I had a panic today

[Boxermom]

It was tooth trimming day as I noticed this week that Chiquita (SAP) had grown a nice set of buck teeth again. I also decided to do both of the silus, Piglet and Pooh, since theirs hadn't been done yet but I was pretty sure they needed it.

Pooh went first. He definitely did need it, his teeth were overlapping a bit. They're so small though that they are hard to see. So I clipped as well as I could and put him in the bucket of fresh declor water to recover, then I went and fetched Chiquita. I've done her teeth several times and and I think she's getting used to it. She came through like a trooper.

Then it was Piglet's turn. Piglet is slightly larger than Pooh and wasn't at all happy about being taken out of his home for any reason. I waited until he went belly up, then started the trimming. Had a devil of a time with him, his jaws seemed locked together. I was only able to trim a little (they needed it) but not as much as I had hoped. But there's definitely a gap between the upper and lower now.

Then into the recovery bucket he went. And laid there not moving. Usually Chiquita comes around fairly quickly, and Pooh had, too. Piglet didn't move. Not a smidge. I pushed him through the water to try and get some fresh water flowing through his gills. 5 minutes later, he wasn't moving. I got another bucket and filled it with fresh water, added declor, and transfered him into it. He didn't move. Several minutes later, I had resigned myself to the fact that I had killed him. Maybe I squashed him a little too hard or something, I don't know. As I gazed sadly down into the bucket, starting to cry, I thought I saw something. I looked closer. Yup, his "cheek" moved! As I watched, I saw his skin in front of the gills move steadily, not much, but steady. I walked away and left him alone for several minutes, knowing he wasn't out of the woods yet as he still hadn't really moved other than that bit of skin.

When I went back to check on him 5 minutes later, he was swimming around the bucket, completely back to normal! I scooped him up and took him back home, where he's happily swimming around and continuing to recover. Man, even with a bit of experience, tooth trimming is still a nerve-wracking experience for me.

[Troender]

Glad it turned out OK.
Those fishes can scare the ... out of you sometimes.

[The Fisherman]

Yikes, what a close call! I'm glad he pulled through.

[kimmers318]

Exactly why I am not looking forward to ever having to trim teeth!!!

[DarkEntity]

I was reading that and thinking nooooooooooo, then hurrah, the happy ending

[Shawn91]

I have to admit I was feeling sorry for you but having known that he's still alive....I was relieved. Close call definitely.

[Pufferpunk]

So what do you think you did differently this time, that might have cause that?

[The Fisherman]

Sounds like a reaction specific to that puff. Maybe try a lighter solution for that particular puff?

[Boxermom]

I don't know, other than this being the first time I did him. He's larger than Pooh, so I don't think there was too much clove oil, as Pooh recovered much faster.

Interestingly, I thought he'd be more scared of me now but he's had the opposite reaction. He's coming out to see me more than he used to. Weird.

I'm just really glad I didn't completely resign myself to him being dead and flushed him. I was very near to doing so but luckily I didn't.

[OraLacerta]

Scary... I really hope the diet I'm feeding my puffers will continue to keep their teeth worn down because I don't think I could handle this kind of stress!

I'm glad he woke up, and that you waited before flushing him!

[manutius]

What a nightmare!! I'm glad that you still have your full compliment of puffers It is a bit strange that he now wants to see you more. Maybe he was tripping in the clove oil and wants to do it again man!!!! Far out