A note for other newbies: I am so stupid!

[ChardFish]

Well, everyone on this website has some advice for taking care of your fish. But I have one thing to add. It might seem obvious, but these fish are fast and froggie- yesterday, I lost my cellophane giant down the drain during a water change. He leapt out of the container as he was being poured into his bowl and slid right out of sight. :( So, my advice: pour over buckets. Drains are very very dangerous, and as this should have been able to go unsaid, I wanted to do everyone else a favor and give them a chance to learn from my mistake.

So, as for the fish that went down the drain.... i lost my mind. I ripped the plumbing out of the walls with my bare hands, sobbing. He was already past the trap, though, and I lost it. Sobbing, I couldn't stop thinking about him dying in my septic tank. As I cried, after about 5 minutes, I heard a plop. He had flopped back towards the light, and come back out of the septic-side pipe. I picked him up, rinsed him, and stuck him in a methylene blue and neomycin sulphate hospital tank. Today, he looks as if nothing happened and is eating and flaring and swimming. His new name? Lazarus. happy ending, but GREAT lesson!

[LinkLover]

Great advice, and WOW! That is one determined little betta you have there. While reading it I was freaking out, thinking what I would do if that happened to Link, and when I got to the end I was so relieved. I'm so glad this story has a happy ending!

[teeneythebetta]

My heart dropped in the beginning.
What a miracle. I'm glad he's okay :')

[ChardFish]

I was in a blind panic! My shoulders are all knotted from wrenching on the pipes and my forehead is black an blue from pressing it an the floor sobbing. But thank god they are air-breathers! I am medicating him to keep anything from getting hold of him in his stress (and who knows about what bacteria he has encountered now?), but at least he didnt wash that crap into his gills too much. This is one time where "go towards the light" was GOOD advice!

[teeneythebetta]

Aww :( *hugs* Keep us updated.. I'd love to see pics of the handsome guy

[LinkLover]

Originally Posted by ChardFish

This is one time where "go towards the light" was GOOD advice!

That's hilarious! But so true in this case. Sorry to hear you're beaten and bruised, but again, I'm so glad your fishie made it!

[Seki]

Wow, how scary! I totally respect you for ripping all those pipes out to get your little dude out! He's an incredibly lucky fishy, both for surviving, and for having such an amazing owner like you. :) I'm so glad this story had a happy ending! I'm sorry you're hurt, though. My advice is to take some pain pills and spend a day watching your fish... you'll be feeling better in no time! :D

Keep us updated on your little miracle fish! I'd love to see some pics, too!

[ChardFish]

I could not care less about being hurt! I love every one of my fish and think its a great trade-off. And yes, I will post a video in a bit of him in his hospital tank, looking bonnie and fit. The bruises on me are all that remains to prove this happened- I even managed to fix the pipes! (Its a rental, so that was lucky too!)

[Bettanewbie60]

Ohmygosh!!! Scary start...great miracle ending! I'm so glad he's okay...and yeah, I drain the cups over my work bucket...sigh.

[Perseusmom]

Wow is all I can say and so happy you got him back !!!!!!!