# Helped rescue fish an tank



## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

I was asked by a friend if my partner and I could help them get a 4 foot fish tank with some occupunts.

When we got to our destination and saw the fish tank, my word I hae never seen such disgusting water  The worst thing was there was no filteration, no lights and a heater was on. The fish had been fed very well and they were the first to come out of the tank. We started to drain the tank and as we're doing so my friend finds another fish that was under the gravel!!! The water was practically black when it came out and stank to high heaven.

Now for the fish that we got out; one angel fish that was laying on its side and gasping for oxygen, 3 clown loaches that were very pale, ruby tail shark again pale and 2 cory doras.

It took us about 40 mintues to get the fish to my tanks after driving, for them to hopefully survive. I get a text from my friend to say she had something shocking when we went over to their's, got there and low and behold another clown loach. That fish had been out of the water for almost 4 hours in one of the tank ordiments    

The fish are doing very well and look colourful and swimming about. The one that I was more worried about was the angel fish but good news, survived the night and is eating mini cichlid pellets from my fingers.

I just wanted to share and to see if anyone has had a fish that has survived out of water for several hours? I have never known a fish to be out of water for that long.


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

I had a polypterus that would occasionally escape and I'd find her somewhere on the floor covered in dust and looking dried out, but there was no way to tell how long she'd been out. I did have her for 11 years, and I found her once on a different floor from where the aquarium was. Finally I made a custom lid and canopy that would prevent her from escaping and my arowana from jumping out.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Surely the fish should've died with out water?


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

They can breathe atmospheric oxygen. :lol:


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

*** heard many stories of fish being out of water for a long time and still jumping to life when put in the tank....even some have been "crispy" only to spring back to life once returned to the tank....really crazy how they do it but they can and will.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

I had to ask if it had happen to anyone before, never happened to me or anyone I know and they all thought the same as me, that shouldn't be alive but glad it was after the state the tank was in.

All 8 fish are doing great. The angel is looking stunning, I'll have to get a pic of them all at some point.


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

sounds great im glad they are all ok.....get some pics up


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

I'll have to get some up at the weekend.

Shark and corys have now gone to the tank they origanally came from. I'm quite angry about them taking the fish back as I know that the tank hasn't cycled yet. They brought 3 yellow lab yesterday and another couple cichlids.

We gave them every bit of advice not to put any cichlids in the tank, infact no fish at all for at least 2 weeks and within a week they have put at least 8 fish in the tank. How can you say to someone who doesn't know anything about cichlids and the cycling process that if they put cichlids in the unmature tank that they might not survive and they may waste money in buying more?

Don't know if you can tell I'm upset that they may kill the cichlids that they have and the other fish. Sorry for my rant.


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## eL Chupy (Aug 6, 2007)

I would have refused to give them back... you saved them from certain death and now they are right back in the fire... we can only hope that they learned something from that whole ordeal on tank maintenance...hmmmmm...most likely not if they aren't heading your advise about cycling the tank... in my opinion it's more than about wasting money..it's about taking care of a living creature. I think animal cruelty laws should also extend to aquatic animals

poor little guys :?


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

eL Chupy said:


> I would have refused to give them back... you saved them from certain death and now they are right back in the fire... we can only hope that they learned something from that whole ordeal on tank maintenance...hmmmmm...most likely not if they aren't heading your advise about cycling the tank... in my opinion it's more than about wasting money..it's about taking care of a living creature. I think animal cruelty laws should also extend to aquatic animals
> 
> poor little guys :?


They now do in Switzerland.


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

i believe they apply to water turtles if im not mistaken as well?


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## ben1988 (May 2, 2009)

i cant remember where i read it but i know that there is a country out there that it is very serious with living creature cruelty. you have to humanly cut vegies, cant cut the grass with a dull blade, no picking flower, no killing weeds, fish, dogs, cats, reptiles, toads, everything is covered!!


