need urgent asisstance

[Bubbles]

Sorry for any spelling mistakes but my friend son just came round with 2 clown loaches ( i think) and two what looks like whiptail catfish in a bucket, apparently the neighbour had smashed the tank and the fish had been left to die, at the moment i have them in a bucket with a heater in that the young man brought with him.

To be honest i am panicking a little i dont know if the heater works the light is on so i am presuming it does, i put them in water from one of my tanks and put the heater in. The water is covering the heater i put a little stress zyme in the water.

The catfish whiskers were covered in dirt i could cry.

My hubby isnt home for a couple of hours will they survive until then.

HELP

 

[Doodles]

Add some dechlorinator otherwise if its tap water the chlorine will cause them big problems. Put a thermometer in the bucket and keep an eye on the temp, even better add some of your tank water to the bucket as well.

If it is tapwater and not been treated then you need to sort that first

 

[Doodles]

um ok that'll teach me to read quickly. you have done the above. I would add a thermometer and try not to stress them out

 

[Bubbles]

Sorry i took them out of the water they were in and put them in a bucket with water in from one of my tanks.

I have a problem the thermometre i cant read it as my eyesight is so bad, only hubby can.

 

[Doodles]

Sorry i took them out of the water they were in and put them in a bucket with water in from one of my tanks.

I have a problem the thermometre i cant read it as my eyesight is so bad, only hubby can.

Thats good, you did right.

If the heater is on it should get quite warm.

 

[Lornek8]

An airpump or filter if you've got spares would help as well. The filter not so much for the filtration but for the aeration/movement. Keeping the bucket covered to keep it dark or dim shoud help keep the stress level down. Unfortunately not much more you could do besides this but wait and see.

 

[Bubbles]

The lad brought round a small filter but i dont know how long its been out of water, would that be ok?

 

[Bubbles]

Now i am crying i just looked at the filter media in the filter he brought round and it is caked in crap i will clean it in tank water from one of my tanks and see if that works.

 

[st24rsap]

give the filter a quick clean and add it to the bucket, if the flow is adjustable turn it down as too much flow in the bucket could stress them. once everythings in there and working put a towel over it to minimise stress and check on them every 15 mins or so. Air will help as well

 

[Lornek8]

Don't worry about the filter media, the filter isn't for filtration. Its simply to break-up the water surface and add some aeration. The same could be accomplished with an airpump/airstone.

 

[Bubbles]

The filter sadly is not working it is so caked in dirt its really bad, so i have put an airstone in on a low setting. My BN is not going to be happy.

 

[Bubbles]

Sorry i got so caught up i forgot to say thank you to you all, i am so grateful for the quick replies.

 

[Bubbles]

OK anyone got a spare 3 foot tank? preferably in Milton Keynes or surrounding area?

 

[Doodles]

The filter sadly is not working it is so caked in dirt its really bad, so i have put an airstone in on a low setting. My BN is not going to be happy.

The bn should be fine for a couple of hours without his airstone. Don't worry about the filter as long as they aren't in the bucket for too long

Sorry i got so caught up i forgot to say thank you to you all, i am so grateful for the quick replies.

No worries, let us know how it goes

 

[indigoj]

Good Luck!

 

[Bubbles]

I dont even know how long they were in the bucket he brought them round in poor things, i have checked on them and they are swimming around quite happily and the clown loachs came up to the surface and nibbled my finger as i put the airstone in.

They are cracking fish i so want to keep them.

I will let you know what happens.

 

[indigoj]

Please do, good on you for 'rescuing' them.

 

[intrepidmax]

with the heater...there is a way of setting them if they are old heaters that just have a twist knob on the top. (such as the old interpet with the green rubber top) what you do is put the heater in a tank or bucket that is sat at the temp you need. then twist the knob until the light comes on. then twist gently until light pops off. the thermostat is now set to the temp of the tank.

good luck. and well done on the rescue.

 

[Bubbles]

Thank you so much guys for all your replies. The equipment the young lad managed to get is no good at all, so after a little deliberation they are in the tank with my BN and Odessa's for the time being. Chris had a good look at them, there is no Ich spots or any other sign of illness, keeping my fingers crossed here. I shall keep a very close eye on them. We have decided that if they make it we will put them in the 6 footer with the commons. Though if you had seen the water after i had rinsed the filter it was dark brown, so it is your guess what their home was like.

We had to put them in with the BN and the Odessa's as we identified the catfish as Pictus ( on the net) and would have eaten my smaller fish ( tetras) from what i have read quickly on the net.

Please keep your fingers crossed for them.

 

[Bubbles]

Please do, good on you for 'rescuing' them.

I am very sure anyone here would have done the same thing, but thank you.