# Piranha Surgery



## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

I don't know how it happened but my Mac got Gill Curl.
I noticed it starting a few months back but I didn't know what it was or if it was treatable/reversable. After finding out and seeing it get worse I did an overhaul on his 65gal tank and added more filtration.
I searched for ways to to further prevent or maybe even reverse the problem.
This is what I found...





So after watching the video I decided to attempt the same thing. 
I went to the drugstore and bought a new clean pair of small scissors.

I pulled him out and laid him on a clean towel. 
I did the cutting as quickly as I could. It took less then a minute.
I got very lucky that he did not move much during the cutting, I was holding him down using a towel covering his mouth so that he would not slip out of my bare hand. 
Flipping him over was the tricky part because I had to loosen my grip which left me open to getting bit. I moved quickly and held him down again repeating the cut on the other side. He almost bit me.

I put him back in the tank and treated it with salt. 
It's been 4 days since and he seems to be doing fine other then some choppy fins which I guess is stress related. I see no signs of infection and hopefully his problem is solved. 
He's watching me right now as I'm typing this. He has not eatin since but I did expect this and I'm sure he will be back on his diet of pellets and Tilapia in no time.

I am sharing this with all of you but I do not recomend doing it as there are risks involved. 
You could get bit or you may seriously injur your p, or it could get seriously infected.
Also this is a mac which in my opinion is tougher and can handle stress better than some other p's depending on age/maturity and individual personality. This one is 7inches and is as fiesty as they come. 
I'm no superman but the life of my p was in danger had things not gone so well.

Only time will tell if the risk was worth it.

Here are some pics,

This first pic was taken in when I first noticed it three months ago, you can see it starting to curl. He was in my divided 75gal.
View attachment 176654


You can clearly see the edge where I cut a little much on the top half of his gill.
Now in the 65gal for about 2 months.
View attachment 176655

View attachment 176656

You can see his fins are white around and choppy now.
View attachment 176657


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## MiGsTeR (Jan 19, 2008)

Crazy person!


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

MiGsTeR said:


> Crazy person!


Thanks mig I knew you'd enjoy this one.


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## Rough996 (Oct 3, 2006)

OMG! I would've needed a diaper on my butt to perform that! I would've been shyttin on myself the entire time.









My 14" rhom came with a slight case of gill curl after being in a corner tank, but it's regressed slightly in the couple of weeks since I was treating his fin rott and HITH and have him in a well filtered, 6' long tank. I lost a red to gill curl, so I was worried and heard that the operation was a necessary part of the cure. It's going to have to heal on it's own, because there is NO WAY in H*LL that I am pulling him out without drugging him unconscious - and that in itself is enough of a dicey proposition.


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## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

Since when is that necessary?


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## roccov12345 (Sep 26, 2008)

Clove oil I believe is a good help when performing such operations. I have a site bookmarked if anyone is interested. Temporary anesthesia..........Would probably make things a lot easier......


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

Rough996 said:


> OMG! I would've needed a diaper on my butt to perform that! I would've been shyttin on myself the entire time.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I wouldn't attempt it on your rhom either especially if it's not that bad.
Like I said I got lucky and probably won't ever try it again.


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## Parsa (Nov 12, 2008)

doesnt look too hard  you could just use garden gloves and put him in a shawllow rubbermade bin with towels so he doesnt flap out


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## Piranha Dan (Nov 11, 2007)

Having been bit by a 4" RBP I WOULD NOT want to take a hit from that guy. I guess it was necessary if it was going to kill him but damn man your braver then me.


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## lo4life (Aug 12, 2008)

Hows his gill doin Feefa??


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

lo4life said:


> Hows his gill doin Feefa??


So far so good, he's back to his old self and eating well.


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## MiGsTeR (Jan 19, 2008)

Glad to know it was successful!


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## Rough996 (Oct 3, 2006)

Feefa said:


> Hows his gill doin Feefa??


So far so good, he's back to his old self and eating well.
[/quote]

Congrats on a successful operation, but if you ask me, you wasted all of your luck - shoulda played the lottery.







You're definitely lucky on several counts - saved the fish without further injury and prevented injury to YOURSELF! Good work.


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

I'm gonna play anyway, it's up to 33mil jackpot.


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