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

that whole grass thing is unreal...how on earth would they enforce anything like that? U should find out wich country it is u read about...im interested


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Its been one day since they took they fish, they say they are fine but I can bet that they are not. I'm going to see them tomorrow (would do today but working from 3pm to 11pm at a flu clinic) to check if the fish are ok and test the water (they said they had it tested already and got told it was fine by LFS, the one they go to isn't relaible) and see how everything is.

I totally agree with eL Chupy that there should be laws on our wet pets.

I'll keep you all informed.


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

Phwaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrr.
Humanly cut veggies :lol: 
I think somebody's pulling your leg ben.


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## SoDakJeep (Mar 21, 2009)

I guess I have only set up two tanks before but I have never cycled any of them. All my fish were fine. I just changed the water every week and never lost a single fish because of it. I sometimes wonder if this cycle is really a huge deal as I have heard/seen many people add water and then fish. From my experiance though an uncycled tank is not much to worry about. Just my honest opinion.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

I have always cycled my tank. The water here in the uk especially the location I'm in, the water is hard, so you have to let the tank cycle while putting a declor in, which you should do anyway.

The real issue I have with this whole situtation is, I gave them advise on what they should do with the tank i.e cycle it, no fish just yet but as mentioned they have gone agaisnt what was said. This advise was only given as this, as fish keepers is what we have done for the years we have been keeping fish.

My friends are very new to cichlids and think as they kept moliies and guppies its the same thing. Wrong, wrong :x. Water changes need to be done regularly, feeding you have to keep an eye on so you don't get those white worm things (I had this problem), well you all know the rest of keeping cichlids.

I just don't like givng advise out and then to be ignored. Again sorry for my rant.


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## steelers fan (Jun 26, 2009)

=D> =D> =D>


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## heylady (Oct 14, 2004)

Many fish can survive the cycling process but it doesn't mean they aren't harmed. The build up of ammonia will damage their delicate gills which in turn can mean more likely to be ill or a shortened life span.

Poor fishies.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

I saw the fish yesterday and the labs are stressed as you can see vertical bars. The other fish are pale in colour and going round in circles at one end of the tank. The shark seems fine. Think they had the ammonia spike yesterday. Hope no major damage has been done!


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

this is unfortuante....ud think theyd try and listen to friends if anyone ya know?


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Thats what you'd think but their egarness is so strong, its hard to get anything through without sounding like I'm trying to overtake their tank.

I went over again yesterday and its seems to have slightly settled but there's still signs of stress. I have told them that they can't put any more fish in the tank as they have 10 fish, for another 2 weeks or so just to give the fish a better chance of surviving and give the bioload a chance.

How would you give someone advise without sounding like your overtaking?


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

maybe print some information off for them from the internet?


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

They go to the same LFS as we do, get the same advice as we do (sometime s slightly wrong) but you get the general idea.

You would think that they listen to what was being said. I bet you the girls as the LFS asked how long the tank had been set up and I bet my friends said for a month (this is the sort of people you hate going in to a shop, buy, buy, buy).


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

well i guess alls you can do is hope for the best and pray they dont learn the hard way and regret all the advice given not being taken into consideration.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

I do hope everything is going to be ok.

I check in everyday to make sure things are going ok with them.


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## heylady (Oct 14, 2004)

There is something they could do to help the fish they already have and that's water changes and lots of them! Since they've stocked so fully and quickly it would be prudent to do a decent water change like every other day for the first week or two, then maybe twice a week for another two weeks then on down to a regular weekly water change. Please tell me they intend to do water changes (you can only hope)!!


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Oh water changes are being done and told to do them as you've said just for the first couple of weeks. I know they can make this tank work if they stick to what has been said to them, They don't want the angelfish or th other 2 clown loaches so they are staying with me for the time being. I can only but hope that no fish will be harmed in any way.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Just thought I'd give an update on the fish and tank.

The fish seem really active and the tank has settled down. No more fish have been added. They brought loads of slate and I did a big aqua scape for them to give the fish plenty of hiding holes. Also to make it look atractive for the eyes.


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

nice to hear...any chance of some pics?


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