Help! Jumper survived...

[bl00]

So I got a new fish and tank, while I was setting the tank up and letting it filter and settle I put all of the fish in small containers. I accidentally forgot to cover one and he jumped out while I was at a meeting. He felt dry and dead when I retrieved him from the ground, but I put him back in the container since I didn't have anywhere else to put a fish corpse right now.
...now he's breathing, on his side, but fins flapping. His color is still there and he doesn't quite seem to be gasping, just breathing heavily.

In the meantime, is there anything I can do to help him?


Edit: He's swimming now!!!
A little off center but alive!
He's also sticking more towards the top of the tank.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

have to be very careful. good luck.

 

[bl00]

Thank you. He's in a breeder box now, but he's acting a little brain damaged...can fish get brain damage?

 

[Beowulff83]

Thank you. He's in a breeder box now, but he's acting a little brain damaged...can fish get brain damage?

I would imagine like any other animal they would from lack of oxygen. But if he is swimming and makes it through the night and eats fine he should be ok. Also just thought of this if you have anything like a stress coat that helps with the fishes slime coating you might want to add some since he dried out.

 

[bl00]

Unfortunately, the cute lil guy didn't look like he was going to make it. He stopped moving, even when i gave him a little tap. I euthanized him in the freezer a few minutes ago. Thanks for all of your help though.

 

[MySpace Mike]

Any time you euthanize a fish i suggest using alchaseltzer tabs in a small container with water. The tabs will emit high levels of CO2 and personally is a more polite way then just freezing them.

Having to euthanize them is hard for anyone, because lets face it, we all love our fish.

 

[bl00]

Thanks for the tip, Mike. I've never heard of that version before.

 

[MySpace Mike]

No Problem, I learned of it from a friend who works here at the Denver Zoo and works with the aquariums they have. He told me it's what they do if they have to euthanize any of their fish.

 

[wataugachicken]

at this point you should be more worried about just setting up a tank and throwing fish in there.
do you know about the cycling process?
do you have test kits for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate?
what size tank/what fish/how many?
are you prepared to do multiple 50% water changes daily until your tank is safe for the fish?

 

[bl00]

Thanks for the thought, wataugachicken, but the filter, rocks, and gravel are cycled from my old tank, plus I have a few low light plans in there.