need help

Not sure where to put this but I thought it is a typical newbie question so here would be the right place:

My Bala shark - not even a year old - got caught in an ordamental barrel (I dont know for how long he was there) and was left struggling, by the time I found him he was pretty weak and was not fighting as much as he was just laying(waiting to die i guess) I freed him with some difficulty and put him in my basin (a quick fix while my boyfriend set up the hospital tank) I put gention violet on his wounds (his left pectoral fin was missing completely and his right one mostly gone, he had been de-scaled from just behind the gills to just above the dorsal fin both on top and underneath his body, his right eye was bleeding and scartched right across and down to his gill, his right gill was barely moving)
anyway once I put gention violet on his wound - I just panicked and used it, dunno if it was the right thing to use - and he settled he would swim fine for a while before tipping upside down and turning corners would flip him upside down too, I spent 2 hours helping him stay upright before making him a floating sling - again not sure if it was the right thing to do - he died not long after.

I was just wondering if there is anything I can do to help my fish should another one be injured and why you think this one died (shock, stress, injuries too severe) I have taken the "death trap" as it is now known out of the tank (stupid barrel)
Also should I replace him - his partner is now alone - or can I just leave the partner to be by him/herself?

 

@Fortunate I'm really sorry to hear about your loss. As for the reason that the shark died, my guess is that it was probably shock and injuries. Please can you supply specs on the tank and from there we can advise on what to do regarding your other shark.

 

@Fortunate

Sadly we had all been through a situation where we feel the death is our fault, and could have been avoided "if...". Don't beat yourself up about it... you'll land up killing the passion for the hobby completely, and decide to give in.

There's a chain of thought that because fish are cold blooded, they don't necessarily feel pain. I always say that they possibly do feel pain, but interpret it differently to humans. Meaning it doesn't necessarily hurt them per-say, but receptors tell them to stop. (Like when a fish touches the hot heater, he knows to pull away.) Thus when a fish is trapped like your shark was, the natural instinct it to try and get out by all means possible. Remember in the wild, it's either survive of be eaten, and a fish trapped like this would soon become fish fingers for a prowling predator.

Based on the injuries that your fish incurred, I actually personally feel it was better that he died sooner rather than later. Death was a result of stress. The stress of being trapped, the stress and extent of the injuries, and finally the stress of you aiding him. Even though your intentions were all very good and well, the fact that you were holding him, aiding him and staying nearby would have caused future stress. I always recommend that when something like this happens, Quarantine the tank into a new tank, medicate if you have, and then cover the tank, and LEAVE it. Thus the fish is put into a stress free environment.

The reason why I say it was better for him to die sooner than later is basically because he would have had a very long road to recovery had he pulled through this ordeal. His immune system would have been knocked, and I believe secondary infections would have ultimately cause a long a painful death.

Sorry it's not much "good news" or helpful news.

+1 on removing the barrel.

(I had a similar experience when a female beta go stuck in the bottom hole of a terracotta pot. The only way I could free her was to use a screwdriver and shatter the pot off her. Fortunately I saw her get stuck, so she wasn't trapped for a long time.)

 

Thanks guys, so next time just leave the fish in a hospital tank - will have to use all my will power for that
I couldnt sleep last night, every time I closed my eyes I saw my poor stressed Shark.....

as for the tank its a 200liter with some guppies (7 last time I checked but they multiply in a matter of minutes it seems) 3 tetras (which I am still going to add to that school) and 2 common plecs, they get on well and will soon be getting another 200liter tank to separate them, (pet shops give crap advice and until recently thought the tank was big enough!) :embarrest:

anyway once I get my christmas bonus from work I will be getting another tank for one of the plecs, I think they will be okay for a while longer seeing as they have lasted almost 5 years together thus far.
The remaining Shark was being bullied by the deceased one and is very small for his age - he too looks stressed - the whole tank was in choas when I found poor Sauron (deceased Shark) - so I will wait another week or two to get him a partner if I am going to get him one.

Is there a "fish first aid box" I can put together? what should be in it?

 

What intrigues me about this story is the fact that there are people out there who care for even there fish! Great and sorry to hear about your loss. Never enjoy a death but unfortunately a part of keeping fish.

 

lol ok - not rehoming - found an affordable 600liter tank, going to get it and split evryone up!