# Gill Curl Surgery Completed



## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

Ok, did my 1st and hopefully last gill curl surgery, it was pretty scary actually but I'm glad that it's done now and no man nor fish was injured during the operation aside from the gill being trimmed.


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## Guest (Apr 28, 2011)

Nice








Got any before and after pics?


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

sorry no pics but I do have video








honestly I don't think I did a good enough job but I did my best and will have to see how it turns out, hopefully it's one take ok and doesn't require round two or even round three.
Cutting soft membrane on a 8" piranha is a lot harder than I thought, those arowana video makes it look so easy probably cuz the gills plates are bigger and they cut more than just soft membrane.


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

I only used about 1ml of clove oil for about 5g of water so it took like 10 minutes to some what sedate the fish and the sedation wears off pretty fast so if I have to do it again I would try double the dosage.
It was pretty hard to trim off the soft membrane as they are so slippery and I don't want to garb on it too hard. the side with visible gill curl was way pass the soft membrane and on to the hard plate but only slightly so I trimmed those off as well. I felted both side to make sure there's not curled part before I put back into the tank. took only few minutes for it to be completely out of it since the sedation effect was already wearing off.
hopefully I did a good job and they will grow back normal.
here's a video of it, not the greatest thing since it was a one man operation and I was pretty nerves and clumsy at it so it took much longer than I thought, it felt like hrs when I was working with those scissors.





I think I can safely say that I have a "true" blue diamond now?? LOL


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## balluupnetme (Oct 23, 2006)

wow...hope it went well and yes that's a nice blue diamond


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

Completeley unnecessary







to put a fish through this kind of stress for a cosmetic reason that was bothering you and NOT HIM. Plus, that towel probably removed most of his protective slime.

You had to know there'd be people opposed, sorry. Please...nobody else do this!


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## Guest (Apr 28, 2011)

I couldn't see the gill curl in the video, but good job anyway








I laughed when the camera turned to the mickey mouse towels lol


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## bob351 (Oct 23, 2005)

That blue is freaking unreal







, i have seen this done with many asian arowana its not bad at least he's sedated. It is not healthy for the fish, this is an exerb about asian arowana curl: "At the initial stage, the movement of the gill covers is not regular and breathing is also faster and abnormal. Next, the gill covers may become concave and the edge may curl upwards, causing the gills to be exposed in the water.

Finally, at the serious stage, the fish pushes its head up constantly to the surface for air while at the same time loses its appetite. This means the internal gills have become damaged and probably infected with bacteria, affecting the function of breathing and this can lead to death eventually."


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## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

bob351 said:


> That blue is freaking unreal
> 
> 
> 
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This....

Obviously someone doesn't realize what gill curl can do.

Good job buddy getting my rhom all fixed up.








Sedate more next time though lol he was barely even under.


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## Ibanez247 (Nov 9, 2006)

Ahhhh Ok. Isnt gill curl caused by poor water quality maybe fix that instead?


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

SERRAPYGO said:


> Sedate more next time though lol he was barely even under.


well I hope there's no next time, I should have sedated him more but I was in fear that it won't come out of it.


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

Ibanez247 said:


> Ahhhh Ok. Isnt gill curl caused by poor water quality maybe fix that instead?


I got the fish like this a week ago, only at the initial stage it may help fix it with improved water quality. the hard gill plate already started to curl up so surgery is the only option unless you just want to leave it untreated.


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## I Can Mate (Apr 8, 2010)

wow


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

Traveller said:


> I couldn't see the gill curl in the video, but good job anyway
> 
> 
> 
> ...


it's hard to see gill curl in video but here are some pics when I first got him.
http://www.piranha-fury.com/pfury/index.php?/topic/199511-new-diamond-rhom/page__view__findpost__p__2690347

yea the mickey mouse towels, lol those are the only brand new 100% cotton towels I could find that are in the proper size for this operation


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

Great job Jp I`m glad it went well and IMO was absolutely necessary to do before it got worse.

I`m sure that ``your` water quality is top notch and that the fish wl make a full recovery, def worth risking the loss of a lil slime coat


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

SERRAPYGO said:


> Completeley unnecessary
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I don't agree. Cosmetic to a degree yes but if it worsens it can be life threatning to the fish. IMO it is alot better to do it now when it is still in farily early stages and get it fixed then when it is more serious and you have to cut some of the hard gill membrane. If you ever had to do it again I would use abit more seditive as it was still farily alert and able to thrash.


