Fish's Fin Stuck In Gill

[mel_20_20]

Yes, you would need to be very careful that is certain.

Here is info from the article:


Clove Method How-To: (Fish up to 3”)
1. Using a small clean container, filled with tank water, add approx. 1 drop of clove oil per 24oz.*, and shake vigorously. The clove oil must emulsify (will turn the water a milky white). *Remember the amount of water you use (needed for alcohol concentration below).
2. Add the fish, and check back in about 10-15 minutes. If the fish is still swimming occasionally, pre-mix a small amount of clove-oil and add this to the container. Wait again.
3. Add 20-25% volume of grain alcohol. For example, if the fish is in 8oz (240ml) of water, add 2oz (60ml) of vodka.
4. Check the fish carefully after 20 minutes. If there is no sign of gill movement after a minute, the fish has expired.

*(Fish over 3”+) Follow the above instruction, but increase the Clove Oil concentrations to 10 drops per US Gallon (or 1 drop per 13oz).

Yes, for anesthesia the concentration seems to be 1 drop for 24oz for fish under 3" and 1 drop for 12oz for fish over 3". So my concentration was stronger than needed for anesthsia, but it still took my guppy about 10 minutes to become anesthetised and asleep with the 1 drop I added to appx 12oz. With the 3oz in the baster the total would have been 1 drop for 15oz in the case of my guppy. After 10 minutes of sleeping I gave him the lethal dose.

I don't use the alcohol method with the clove oil for euthansia, I just use the lethal concentration of clove oil.

 

[mel_20_20]

I would try to stay away from the area where the fin is attached to the body, not knowing the anatomical term for that area I'll just call it his "armpit".

If you place the toothpick close to the gill edge just under the fin there will be less of a chance of tearing the flesh at the armpit.

Of course, you have to take care not to touch the gill interior with the point of the toothpick, too. Duh, like you need to be told that.

 

[majortank]

This does kind of remind me of the time my dog was scratching his ear and got his paw stuck in his hair and tried walking up to me with only three legs . It was kinda hilarious.

This case is not hilarious. Hope the advice in this thread has helped you out. I've honestly never heard of this happening before, and I cant even picture how it could have happened. Maybe he was scratching too?

 

[b.greene]

not knowing the anatomical term for that area I'll just call it his "armpit".

 

[cguarino30]

you don't really have to knock him out to do this, but if you wanted to, I'd recommend using club soda instead of clove oil. It has a much lower chance of causing permanent damage. You still have to be careful, though.

 

[bettabrat]

I'd be careful w/the clove oil, very careful if you go that route.

I think the best thing to do is get him out w/out stressing him too much. From there see if you can remove the fin from his gill w/out inflicting further damage. As mentioned a toothpick might work. From there I'd QT him in a seperate tank w/either melafix or fresh water and a bit of salt to help heal the wounds & to keep him from possibly contaminating (sp) the other tank inhabitants in case he has developed an infection or anything of the like while dealing with this stressful situation. Good luck and please let us know how it goes and what you decided etc.

 

[kelly82]

:laugh: sorry but the leg in the ear comment really tickled me! makes you wonder how on earth it managed this! are you sure it wasnt like this before and its always been this way, i once had a fancy goldie who had 1 anal fin twisted up and outside the edge of its tail, i netted him and it turned out it must have been that way for quite some time as it had fixed there. good luck with your little fish, i definately would go for the clove oil route,thats what i did with my goldie,made it seem a lot less stressful for it.

 

[DartGuy]

I didn't have any club soda or clove oil, but i netted the fish and brought it to the surface. After much wiggling and some careful movement of a toothpick, and the fin was free. :thm:
She seens to be doing fine and can move the fin a little. I'll carefully monitor her for the next few weeks.

 

[cguarino30]

glad to hear it worked out

 

[kokopuff]

Maybe the fish is just picking it's nose..?