shreak that I have never let out before. He came running out of the bathroom faster than I've ever seen him move before lol. I was almost in tears explaining what happenned - he of course already saying (as most of you probably are thinking) "What do you mean? Why would you do that so close to the sink you dummy!" Thankfully I have small hands and could fit my whole hand and wrist into my disposal (very carefully) and could feel the goby jumping around in there. Then... in an instant... he was gone. He somehow went into the small tube that the water runs down. I could fit my pinky finger through the opening for this at the bottom side of my disposal, opened the cabinet and looked underneath to figure out which hose it was. I screamed to my boyfriend to get a screwdriver, but running out of time, he just pulled the hose off from the disposal and started shaking it. Out came my Goby, we put him back in the glass bowl (on other side of kitchen at this point lol), and he is now fine. We waited an extra long time to acclimate him after that stress, and he's been in my tank now for about 5 days. Phew, what a scare... He is doing great. He built a little burrow under one of my rocks and he moves the sand with his mouth then spits it out - we love him, and we now have a great story to go along with him! lol Had to share.

07/25/2012, 10:49 AM	#2
sammy77 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: IL Posts: 373	You're a lucky one. Life is a lesson it itself. We all do things without thinking sometimes. lol __________________ 220gal FOWLR When you're down....look up....get up....and don't ever give up! Current Tank Info: 220gal FOWLR

07/25/2012, 11:04 AM	#6
PR_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Spokane, Wa Posts: 116	Watch him for the next few days and make sure he doesnt get sick or gets ich because you will have to pull him out into a QT... IMO after that event I would have done the QT process before adding to DT but good luck... __________________ Air Traffic Control aint easy and who said the saltwater hobby was? For every problem in life there is a solution. Current Tank Info: 75G and 20G Sump/Fuge with Aquac 120 skimmer (Mag 5), LR,LS and chaeto in the Fuge, Mag 9.5 Return Pump, 100Lbs of rock in DT and 60 Lbs of LS.

07/25/2012, 12:45 PM	#8
fishgate Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Damascus, MD Posts: 3,340	Great story with a happy ending! __________________ 125RR in-wall, 40B Sump, CS180 BM Skimmer, ATI 4x80 watt, eheim 1262, custom wrap around rock wall, ReefKeeper Elite 120g in-wall, 40B Sump, PC 54wx4, Jabao DC-6000 (full siphon), future seahorse t Current Tank Info: 125g, 120g, 2x40b sumps, ATI 4x80 T5HO

07/25/2012, 12:51 PM	#9
Chaotic Reefer4u ♥Acropora Aficionado♥ Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hollister,Ca. Posts: 5,163	Thank's for sharing! Happy ending indeed... __________________ Live everyday as if it was your last, take time to smell the flowers, enjoy all things living, never take anything for granted, you just never know when your number might be up... Current Tank Info: * 90g. Reef Ready TruVu tank with 30g. Platinum Filtration Series Sump SpS Acro enthusiast *

07/25/2012, 10:54 AM	#3
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	Same reason I use eggcrate on top of my acclimation bucket. Get a sheet. The stuff is useful for so many things.

07/25/2012, 10:56 AM	#4
EricSIny Moved On Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Staten Island, NY Posts: 440	So your saying you dont QT new fish? Either way lesson learned, glad it worked out for you and the goby made it.

07/25/2012, 11:10 AM	#7
TJDaddio Moved On Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Delray Beach, FL Posts: 201	He has been doing great so far. But no... don't quarantine. I was brought up in a family who had a 250gal and we never quarantined either.. Never had a problem and only buy from one family owned LFS we know and trust. I know its a risk, but its been this way for a long time and never had any problems.

07/25/2012, 01:58 PM	#10
FlyingRev Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Memphis, Tennessee, USA Posts: 130	As a rule, sticking your hand down into a disposal is a very bad idea. A VERY bad idea. They have been known to engage even without the switch being thrown. Anyway, I am glad it had a happy ending, and that you do not need your boyfriend to open your ketchup bottles in the future.

07/25/2012, 02:28 PM	#11
Entropy Texas Reefer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Round Rock, TX Posts: 13,656	Happy ending. Gobies seem to be pretty hardy. My last yellow watchman actually jumped out of the tank at the LFS. I saw him on the floor still kicking and when the guy got him back in the tank he came right to the front glass and gave me a dirty look (I swear). I told the guy "I will take him". Had that fish for several years (left the tank when I sold the house, but I like to think he is still in there). __________________ Rich Overton 150G cube FOWLR, 30g sump, ReefKeeperII, 3x Koralia 1400's, QuiteOne 3000, Reef Octopus DNWB150, 4x 30w Par38 LED. Current Tank Info: 36x36x27 150g