Do I believe in miracles......
Posted: 12 Sep 2021, 22:22
So, a gent was coming by today to pick up 13 L173 from me. They were one lot of 7 and the 5 lot w/ the extra bonus fish sold in this site. The fish were house in one of my tanks on the terrace (no running water). Last week I moved out the 7 from an adjacent tank and cleared another tank of the 6 fish recently listed here. Basically, I had them swap tanks. Then I netted the other 6 fish from the fish space and I added them to the 7. So I had 13 L173 in a 20L. Before he arrived today I had cleaned out the tank of every thing but the two Poret cubefilters.
When he arrived, I began catching fish. I was putting them into multiple hang-on specimen boxes. I only removed 12 as far as we could tell. One apparently vanished. So I grabbed a replacement, bigger than the vanished fish from another tank, and added it.
I had two nets. One was a brine shrimp net and the other a 4.5 x 6 inch fine mesh net. I do not recall catching any with the smaller net. Once all the fish were in three containers we took them into my bathroom where I had running water and a sink etc.
They were headed back to Boston and trying to beat traffic and got back on the road at about 1:30. I had a bunch of things to do all around the house but at about 4:20 I was back in my bathroom setting up to do water changes etc. I had 3 damp nets in an empty specimen box. When I picked them up to my amazement there was an L173 inside one of the brine shrimp nets. I know for sure I had used it during the bagging process. In catching the fish one net load had some sand in it as well. I did not want to pour sand into the bag, so I netted the fish out one at a time and then put the net into the bag water and either the fish swam out or I moved the net and it turned inside out. I used two 10 inch bags.
So the poor fish was left out of the water for just 3+ hours. But it moved, it was alive. I quickly put it into a specimen box and got so warm tank water into the box. The fish appeared fine. About 10 minutes after I released it and it swam for cover. So I guess I better believe in miracles.
I also sent the buyer an email about this so when he gets home and only finds 12 fish he won't think I had cheated him. He owes me 4 fish that were being traded my way but which he would deliver in several weeks when he would be coming to NY again and would drop them off. So if I owe him a 173 he will be able to pick it up then on his way back home.
I had no clue a little pleco could survive that long out of water. Was it a miracle or is this not all that unusual?
When he arrived, I began catching fish. I was putting them into multiple hang-on specimen boxes. I only removed 12 as far as we could tell. One apparently vanished. So I grabbed a replacement, bigger than the vanished fish from another tank, and added it.
I had two nets. One was a brine shrimp net and the other a 4.5 x 6 inch fine mesh net. I do not recall catching any with the smaller net. Once all the fish were in three containers we took them into my bathroom where I had running water and a sink etc.
They were headed back to Boston and trying to beat traffic and got back on the road at about 1:30. I had a bunch of things to do all around the house but at about 4:20 I was back in my bathroom setting up to do water changes etc. I had 3 damp nets in an empty specimen box. When I picked them up to my amazement there was an L173 inside one of the brine shrimp nets. I know for sure I had used it during the bagging process. In catching the fish one net load had some sand in it as well. I did not want to pour sand into the bag, so I netted the fish out one at a time and then put the net into the bag water and either the fish swam out or I moved the net and it turned inside out. I used two 10 inch bags.
So the poor fish was left out of the water for just 3+ hours. But it moved, it was alive. I quickly put it into a specimen box and got so warm tank water into the box. The fish appeared fine. About 10 minutes after I released it and it swam for cover. So I guess I better believe in miracles.
I also sent the buyer an email about this so when he gets home and only finds 12 fish he won't think I had cheated him. He owes me 4 fish that were being traded my way but which he would deliver in several weeks when he would be coming to NY again and would drop them off. So if I owe him a 173 he will be able to pick it up then on his way back home.
I had no clue a little pleco could survive that long out of water. Was it a miracle or is this not all that unusual?