Advice please

[aravenschild]

First I live in Missouri near the Arkansas border, zone 6-b.....

I keep a mixture of Ryukins, Telescopes, and Fantails in my pond, (the pond is 8 foot square, 24 inches deep) and up until this year I have never had a problem with them staying in the pond all winter........the only losses I've had is to the neighbors cat  .

Earlier this afternoon the ice was melted enough for me to see that the guard on the filter intake had come off and that one of the Ryukins had part of her tail caught in the intake. I turned off the pump at first she just floated away from the pump, then tried to swim, but seems too weak to swim for more then a few seconds, then floats up to the surface and floats on her side. So not wanting her to freeze into the ice in the pond, I brought her in and slowly brought her to inside temps.

As I type this, she is in a 75 gallon aquarium, with only one of the HOB filters running on one side (gives her quiet water on the other side to rest. She still spends alot of time on her side, but is now occasionally trying to swim.

My question is, if she does not develop secondary infections, will she recover?

Thank you in advance for any advice and help................

[karen J]

This happens to me every year, there is always one fish like that. I do what you did, and within a few weeks you'd never know the fish was near death. Come to think of it now, I suspect it's the same fish every year that reacts badly to the cold.
Keep the water in the aquarium good, cross your fingers, and wait.

[aravenschild]

The tank was set up for that "one" new pond addition I just can't live without  , but when I find them, its usually too late to add them to the pond. Well this year I got a head start, and now its a hospital tank :'(. I've had this Ryukin for 4 years now, bought her cause I felt sorry for her (her mouth is deformed), and she's always been a fighter! She's also turned out to be one of every ones favorite here. Just hope she fights back from this..................

I figure once she gets her strength back, I'll turn on the second HOB filter, and that should help maintain the health of the tank between the weekly water changes. Then she'll just have to suffer with vacationing inside till spring.......

Keeping my fingers crossed..........

[Julles]

I think you caught her in time, and she will recover.

keep us posted.

[aravenschild]

As of this morning, she is resting on the bottom, in an up right position.

Any ideas as to when I should offer her some food?

[aravenschild]

up date........

Good news,... she is up and swimming around, when I got home from work today and her appetite seems to be coming back, at least she was begging (like all pet goldfish do when they see you )

Bad news,.... I think she is trying to develop an infection where her fins were shredded by the intake. I did a 50% water change and added aquarium salt, hopefully that will help fight off the infection .

Still keeping my fingers crossed

[CT]

The pristine water and salt will definitely help. I have a huge telescope that got herself caught between rock and some wood. It tore her tail and descaled her on both sides. She is healing well. I wish you luck with yours. We sure get attached to them don't we?
Kay

[aravenschild]

We sure do, maybe its because the only thing they ask is a place to live, and some food now and then

Did another water change today, and shes up swimming around and checking things out. Shes lost one lobe of her tail, half of her dorsal fin, some scales and part of a pectrol fin, but I think shes gonna make it, so far so good the wounds look clean.

Thank you, all of you, for the advice given...............