Dumbest most frustrating thing happened to me just now...

troiusmaximus · Dec 9, 2016

Bought a beautiful Carpenter's flasher wrasse, acclimated Him, poured him into my net...and his mouth got stuck in the net! Couldn't free him so I cut the net. Now I have a ruined net and a really stressed fish with a mouthful of net. Hope he's able to free himself somehow, the net is in there pretty good. Don't know if he will be able to eat with a wad of net in his mouth.

sinekal · Dec 9, 2016

It some ways it's funny how stressful a new addition that goes wrong is when you try to step back and look at the bigger picture, but in the moment, a new addition gone south always really stresses me to the max...hang in there!

4FordFamily · Dec 9, 2016

I always dislodge the fish and don't cut the net for this reason. I hope he rids his face of the net soon!

Keep us posted!

troiusmaximus · Dec 10, 2016

Well he's eating and swimming around fine today. Net still attached.

Elementalj · Dec 10, 2016

troiusmaximus said:
Well he's eating and swimming around fine today. Net still attached.

[emoji53]

Elementalj · Dec 10, 2016

I'd be catching him, and getting my plastic tweezers. It'd drive me nuts, like seeing a dog with an embedded collar behind a fence. I wouldn't be able to help myself.

RainboWBacoN420 · Dec 11, 2016

Can't tell you how many times an Anthias has gotten his mouth stuck on the net at my job. It's so annoying. Usually, it's just random luck that gets it unstuck. And little tug up and down to try and get it unhooked from its upper and lower teeth. All you can really do. Poor guy.

GHsaltie · Dec 11, 2016

I had this happen with both of my wrasses. Every. Single. Time. I eventually learned that they could get loose on their own if I just set the net in the water. Not always though so then I would carefully push his teeth out. Of course to do that it helps to have long nails

. There was one time that I had to cut the net because he just could not get off and I was afraid I was going to hurt him. So I used some very small scissors from my moms sewing box and I cut a line between his mouth. That loosened it enough on top and bottom that he got off on his own.

troiusmaximus · Dec 13, 2016

Net gone! Either he swallowed it or otherwise was able to free himself. Or herself. Not sure. Wrasses are so cool!

troiusmaximus · Dec 14, 2016

From now on I am planning to use a fish trap and an acclimation box to transfer my fish between tanks, etc.

Elementalj · Dec 14, 2016

troiusmaximus said:
From now on I am planning to use a fish trap and an acclimation box to transfer my fish between tanks, etc.

I believe you. [emoji6][emoji106]

jcdeng · Dec 14, 2016

nets can damage fish's mucus linings making them more susceptible to disease. Using your hand is way better, if you don't want to touch the fish, try using a styrofoam cup, use a toothpick to puncture 3-4 holes on the bottom and use that to scope the fish up, let the water drain out and put fish into tank.

*make sure to use your hand or another styrofoam cup to cover the top while the water is draining so fish don't jump out.