[KathyC]

Well, I bought Slama's Mc Cosker Wrasse... I knew it would be a good addition for my tank and they are absolutely beautiful. I will be taking pics once he is 'officially' in my tank & swimming around.

Why don't I just take a pic you ask? Hmmm, this post might actually belong in a forum called Aquarium Misadventures...so I don't quite have a pic yet...but you'll understand why soon enough.

For those who don't know wrasses are know as jumpers (also posted this on a FW site I frequent)...you must have a covered tank to have one of these guys or you're going to have a fish that's going 'carpet surfing'. Eek!
I already had a full sheet of egg-crate and I did a fine job (I must say ) of cutting it to perfectly cover the top of my tank and fit within my canopy. While I worked on that I was acclimating the fish...with that all done it was time to put the new fellow into the tank.

I had the egg-crate cover at the ready to put on the tank once he was in there, and net in hand. I picked up the bag I had him in (couldn't use my small pail as he would have jumped from there...)and lifted it to the top of the tank...and then all hell broke loose...
The millisecond I opened the bag he came shooting out of the top!
I've never seen anything move that fast in my life...up he went. I know I saw the 'up' part, and I was aware he was coming back down..I guess shock kicked in about then and poof.. he disappeared...

Had he gone left or right he would have ended up in the tank. Had he gone west he would have landed on me...ok, I would have jumped, but I would have known where he was.
But... nooooo...he chose to go east...not a good choice as that is the area between the tank & the wall behind it. Uh-oh.
At this point my verbiage got colorful... (yeah me! Imagine!) and then I did the natural thing... for me anyway...I started to laugh. This was not a good time for this reaction but at least I was moving while laughing like a fool.
After sweeping my pens, staples and what-not away I jumped on my desk (best way to see behind the tank), no fish. To the sides, no fish. In the OFB, no fish. On the other side of the wall beyond the hole where the piping from the skimmer goes...yikes, he would have had to have a hung a sharp right for this to happen, but I looked anyway, no fish. On the piping, no fish. Looked to see if there was an damp fish-body imprint on the wall, on the floor, on the back of the DT... maybe he bounced? Nope. Underneath (including removing a piece of molding from the bottom front of the stand with a pry-bar), no fish. I looked on top of my light (5 different times...well he had to be somewhere!), no fish. Yup, I looked in the tank but knew he hadn't hit the water...no splash... so that wasn't a possibility even if he was the Greg Louganis of the wrasse world. Checked the fuge too, with the exception of sand/chaeto compartment, no fish in site.
Grabbed a scraper and went through the fuge as best I could without moving the sandbed (yes, I know they bury themselves in the sand, but I didn't want to stab him to death if he had survived...I wasn't having a stellar night you know...), add to that he would have had to have made a quick turn to end up in there anyway through the 6 inch opening between the DT & the fuge and then travel forward another 6 inches..., no fish. Checked the top of my light fixture again, he still hadn't appeared up there... Time warp? Worm hole?
For whatever reason, I still couldn't stop laughing. What is wrong with you woman? This isn't funny! You're out the money you spent on the fish and now you have to explain to Slama who trusted you enough to take good care of this beautiful fish that you've now launched it into oblivion, never to be seen alive again. Swell.
Once again, I check everywhere around the tank (see above, check, repeat). No fish.
Now it's after 4 AM and I have to be up for work in 3 hours...off to bed I go resigned to the fact that by now the beautiful wrasse is drying out somewhere and I'll have to own up to Mike that I murdered his fish. Oh joy.

Awakened this morning dreading going down to my office (where the tank is), and trying to think of where else the dead wrasse might be found. I could wait another day and find him by smell...not appealing...I have to work in there! You won't be laughing then I thought...
If I ever get another wrasse, it's going in the tank in the bag, put on the cover and THEN I'll open it...or maybe ask for it to be delivered - directly to the tank!

I stepped into my office...and there he was!
In the first compartment of the fuge...

I immediately insulted his mother.

And then I smiled.

How on Earth did I miss him? Down through the OFB? Or did he make that turn between the DT & the fuge. Not sure, he isn't talking to me..

I promise I'll take good care of him...ummm, starting now!

[Chiefmcfuz]

Kathy that is the best ending to a great story. Thank god he's ok and you're ok too. Good luck and post some pics of the adventure and the fish as soon as you can.

[masterswimmer]

Kathy, you missed your calling. Great story and an even better ending. I'm sure you'll make Mike proud

R

[SlamaJama]

Quote: Originally Posted by KathyC ..... I immediately insulted his mother...

...thats all too funny

[jhale]

wow, crazy fish

great read!! I agree with master

[Psycho graphic]

I saw what happened when your Shrimp touched on you, I can't imagine what would happen if a fish jumped on you!

Lay off the drinking for awhlie

that too freaking funny ,great story with a great ending

im glad im not a fish

[Rori]

OH my god that was hysterical..You made me spit out my coffee!

thanks for the laugh and I await many other adventures..

Rori

[Awibrandy]

Boy, would I have loved to be there. LMAO

["DevIouS"]

I usually don't read post that are this long.....

Great narration!