Hardy Hatchets

[bghill]

I was doing some tank maintence on the 33 today. I had just finshed filling it up and did a quick inventory and everyone was accounted for. I hooked up the canister and played around underneath the cabinet for about 10 minutes. When walked around the other side, on the kitchen floor about 3 feet from the tank was a hatchet fish and it looked really dried out. I cursed myself as I picked it up and OMFG it wiggled around! I tossed it in the left over WC water and crossed my fingers. It swam around a bit and made a few more jumps trying to get out of the bucket. Five minutes later it was floating tummy up and I thought it was a goner. I went to net it out and it took off again. It had a will to live! I chased it around the bucket a bit and then left it alone a bit. Now it is back in the community tank with its mates and seems fine.
Any idea how long a fish can live out of water? I would guess this guy was at least 5 minutes out.

[goldfishfanatic]

dont know but i once had a weather loach climb out of my tank on top of the condensation tray and dry out under the lights, i picked it up and it was like a dry stick,though omg,stupid critter,anyway thought maybe,just maybe if i put him in the water he might live lol,low and behold,he sank to the bottom, but after around 2 mins started to wriggle, then swim, he was fine, he did lose all of his fins and tail but they all grew back!

[freshwaterfish1]

That's crazy. Wish I had that luck when I had hatchets. Shot mine jumped out within like 2 minutes he was a goner.
Good thing you found him quickly.

[Rbishop]

Lucky you! I have heard of plecos lasting pretty long, on decorations like driftwood taken out for cleaning.

[nh5]

I had a weather loach jump and dry on the floor it was a hard stick also after a few days. I also had a blue gourami jump out of my tank and into the wc bucket many years ago.

[mostlycichlids]

My hatchets jump out on ocassion. Scoop em up and put them back in no problems yet. I had a Red Devil jump out of a tank while I was at work one time. When I came home from work he was half way across the room motionless. Picked it up put it back in lived till I got rid of him a couple years later.

[jm1212]

i had a molly jump out of my tank while i was out to dinner, and then i came back about an hour and a half later and found him on the floor. i put him bakc in the tank and he turned out to be OK

[tanker]

I have had bettas dry overnight, and still live.