sixline wrasse BACK from the DEAD

sjfishguy · 05/08/2007, 12:47 PM

Last night I came in from going out to dinner and I added some drops to my tank, whatever, and I notice something on the floor by the tank (my tank is covered BTW). It is my poor little sixline wrasse all dried out, not all the way through yet, but definitely totally dry on the outside. I pick him up to throw him away and see the slightest movement in his tail. I was thinkin "ok he is still alive a little, but there is no way he is going to be ok after this ordeal." I throw him in my fuge where he floats to the bottom. Over the next few hours of laying on the bottom, his gills moving fast, and shaking every once in a while, I go to bed thinking he is definitely not going to make it through the night.

This morning he was swimming around like nothing happened and I just added him back to the display and fed him. He is eating like a pig. I have had eels come back to life after being dry like this but never thought a fish could do it! I still can't believe it, unreal!

kiknchikn · 05/08/2007, 12:50 PM

Wow, that's crazy. I'm happy the little guy is alright. Any plans to cover the tank to keep that from happening again?

sjfishguy · 05/08/2007, 12:53 PM

It is covered, that is why I said that in the post, I knew people would say that. There is one little hole in the corner where a powerhead is connected; this is the only place he could have jumped out.

kiknchikn · 05/08/2007, 01:06 PM

Ah, my bad. I speed read and for some reason my brain completely skips over things in parentheses sometimes. I apologize.

Out of curiosity, what did you use to cover it? I've given egg crate a try, but it blocked too much light for me.

sjfishguy · 05/08/2007, 01:23 PM

Its a sheet of acrylic. I probably do lose light because of it, but the tank in question is an SPS dominated 10g with 130W of light over it, so I would lose too much evap if it wasnt totally covered. I try to clean it a few times a week, I do the best I can with it.

MTB · 05/08/2007, 02:05 PM

Glad he pulled through for you. I have heard about eels coming back, but never a fish.

frederickk · 05/09/2007, 11:08 AM

I guess you can name him ''survivor''

techigirl78 · 05/09/2007, 11:37 AM

Funny, similar thing happened with my melanarus wrasse awhile ago. Jumped through a small hole as well. Good to hear the fish is doing well now.

alan214 · 05/09/2007, 11:50 AM

Boy, he sure has a good aim!

Rewd · 05/09/2007, 10:05 PM

Don't some wrasses produce a coating of mucus when they "sleep" during the night to protect them?

Maybe that's what saved him? Great story tho, I love my Sixline. Possibly my favorite fish.

drummereef · 05/09/2007, 10:09 PM

Wow, what a happy ending. Flying fishies will find the smallest hole and hit it like a field goal in the Super Bowl. Glad it turned out good.

Im14abeer · 05/09/2007, 11:15 PM

Nice prose drummer.

05/08/2007, 12:47 PM	#1
sjfishguy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Delray Beach, FL Posts: 2,212	sixline wrasse BACK from the DEAD Last night I came in from going out to dinner and I added some drops to my tank, whatever, and I notice something on the floor by the tank (my tank is covered BTW). It is my poor little sixline wrasse all dried out, not all the way through yet, but definitely totally dry on the outside. I pick him up to throw him away and see the slightest movement in his tail. I was thinkin "ok he is still alive a little, but there is no way he is going to be ok after this ordeal." I throw him in my fuge where he floats to the bottom. Over the next few hours of laying on the bottom, his gills moving fast, and shaking every once in a while, I go to bed thinking he is definitely not going to make it through the night. This morning he was swimming around like nothing happened and I just added him back to the display and fed him. He is eating like a pig. I have had eels come back to life after being dry like this but never thought a fish could do it! I still can't believe it, unreal! __________________ Rich nanoTOTM May '08 29 years saltwater, 19 years reefs Current Tank Info: 65 mixed reef

05/08/2007, 12:50 PM	#2
kiknchikn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bel Air, MD Posts: 1,556	Wow, that's crazy. I'm happy the little guy is alright. Any plans to cover the tank to keep that from happening again? __________________ I am a proud member of the Chesapeake Marine Aquaria Society (CMAS). If you're in the Maryland area check us out! Current Tank Info: 30g nano reef

05/08/2007, 12:53 PM	#3
sjfishguy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Delray Beach, FL Posts: 2,212	It is covered, that is why I said that in the post, I knew people would say that. There is one little hole in the corner where a powerhead is connected; this is the only place he could have jumped out. __________________ Rich nanoTOTM May '08 29 years saltwater, 19 years reefs Current Tank Info: 65 mixed reef

05/08/2007, 01:06 PM	#4
kiknchikn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bel Air, MD Posts: 1,556	Ah, my bad. I speed read and for some reason my brain completely skips over things in parentheses sometimes. I apologize. Out of curiosity, what did you use to cover it? I've given egg crate a try, but it blocked too much light for me. __________________ I am a proud member of the Chesapeake Marine Aquaria Society (CMAS). If you're in the Maryland area check us out! Current Tank Info: 30g nano reef

05/08/2007, 01:23 PM	#5
sjfishguy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Delray Beach, FL Posts: 2,212	Its a sheet of acrylic. I probably do lose light because of it, but the tank in question is an SPS dominated 10g with 130W of light over it, so I would lose too much evap if it wasnt totally covered. I try to clean it a few times a week, I do the best I can with it. __________________ Rich nanoTOTM May '08 29 years saltwater, 19 years reefs Current Tank Info: 65 mixed reef

05/08/2007, 02:05 PM	#6
MTB Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Illannoy Posts: 1,365	Glad he pulled through for you. I have heard about eels coming back, but never a fish. __________________ Got Frags? Current Tank Info: 40 breeder. Kessil lights. Reef octopus skimmer. Vortec mp40 x2.

05/09/2007, 11:08 AM	#7
frederickk Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2,712	I guess you can name him ''survivor''

05/09/2007, 11:37 AM	#8
techigirl78 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 1,739	Funny, similar thing happened with my melanarus wrasse awhile ago. Jumped through a small hole as well. Good to hear the fish is doing well now.

05/09/2007, 11:50 AM	#9
alan214 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: The Colony, TX Posts: 1,258	Boy, he sure has a good aim! __________________ I live really close to the airport. The other day I was walking across the living room and the stewardess told me to take my seat. Current Tank Info: 73G FOWLR

05/09/2007, 10:05 PM	#10
Rewd Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: PA Posts: 324	Don't some wrasses produce a coating of mucus when they "sleep" during the night to protect them? Maybe that's what saved him? Great story tho, I love my Sixline. Possibly my favorite fish.

05/09/2007, 10:09 PM	#11
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	Wow, what a happy ending. Flying fishies will find the smallest hole and hit it like a field goal in the Super Bowl. Glad it turned out good. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

05/09/2007, 11:15 PM	#12
Im14abeer BRILLIANT! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Grosse Pointe Farms, MI Posts: 406	Nice prose drummer. __________________ Veni, vidi, fishi Current Tank Info: Mixed 235 "reefin' in the corner." Reefbreeders 48 & 32. 2x Tunze 6255 on a 7096, Basement sump, Avast cs1, mag 18 return. Chaeto, kalk.