Help with Physical Injury

[Nathan 0]

So, I was really stupid and Othello, my favorite black moor, jumped the net and hit the floor.

He burst some blood vessels in his eye, and it's full of blood. Additionally, he's having difficulty righting himself. He can swim upright, but he's lying on his side quite a bit.

I feel pretty sick. The eye will probably be ok. The inability to right himself really worries me. I'm hoping it's a result of the eye injury and not serious internal trauma.

I've put him in the hospital tank with methylene blue, salt at 1 tsp/gal, and a strong bubbler.

Anyone have any suggestions on how I can improve his chances?

[DawnMichele 6,045]

Hope Othello will be OK.

[ChrissieA 113]

That's awful I hope he gets better soon. Someon will be along to help you

[Helen 8,511]

hello Nathan,

 

i am sorry to hear for the accident with your fish. since we are in this area of the site, please answer the following questions relating to the QT tank as best as you can.  i had a moor which i dropped from a great height onto a tiled floor. poor darling received trauma to the eye. the eye sac split a little and was oozing blood. i added salt to the tank which stopped the blood escaping, however, before his month long treatment was up, the eye deflated. he could still see well through that eye though. he was just a little strange to look at i also confirm that when David (the moor) suffered his injury, he too swam somewhat wonky and displayed lethargy for about a week, however, he recovered from that too. if you can post a video of his behaviour as he is now, so that we can see his swimming pattern and his injury, that would be great. meanwhile, here are the questions which need answering.

 

Please copy & paste fill the following form and fill it out to the best of your ability when requesting help for Goldfish Problems:

• Test Results for the Following:
  • * Ammonia Level(Tank)
  • * Nitrite Level(Tank)
  • * Nitrate level(Tank)
  • * Ammonia Level(Tap)
  • * Nitrite Level(Tap)
  • * Nitrate level(Tap)
  • * Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines)
  • * Ph Level, Tap (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines)
  • Other Required Info:
    • * Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops?
    • * Water temperature?
    • * Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running?
    • * What is the name and "size of the filter"(s)?
    • * How often do you change the water and how much?

• * How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change?
• * How many fish in the tank and their size?
• * What kind of water additives or conditioners?
• * What do you feed your fish and how often?
• * Any new fish added to the tank?
• * Any medications added to the tank?
• * List entire medication/treatment history for fish and tank. Please include salt, Prazi, PP, etc and the approximate time and duration of treatment.
• * Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt," bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus?
• * Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.?

[mjfromga 1,785]

Hope your fish gets to feeling better. I find that transferring the fish by hand makes them flip less. Even my super wiggly Slate seems to thrash a lot less if I hold him to move him. In the nets, they seem to panic. I use both hands so he won't slip out, and gently place him into the backup tank or whatnot.

[Helen 8,511]

Hope your fish gets to feeling better. I find that transferring the fish by hand makes them flip less. Even my super wiggly Slate seems to thrash a lot less if I hold him to move him. In the nets, they seem to panic. I use both hands so he won't slip out, and gently place him into the backup tank or whatnot.

 

we do not transfer injured fish by hand or net. we use the tub method. catch the fish in a transparent tub and transport it to the holding facility. our hands or net may cause stress which can cause the fish to wriggle. in the event of an already injured fish, this can cause further injury.

[Helen 8,511]

 

Hope your fish gets to feeling better. I find that transferring the fish by hand makes them flip less. Even my super wiggly Slate seems to thrash a lot less if I hold him to move him. In the nets, they seem to panic. I use both hands so he won't slip out, and gently place him into the backup tank or whatnot.

 

we do not transfer injured fish by hand or net. we use the tub method. catch the fish in a transparent tub and transport it to the holding facility. our hands or net may cause stress which can cause the fish to wriggle. in the event of an already injured fish, this can cause further injury.

 

 

here is a tutorial on how you can accomplish the transfer of fish when they must simply not be handled.

 

[mjfromga 1,785]

I actually recommended that as a way to prevent a severely thrashing fish from injuring himself in the first place. Was not saying to move him that way now. You can always bowl scoop too of course. I don't use nets anymore though.

[Nathan 0]

• Test Results for the Following:
  • * Ammonia Level(Tank): 0 ppm

• * Nitrite Level(Tank): 0 ppm

* Nitrate level(Tank): 0 ppm

* Ammonia Level(Tap): 0 ppm

* Nitrite Level(Tap): 0 ppm

* Nitrate level(Tap): 0 ppm

* Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines): 7.4

* Ph Level, Tap (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines): 7.0

Other Required Info:

• * Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops?: API drops

* Water temperature?: 73 F

* Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running?: 10 gal hospital, 1 day

* What is the name and "size of the filter"(s)? Sponge filter running on a Tetra Whisper 10 air pump

* How often do you change the water and how much? 25% daily

• * How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change? Today, 25%

* How many fish in the tank and their size? 1, 5 inch

* What kind of water additives or conditioners? Prime

* What do you feed your fish and how often? NLS Thera A+ daily, peas weekly

* Any new fish added to the tank? No

* Any medications added to the tank? Methylene blue, salt

* List entire medication/treatment history for fish and tank. Please include salt, Prazi, PP, etc and the approximate time and duration of treatment. Topical methylene blue for small spot of saprolegnia (3 days), currently half tank strength methylene blue, salt at 1 tsp/gal

* Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt," bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? Small spot of saprolegnia on head. Primary problem is physical trauma; dropped from height while transferring for treatment. Bloody, but intact eye.

* Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.? Lying on the bottom on side, swimming on side; I'm working on getting a video.

[Nathan 0]

 

Hope your fish gets to feeling better. I find that transferring the fish by hand makes them flip less. Even my super wiggly Slate seems to thrash a lot less if I hold him to move him. In the nets, they seem to panic. I use both hands so he won't slip out, and gently place him into the backup tank or whatnot.

 

we do not transfer injured fish by hand or net. we use the tub method. catch the fish in a transparent tub and transport it to the holding facility. our hands or net may cause stress which can cause the fish to wriggle. in the event of an already injured fish, this can cause further injury.

 

 

 

I actually recommended that as a way to prevent a severely thrashing fish from injuring himself in the first place. Was not saying to move him that way now. You can always bowl scoop too of course. I don't use nets anymore though.

 

That's actually what I was doing; he's wily and usually lives in a 90 gallon, so a net is used to herd him to the surface. As I was lifting him out of the tank with my hand, he thrashed and got away. Would usually use two hands, but I needed the other free to give him a swab. Should have put him down on something first. Should have...

 

Like I said, stupid.

[DawnMichele 6,045]

How is Othello doing today?

[jenzaar 11,605]

We all make mistakes, and most of us have dropped fish on the floor too. Can't go back, so just do what you can now to help him heal up as quickly as possible!

[Nathan 0]

How is Othello doing today?

 

Alive. Lethargic, but trying to swim some. Not very well, and a bit frantic at times. I think it tires him out, poor guy.

[Nathan 0]

Since I'm new and apparently can't post video, hopefully this will work. Short video of him trying to swim.

 

[DawnMichele 6,045]

 I hope he feels better soon.

[Helen 8,511]

Nathan, we all make mistakes. don't beat yourself up over it.. lets focus on making fish better. injuries such as these take a while for them to recover from. may i recommend you use salt instead of meth blue? salt is known to calm a fish better than other medicines and at the same time, assist in repairing any damages to the exterior. it would be my choice of treating an injured fish.

[koko 14,376]

Since I'm new and apparently can't post video, hopefully this will work. Short video of him trying to swim.

 

 

Sorry hun... no one can upload Videos to the forum... they are just to big...

 

But what you did worked and thats how we do it

[Nathan 0]

Nathan, we all make mistakes. don't beat yourself up over it.. lets focus on making fish better. injuries such as these take a while for them to recover from. may i recommend you use salt instead of meth blue? salt is known to calm a fish better than other medicines and at the same time, assist in repairing any damages to the exterior. it would be my choice of treating an injured fish.

 

Already using salt in the tank. The meth blue is to keep a small saprolegnia infection he had from turning into a full blown infection in his weakened state. If you still recommend against it, I'll certainly change it.

[Helen 8,511]

 

Nathan, we all make mistakes. don't beat yourself up over it.. lets focus on making fish better. injuries such as these take a while for them to recover from. may i recommend you use salt instead of meth blue? salt is known to calm a fish better than other medicines and at the same time, assist in repairing any damages to the exterior. it would be my choice of treating an injured fish.

 

Already using salt in the tank. The meth blue is to keep a small saprolegnia infection he had from turning into a full blown infection in his weakened state. If you still recommend against it, I'll certainly change it.

 

no, it's fine. keep both, they can work well together. this little dude is just going to need some time to recover from both shock and injury. fingers crossed it all goes well

[Nathan 0]

 

 

Nathan, we all make mistakes. don't beat yourself up over it.. lets focus on making fish better. injuries such as these take a while for them to recover from. may i recommend you use salt instead of meth blue? salt is known to calm a fish better than other medicines and at the same time, assist in repairing any damages to the exterior. it would be my choice of treating an injured fish.

 

Already using salt in the tank. The meth blue is to keep a small saprolegnia infection he had from turning into a full blown infection in his weakened state. If you still recommend against it, I'll certainly change it.

 

no, it's fine. keep both, they can work well together. this little dude is just going to need some time to recover from both shock and injury. fingers crossed it all goes well

 

 

Thank you.

[Nathan 0]

I'm seeing some slight improvement in Othello this morning. He's not swimming quite as erratically, and he has been trying to forage. So, still holding onto some hope.

[Helen 8,511]

baby steps are always a good thing

[Nathan 0]

It looks like Othello is going to make a full recovery, except for a deflated eye.

I wasn't so sure the first couple of days when he just laid on his side on the bottom of the tank.

Then, when he could at least right himself, but couldn't float, I was concerned he damaged his swim bladder and wouldn't swim properly again.

Finally, Thursday, he started showing some buoyancy control.

Now he's hating being in QT, and I'm weighing the stress of being stuck alone in QT versus whether he's healed enough to go back with his friends in the main tank. I think I'll give him another couple of days.

[ChrissieA 113]

I had the same problem recently with weighing up the stress of qt and the fishes recovery. It's a scary feeling because you just want to do what's right for them. Just follow your gut, you'll make the right call for him as you see it. I'm so glad he's recovering well

[Helen 8,511]

if the wound has healed and there is no bleeding, he's on to a good thing. what you want to be sure of is that there is a layer of slime coat on it (even just a little), for 2 reasons. 1, to keep the site safe from opportunistic bacteria, 2, to ensure that his tank mates do not consider that wound a meal. if it smells like food, they won't hesitate to attack.

 

if you are confident that his healing process is done, then you can add him back to the main tank