Corrie, please see this thread for wen removal. It needs to be trimmed off.
http://thegab.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17982
http://thegab.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17982
Silly Ory
- Thread starter corrieberry
- Start date
Warning - some nasty images of fish surgery!
OK for those I didn't manage to talk to - I was doing a WC and the Python detached from the tap in the bathroom. I ran to switch it off and didn't stop the suction on the control near the end of the tube and in the 30 seconds I was out, Ory got sucked in and his wen got torn.
Lupin and Kashta gave me some links on how to get the torn part off. It took about seven drops of clove oil to one gallon to get him under, and it seemed to take him ages to stop moving (apart from breathing obviously....although for a few hairy seconds both me and my boyfriend thought he had stopped breathing
). The largest part of the torn wen was fairly easy to get off, but there were lots of smaller areas which were more tricky. I didn't manage to get them all - when we put him back in the water I noticed some that I had missed.
I had to run out and get a new tank and equipment because I had another fish in QT and didn't want to risk Ory getting more injured/infected, and I couldn't get any of the antiseptics Lupin and Kashta suggested without a prescription, so I now have him in a 12G with one Stingray filter rated for 15G and a sponge filter.
So now the questions...what sort of complications should I look for in the next few days? Parts of the wen have been taken off completely from his head - can I expect it to grow back? Also, should I do another surgery in a few days time to get the small parts that I missed first time? If I do this I might trim it around his other eye because it's starting to grow over, but I would really rather not as it's one of the worst things I've ever done.
This has been a very stressful (and expensive) day...sometimes I hate my fish
OK for those I didn't manage to talk to - I was doing a WC and the Python detached from the tap in the bathroom. I ran to switch it off and didn't stop the suction on the control near the end of the tube and in the 30 seconds I was out, Ory got sucked in and his wen got torn.
Lupin and Kashta gave me some links on how to get the torn part off. It took about seven drops of clove oil to one gallon to get him under, and it seemed to take him ages to stop moving (apart from breathing obviously....although for a few hairy seconds both me and my boyfriend thought he had stopped breathing
). The largest part of the torn wen was fairly easy to get off, but there were lots of smaller areas which were more tricky. I didn't manage to get them all - when we put him back in the water I noticed some that I had missed.I had to run out and get a new tank and equipment because I had another fish in QT and didn't want to risk Ory getting more injured/infected, and I couldn't get any of the antiseptics Lupin and Kashta suggested without a prescription, so I now have him in a 12G with one Stingray filter rated for 15G and a sponge filter.
So now the questions...what sort of complications should I look for in the next few days? Parts of the wen have been taken off completely from his head - can I expect it to grow back? Also, should I do another surgery in a few days time to get the small parts that I missed first time? If I do this I might trim it around his other eye because it's starting to grow over, but I would really rather not as it's one of the worst things I've ever done.
This has been a very stressful (and expensive) day...sometimes I hate my fish
corrie, you did a great job! He looks fantastic.
As for the long term, his wen will probably always be lopsided, but you can definitely expect some regrowth. Keep an eye out for fungus or any discoloration on the wound, but with clean water it should heal up on its own. As far as surgeries, wen surgery is the least likely to cause infection.
Nicely done!! :thumbsup:
As for the long term, his wen will probably always be lopsided, but you can definitely expect some regrowth. Keep an eye out for fungus or any discoloration on the wound, but with clean water it should heal up on its own. As far as surgeries, wen surgery is the least likely to cause infection.
Nicely done!! :thumbsup:
Hi Corrie,
Congrats for the job well done!:thumbsup: I agree with Iris. The wen still has a chance to regrow and can be accelerated by high protein based diet. Glad you got the sponge filter. That and clean water quality will help aid to the recovery of the wen.
Congrats for the job well done!:thumbsup: I agree with Iris. The wen still has a chance to regrow and can be accelerated by high protein based diet. Glad you got the sponge filter. That and clean water quality will help aid to the recovery of the wen.
This evening it looks like the wen on either side of the split are coming back together, which will be good if he doesn't have to grow fully and it just fuses together. What I'm worried about is it seems to be full of clear fluid on the front, and a little white. If a fungus sets in, what supplies should I have on hand (just so I can get them...I'm quite busy and will only notice problems when I'm not at work and all the shops are closed).
Hopefully it'll be possible to see all that ini the photos. If not, I will try take more...but he seems to have realised the big silver thing flashes and he does his utmost to turn away on the second flash, so I only get one good photo in about every twenty...*sigh*.
He is behaving fairly normally, though he is swimming up and down the side of the glass as if he is trying to say hello to his reflection. Is this just normal fish behaviour I haven't seen before? I'm also feeling slightly less guilty today - he seems determined to swim into the Python even when I'm trying to swing it away from him. Anybody else had this reaction? I only just figured out how to use it so he isn't used to it. He seems to have forgotten it was the big tubey thing that inflicted the injury in the first place...
