Vallisneria Posted March 8, 2007 Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Well yesterday I i noticed I hadn't seen the largest of my new Shell dwellers in a day or 2(multis i bought at the auction). Yesterday I searched the tank and the floor around it but couldn't find the fish. I even shock out the shells but no fish came out. So today I was a bit worried that he crammed himself into one of the shells and died. So i took out a flashlight and "candled" the shells to see if I could spot him in there. Sure enough one shell has a dark spot in the bottom and a lovely smell to go with it. As soon as i lifted that shell out of the tank my whole room started smelling like dead fish :grr: This is the worse part of shellies. It always seems they have to cram themselves into their shells to die. Then you have to search for them and it smells. Also its a waste of the shells as I can't seem to ever get the dead fish out. Man the smell is the worst :boxed: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webmoose Posted March 8, 2007 Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 the worst smell ever to me is a dead snail. I suspect it might smell alot like a dead fish in a shell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted March 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Maybe its the shell that makes it worse, contains the smell untill its released when removed from the tank :boxed: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop Eye Posted March 8, 2007 Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 yuck! lOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodogg02 Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 i had a starfish die thoses are nasty.appartment smelled for like a weak it was out of tank and in a bag i like 5 secs would gag a maggot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Chicklets Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 When I worked construction I was out of town a lot. I came home to a 96g and a 108g with stopped filters, as well as a 6" severum stuck in the toilet the house reeked for about 2 weeks. That was when I got out of the hobby in 1991. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunl Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Also its a waste of the shells as I can't seem to ever get the dead fish out. Use a straw, Val. :smokey: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted March 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Also its a waste of the shells as I can't seem to ever get the dead fish out. Use a straw, Val. :smokey: Eww :boxed: I tried shaking the shell but no fish would come out.I'm 95% sure he died in there as it smells nasty but I can't be sure untill I see his body. Any other ideas on how to get a gross dead fish out of a shell? Its a really nice shell so I dont' want to just throw it away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayesmommy Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 tweezers, butter knife. Pry him out. I think tweezers would work best. I had a gourami get himself stuck in a a hole in my castle. I used 2 butterknife's and vasiline to pry him out. Keep in mind he was still alive. But if this guy is dead im sure you dont have to worry about hurting him. You could try vasiline and tweezers. He must be completely in there. Not even a little of him sticking out? You could also try rinsing him out. Im not sure how well that would work . but if you could move him around in there with water and get a little bit out of him. like his tail, then you could get him out with tweezers. Thats what i would try first. Hope that helps. Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted March 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Tweezers would be a good idea but I can't see any part of the fish. He must be crammed way into the tiny spiral part. I tried swishing water around inside to knock him out but no luck. It would be a lot easier to try to get him out if it didn't smell so bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JORG Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 could you boil the shell till the fish disintegrated ? (then add onions,celery,tomatoe and cream) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayesmommy Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 what kind of shell is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted March 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 The shell is shaped like this one http://museum.utep.edu/archive/malacology/Achatina.jpg its about 2" long and the opening is about 1" wide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayesmommy Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 (edited) maybe you could make something. Thats like tweezers but that bends........ Try stabbing the fish with a needle or something and yanking it out. lol. or even a fish hook if its small enough to fit. Im thinking of stuff around the house that might work, but im coming up with nothing. Ill get back to you if i think of something. Maybe you could also leave it outside in the sun. Until everything dries up and turns crusty.............. then get it out that way.... That way it doesnt stink up your house anymore. goodluck Edited March 9, 2007 by Shayesmommy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted March 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Maybe you could also leave it outside in the sun. Until everything dries up and turns crusty..............then get it out that way.... That way it doesnt stink up your house anymore. goodluck It has been outside drying out since yesterday, no way I was bring that back into the house. I'll see if I can get a paperclip or something up there and scoop him out once its a bit more dried out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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