Injury questions OK here, too? Shubunkin with wing damage...

Would it be worth thinking about setting up a tank with her and Pearl? I know it's a large and unexpected expense, but after all you've been through with her it might be nice to have somewhere you can keep an eye on her and also show her off to the rest of the world!
 
corrieberry said:
Would it be worth thinking about setting up a tank with her and Pearl? I know it's a large and unexpected expense, but after all you've been through with her it might be nice to have somewhere you can keep an eye on her and also show her off to the rest of the world!
Click to expand...
:iagree: At the expense of her gill tissues getting exposed due to the damaged gill cover, I'd rather think of her safer in the tank than the pond.
 
Jen, I had a tiger barb before with one gill plate completely missing. I don't know how that occurred in his case... he came as a freebie with a used tank. But he didn't seem to care. Aside from visual aesthetics, it really shouldn't matter. I wouldn't expect this to pose any real threat to her future health. I'm just so glad that she was able to recover from this so well and that her gills were not damaged. She's such a lucky fish. You have good reason to be very proud of her!
 
I have thought long and hard about getting a tank and keeping her inside, even cruised the LFS and craigslist, but I can't do it. Not only do I not have the dollars to do it, I don't have the space, and I couldn't give her the longterm care she'd need in a tank. I am barely keeping up with the daily H2O changes now. The best I can offer her is to get her as healed as she is going to get, and release her back into the pond. She will be much happier in 600-700 gallons of water with her friends than in a too small tank in the house with maybe one other for company. As far as keeping an eye on them, the pond fish already come out to greet me when I am out there, and I've had them three weeks maybe...can't remember...seems like forever that Indy has been in here. Gotta say, I though she was particularly friendly just from the extreme exposure to me, but I have noticed that Gash, the other shubunkin, will come cruising up the minute I put a hand in the pond, too. The other comets are a bit skittish--I scare Pearl just by moving too quickly when I drop in treats--but I have to be careful NOT to scoop up Indy when I am netting out poo or scooping water, as she gets underfoot constantly. Kinda like a polka-dotted cat with fins :)

Her gill cover is still flapping in the breeze--and looking so nasty (shudder), but no new colors or fuzzies, so I am just changing 75% water everyday and waiting to see what happens...hate waiting, I really do.

On the upside, all this fish watching has inspired me to paint goldfish and waterlilies on the walls in my laundry room...

Jen
 
Jen, I know you're taking great care of her. Despite the gill cover flappin' around, she is looking better and better. Normally I would recommend sedating and snipping off that flappy bit to prevent infection, but it's pretty delicate being that close to the actual gills, so as long as it continues to improve I wouldn't try it.
As for putting her back in the pond, she should be totally fine. Many goldfish are born without gill covers or covers that curl so the gills are exposed. You will want to watch her and net her occasionally to check the gills, as she will be more vulnerable to parasites like gill flukes, but otherwise she won't need any special treatment.
She's looking great! Keep up the good work. :thumbsup:
 
Has it really been THREE weeks already? Or should I say "Has it ONLY been three weeks?" Seems like forever I've been hauling water and scooping poo...

Quick update...
The flapping bit of gill cover came off yesterday, and what's left isn't too horrible, actually. Her gill looks completely exposed from the top view, but from the side, she is missing 1/2 of the gill cover, and it has a white edge, like the fin did, so it may regrow, or at least heal to a smooth edge. Her fin looks to be completely healed, but it hasn't regrown, just is the same smooth stump in the injured area. I will try for a good side pic, but it isn't easy shooting thru the plastic...

Was just reading a thread about cycling a tank and thinking, those guys have been in there long enough, I might have a cycled rubbermaid tub!!! Whooo hooo!!! And so NOT what I had in mind when I started this whole thing. Even with that in mind, I am still doing 75% water changes daily, just to be on the safe side. I am hoping to get them back in to the pond this weekend (4th of July--Independence Day for Indy!!!) Should I do a water change or two using pond water to gradually get them used to the different water temps/quality/etc before I release them back into the pond? Any concerns about essentially adding two 'new' fish into the pond?

Thanks again, everyone, for the help and support. Don't take this the wrong way, but I hope to not talk to any of you (about a sick fish :) !!!) for a VERY long time!!! Oh, and I learned a few things:

1. That five gallon bucket of water is heavy. Really heavy. If you're short, don't fill it all the way up and attempt to lift it onto a table...unless you have the shop vac handy. Saves a lot of time and laundry that way.

2. When the girl at the pet store looks at you like she didn't notice the battlefield of injured fish in the tank behind her, assume the other tanks are just as bad and check BOTH sides of the cute fish you saw before you bring it home.

3. And probably the most important: Ask the question, already!!! Don't wait because you are afraid someone will think you are stupid, or will beat on you for doing stupid (didn't know better) things. I waited two long horrible my-fish-is-going-to-die days before I netted her and took pics to post on here. I should have had her out of the pond as soon as I noticed the injury, and she might not have had the infections she got. Granted she did have the injuries to fin and gill cover, so that was unavoidable, but the fungus might have been avoided.

I am very much in your debt, members and mods.
(And once again I am incapable of a less than 6 inch posting :))

Jen
 
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