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

FEEFA said:


> Great job Jp I`m glad it went well and IMO was absolutely necessary to do before it got worse.
> 
> I`m sure that ``your` water quality is top notch and that the fish wl make a full recovery, def worth risking the loss of a lil slime coat


thanks


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

CLUSTER ONE said:


> Completeley unnecessary
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I don't agree. Cosmetic to a degree yes but if it worsens it can be life threatning to the fish. IMO it is alot better to do it now when it is still in farily early stages and get it fixed then when it is more serious and you have to cut some of the hard gill membrane. If you ever had to do it again I would use abit more seditive as it was still farily alert and able to thrash.
[/quote]

yea i should have used more, i was just too afraid as i read someone's fish never came out of it.


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## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

Let me know when he is ready to ship


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

Johnny_Zanni said:


> Let me know when he is ready to ship


gotta pay up first


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## Nick G (Jul 15, 2007)

damn.... i gotta say that was a little tough to watch. im glad you did it, but he has had that girl curl for about 3ish years and it hasnt gotten any worse and I kept the water pretty good quality. Well, im glad it was successful and that he is ok.


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## bob351 (Oct 23, 2005)

jp80911 said:


> Completeley unnecessary
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I don't agree. Cosmetic to a degree yes but if it worsens it can be life threatning to the fish. IMO it is alot better to do it now when it is still in farily early stages and get it fixed then when it is more serious and you have to cut some of the hard gill membrane. If you ever had to do it again I would use abit more seditive as it was still farily alert and able to thrash.
[/quote]

yea i should have used more, i was just too afraid as i read someone's fish never came out of it.
[/quote]
if it makes you feel better most people with asians dont sedate for that reason, they get a buddy to hold the fish down


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

CLUSTER ONE said:


> Completeley unnecessary
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I don't agree. Cosmetic to a degree yes but if it worsens it can be life threatning to the fish. IMO it is alot better to do it now when it is still in farily early stages and get it fixed then when it is more serious and you have to cut some of the hard gill membrane. If you ever had to do it again I would use abit more seditive as it was still farily alert and able to thrash.
[/quote]
That's a total reach! In 30 years of fish keeping, not once!...have I ever seen detrimental effects of gill curl in any fish. And, "life threatening" how?


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## bob351 (Oct 23, 2005)

1. Tilted (overturned) Gill Covers

Cause

Fouled water as a result of rotting food particles and excretions. The strong presence of NH3, NO2 and NO3 can reduce the content of oxygen in the water.

Space constraint - When the Dragon Fish is growing, it not only needs nutrition, it also needs a lot of room to move about. Otherwise, the gill covers may be affected. They may tilt over.

Change in temperature - The temperature of the water in the aquarium should always be maintained. The sensitive gills can be affected when it is either too hot or too cold suddenly.

Symptoms

At the initial stage, the movement of the gill covers is not regular and breathing is also faster and abnormal. Next, the gill covers may become concave and the edge may curl upwards, causing the gills to be exposed in the water.

Finally, at the serious stage, the fish pushes its head up constantly to the surface for air while at the same time loses its appetite. This means the internal gills have become damaged and probably infected with bacteria, affecting the function of breathing and this can lead to death eventually.

**************************************************************************************************************************

GILL CURL
In this condition, the gill cover of the arowana curls outward, initially involving only the softer part of the cover, then later, the hard gill cover. If the problem is not treated, the condition will worsen and the gill will get exposed, causing breathing difficulty and making the gill prone to infection. The end result could be fatal. A small swimming space in a tank with a length and width shorter than 2.5x and 1x the length of the arowana can cause gill curl, as the fish has to reverse when turning. Move your fish into a larger tank immediately. Poor water conditions with high level of ammonia, nitrite or nitrate also contribute to gill curl. Do a large water change and increase the water current and increase dissolved O2 (by adding airstone), and if possible massage the gill cover, if the fish allows it. If all else fails you might have to operate.


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

I performed the same surgery on a 6in mac 2-3yrs ago withou any sedation and just a pair of scizzors that I had laying around.
After 2 weeks the gills healed up perfectly and the fish was fine.
It took all of 4min and I did it alone, the tricky part was holding him down with a wet towel to prevent him from flopping/thrashing.


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