I made a gel food I found on thegab.org, Lupin, with 60% protein. I've got live bloodworms, brine shrimp and my usual pellet food (Aquarian premium goldfish pellets). High protein enough?
Finally, a picture of Ellie all alone and confused without Ory to swim up and down with her!
Hopefully it'll be possible to see all that ini the photos. If not, I will try take more...but he seems to have realised the big silver thing flashes and he does his utmost to turn away on the second flash, so I only get one good photo in about every twenty...*sigh*.
He is behaving fairly normally, though he is swimming up and down the side of the glass as if he is trying to say hello to his reflection. Is this just normal fish behaviour I haven't seen before? I'm also feeling slightly less guilty today - he seems determined to swim into the Python even when I'm trying to swing it away from him. Anybody else had this reaction? I only just figured out how to use it so he isn't used to it. He seems to have forgotten it was the big tubey thing that inflicted the injury in the first place...
I made a gel food I found on thegab.org, Lupin, with 60% protein. I've got live bloodworms, brine shrimp and my usual pellet food (Aquarian premium goldfish pellets). High protein enough?
Finally, a picture of Ellie all alone and confused without Ory to swim up and down with her!
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Pimafix and Melafix will prevent secondary infections but be sure to maximize the oxygen levels as Melafix does deplete oxygen level. Both Melafix and Pimafix are preventive treatments only therefore they will not treat secondary infections once they set in particularly true fungal infection and bacterial infection. I'd expect the latter more than the former since true fungal infections are hard to come by but let's cross our fingers it won't happen to Ory.
Yes, it is. Loners tend to do that but they'll eventually get over it. It also happens with new arrivals.
I have. Most fish don't resist the input flow of the siphon. This happens often with loaches as loaches came from fast flowing rivers and are pretty used to the flow areas.
I would not exceed it any further as Ory may not used up all the proteins. The 40s-50s would be sufficient enough already.
OK so I finally managed to get some Melafix. Instructions are 5ml to every 38l. The tank he is in is apparently a 16G (60l) so I'm left wondering how does over/underdosing affect him? I'm not sure if I will manage to get it absolutely right and would rather underdose, unless the better thing to do is overdose...Also, does anyone know exactly why I have to remove all my carbon? Just for interests sake! And finally it says to dose for 7 days, then to do a 25% WC. It's an uncycled tank and I am doing 50% WCs everyday to try keep him destressed and the water as perfect as possible. Do I just dose as it says even though I'm doing more WCs than it says? I'm not going to do anything until I've had some advice because I don't want to cause more bad than good.
He is looking OK today. The two sides have almost completely fused, but there are bits that have gone black and a couple of white bits that have been there since it happened (I don't know if you can see this in the pictures). It looks to me like they are just bits that are maybe dying because they don't have proper blood supply anymore, because they are all the small bits that I didn't quite manage to cut off. This is a purely intellectual guess - is it anything I have to worry about? It's looking good (to me) otherwise, and I'm starting to think I'm not going to have to keep him in there for the three months I was starting to envisage. Yay!
Otherwise he is eating like a...goldfish, and is still being completely otherwise when I try take photos of him. He has stopped trying to say hello to his reflection. He is also eating the anarchis I've put in there whilst that in the main tank is completely uneaten - I guess I've found out who my plant muncher is!
He is looking OK today. The two sides have almost completely fused, but there are bits that have gone black and a couple of white bits that have been there since it happened (I don't know if you can see this in the pictures). It looks to me like they are just bits that are maybe dying because they don't have proper blood supply anymore, because they are all the small bits that I didn't quite manage to cut off. This is a purely intellectual guess - is it anything I have to worry about? It's looking good (to me) otherwise, and I'm starting to think I'm not going to have to keep him in there for the three months I was starting to envisage. Yay!
Otherwise he is eating like a...goldfish, and is still being completely otherwise when I try take photos of him. He has stopped trying to say hello to his reflection. He is also eating the anarchis I've put in there whilst that in the main tank is completely uneaten - I guess I've found out who my plant muncher is!
...Edit? I worked out what the carbon is removed for, so I don't need any advice on that. Feel free to tell me I'm an idiot, though!
Wow! this is an amazing thread, and you are very brave for performing ory's surgery. I was so delighted by the time I reached the end, that ory is recovering so well. Its nice to see someone taking such good care and concern for these unique fish. All to often silly people get them cuz their cool to look at and throw them in a little bowl and thats the end of. I am so glad that ory and ellie have such a nice home!
Melafix depletes oxygen even for herbal meds. Better underdose than overdose especially as Ory is a goldfish and all goldfish consume oxygen heavily.
Yes, dose carefully after water changes. Stick to your routine. Water quality is more important than the med. Melafix only helps aid recovery.
He looks okay to me. I wouldn't worry about it if it looks fine.
All my goldies are plant munchers.:cry:
