Call A Medic!

CompNrdCR · 11/22/2008, 06:12 PM

So I did save one of my Damsels from dying the other day and wanted to share what I did. Plus I would love to have others share what they did to nurse their sick fish back to heath.

So I come in late to work (where my fish tanks are) and found that one of my Yellow Tailed Damsels got way to hungry and tried to eat a Bristle Worm. He was breathing hard, kind of on his side but sill swimming when my hand got near, but with a huge worm sticking out of his mouth. So I got a specimen box out and (like the LFS have) filled it up with water. I then caught him with a net (first time ever!) to place him in it and then using feeding tongs I yanked the worm out of his mouth. Removed what bits of worm I could from the box and noticed that he ate half if the worm. At this point he was breathing hard and trying to stay upright. Well I got out my spare air pump and air stone and placed it in the box to keep water and air moving around him. I then placed a small PVC thing-a-ma-jig so he could hide in with him and used a turkey baster to due some small water changes. Well a few days of water changing and placing very little food in the box he was swimming upright and looking really good. Knowing that when I place him back into the tank I would never be able to catch him again I crossed my figures and released him. He is all back to attacking my hand when I place it in the tank and acting like nothing had happened. The total time that I was a "Medic!" was around 60 hours. I am very happy that I could save him and feel like I passed some reefer tank milestone.

Tell me what you all think and share your stories.

-C

ReefEnabler · 11/22/2008, 06:18 PM

Good work!!

tbar · 11/22/2008, 06:32 PM

Nice job I saw my green brittle star eating a bristle worm tonight. Now I think I know how he has got so big.

11/22/2008, 06:12 PM	#1
CompNrdCR Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 193	Call A Medic! So I did save one of my Damsels from dying the other day and wanted to share what I did. Plus I would love to have others share what they did to nurse their sick fish back to heath. So I come in late to work (where my fish tanks are) and found that one of my Yellow Tailed Damsels got way to hungry and tried to eat a Bristle Worm. He was breathing hard, kind of on his side but sill swimming when my hand got near, but with a huge worm sticking out of his mouth. So I got a specimen box out and (like the LFS have) filled it up with water. I then caught him with a net (first time ever!) to place him in it and then using feeding tongs I yanked the worm out of his mouth. Removed what bits of worm I could from the box and noticed that he ate half if the worm. At this point he was breathing hard and trying to stay upright. Well I got out my spare air pump and air stone and placed it in the box to keep water and air moving around him. I then placed a small PVC thing-a-ma-jig so he could hide in with him and used a turkey baster to due some small water changes. Well a few days of water changing and placing very little food in the box he was swimming upright and looking really good. Knowing that when I place him back into the tank I would never be able to catch him again I crossed my figures and released him. He is all back to attacking my hand when I place it in the tank and acting like nothing had happened. The total time that I was a "Medic!" was around 60 hours. I am very happy that I could save him and feel like I passed some reefer tank milestone. Tell me what you all think and share your stories. -C

11/22/2008, 06:18 PM	#2
ReefEnabler Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 3,760	Good work!! __________________ - Ryan B "that is enough skimmate to ruin lives." - GSMguy Current Tank Info: 220g Display, 70g sump, 35g frag, 50g fuge, 2x250w MH, 1x400w MH, 2x80w T5, 2x140w VHO Actinic

11/22/2008, 06:32 PM	#3
tbar Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: SE Virginia Posts: 452	Nice job I saw my green brittle star eating a bristle worm tonight. Now I think I know how he has got so big. __________________ I have done a 5 gal water change (about 17%) every week since week one. Hopefully having this posted here will motivate me enough to keep doing so. Current Tank Info: 33L, Two 36" 24 watt Marineland LED's, Tunze 9002 Skimmer, 2 Koralia 1's, pico hob filter for carbon.