The Puffer Forum

Wow, I have just had the scariest 20 mins!!! I went to turn the lights off on my 125 litre community tank, as I bent down I could see my female German rams face poking out of my driftwood. She was breathing really fast, so I put my hand in the tank to see what was going on. I expected her to swim away but she didn't, so I picked the piece of driftwood up and up she came too!!! She was wedged in a hole near one end of the driftwood, I gently tried to pull her out but she wouldn't budge. Now I started to panic so I asked my husband to help and while I was out of the room filling a bucket(to transfer her to for easier access) he managed to twist her free.
She has a nasty wound on her under side so I've added melafix to the tank. I've had this piece of driftwood for years, it lies flat on the sand(so this hole would have been facing up to the lid) my tiger loaches like to play round there. I have no idea how she managed to get stuck but I'm so happy I noticed her.
Who knew driftwood could be deadly!!!!!

Well, I checked on her this morning and she's lost all her beautiful colours. She's actually resting in one of the plants, it doesn't look good
Here's a pic of the driftwood
http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u47 ... oto-17.jpg

I am thinking of putting some java fern in the hole before putting it back in the tank, don't want to have that happen again!!!! What's best to use to keep it attached to the wood?

I use black sewing thread, but I've also heard of people using fishing line and even super glue.

I use fishing trace stuff its black and thin like fishing line but is more like string to tie. Good job you caught your fish.

Do you have plastic plants that have the plastic holder as the base that you weigh down with gravel? Those can be detached at the base put it through the hole in the drift wood and reattach it so that the plastic plant is taking up the hole


for example

http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/451/photo1dh.jpg

puffykid wrote:Do you have plastic plants that have the plastic holder as the base that you weigh down with gravel? Those can be detached at the base put it through the hole in the drift wood and reattach it so that the plastic plant is taking up the hole


for example

http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/451/photo1dh.jpg

Nice, that would work better as most of my real plants get eaten
Will pop to my Lfs tomorrow and see what they've got

There is also some that have a weighted rock thing that you can use for the same purpose. Hence what I used for a rock in my 155 gallon GF aquarium.

Or fill the hole with miliput

I'm so sorry to hear about the incident, but glad that you caught it.

As for attaching a fern, you have a couple options.

Cotton thread will hold the fern in place long enough for it to attach itself naturally, and then the thread will disintegrate.

Fishing line will keep it in place until it attaches itself, but will have to be removed manually.

Gel-type super glue is an option that works well, but it turns white underwater. So, if the joint will be visible, this isn't your best option.

Personally, with driftwood, I go with the cotton thread in a brown or black. On stones, I go with the gel super glue. The fishing line is unsightly to me.

Well I opted for the plastic plant suggestion as I used the java fern for my Congo's driftwood(black cotton holding it in place), here it is
http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u47 ... oto-20.jpg
Am hoping it looks better once in water I'm pleased to say my ram is doing brilliant, she's still got the wounds but they look to be healing and she's swimming about with her fella again

Add Melafix.