A story I never wanted to tell

[@RachelOLeary]

Telling this story was very hard for me, but important as these things sometimes just happen. My gar may not be as beautiful as it once was, but its entirely healthy and I am thankful for that. I appreciate your understanding, as this really rough on the fish, and me and I am so glad he made it through. My Patreon: www.patreon.com/racheloleary Fan mail can be sent to: PO box 146 Manchester PA 17345 Buy me a coffee: msjinkzd.com/about_msjinkzd/support-our-site/ Instagram @msjinkzd Website and stocklist: msjinkzd.com/stocklist/ Facebook: facebook.com/msjinkzd/

[@RexDogDelivers]

Watching it still. I just love 5 Blue Acaras last night so I am sure this is going to hit home hard. I agree with you. F the Fish Nerds! Our job is to be the best fish keepers we can be. We had a rescue Oscar named Goodman that lost half his mouth and recently passed. We gave him as long and happy of a life as we could. OK as for the feeding port. Drill a small hole make a flap that can swing over the hole back out of the way when feeding. Sorry I was commenting as I watched the video.

[@RexDogDelivers]

Have you seen those little Clip (locks) they use for Reptile tanks? This would be good to hold the tanks closed when they crash upwards.

[@RachelOLeary]

@@RexDogDelivers the lids are extremely heavy, they cant move them. He jumped through a tiny feeding port, so I now keep them covered. It's crazy to me that the fish FIT

[@RachelOLeary]

@@RexDogDelivers sorry to hear it :(

[@ccsorn]

It takes courage to admit what has gone wrong; especially on pet channels. You have simply made it easier for your viewers to do so and that can only help the hobby.

[@Skyliner04s]

I don´t usually comment. But hearing you fear the backlash of the internet made me. Remember that when reading negative comments: there are THOUSANDS of quiet gals and guys like me who have the utmost respect and appreciation for you and your work! The fish is perfectly fine and in the best hands it can hope. I think you´ll find yourself falling in love with him because you now have a story attached to him. Keep it up! Your quiet fans love you, so do I!^^

[@RachelOLeary]

Thank you!

[@sadeyescreations1702]

Yes...

[@StormCaller5]

Perfectly said ❤

[@JFerguson777]

THIS.. I never say much but watch often. Silent majority approves..

[@Evil_Genius_888]

“Sometimes shit just happens.” That is probably the best life lesson everyone can learn. No matter who you are, how smart you are, how well prepared you are, sometimes shit just happens. It sucks and it’s okay to say so.

[@novanettle7497]

So true. You can do everything you are supposed to do, do it all perfectly. And you can still loose. This is not a flaw, this is just what life is sometimes.

[@tauneutrino1able]

Don't worry, any of us with half a brain know that you LOVE your fish and that you do everything you can to keep them happy and healthy!

[@jackrapier6748]

Anyone with half a brain can see that that enclosure is tiny compared to that fishes natural habitat. I have spent many years observing these fish in the wild. They are normally very active throughout most of the year. Having a bunch of followers on KZbin doesn’t make you an expert. The tank is much to small and that’s why she gets criticized.

[@tauneutrino1able]

@@jackrapier6748 if you don't like people keeping fish as pets then WTF are you doing watching fish keeping videos? Go watch some more ASPCA commercials and don't bother the grownups.

[@amucandlecraft5423]

Tau Neutrino That’s the reason she’s been made to feel this way though... literally half of us (hopefully myself not included 😂) don’t have a brain, but are sporting mean streaks where our conscience should live. It’s sad that anyone’s made to feel like this. People like Jack here should exhibit the same conscience for people that they do for animals. This is fish keeping, not the Boston Aquarium and that habitat is fine.

[@amucandlecraft5423]

Jack Rapier Since you enjoy correcting people, someone with half a brain should probably learn the difference between “to” and “too”. Doesn’t feel so hot, does it? Writing nasty comments online doesn’t make you are writer either. Apparently.

[@debbiemilford6733]

Rachel these things happen, being disabled myself there is nothing wrong with imperfectly perfect ❤️

[@MusingsFromTheDen]

Same here 😉. Mr Gar has now got character.... Is it awful of me to suggest we call him Garface? 😇

[@kgal63]

@@MusingsFromTheDen I vote for the new name.👍😊

[@Gymnos2]

Good call, Rachel! Hope your fish has a speedy recovery.

[@VirusHaunt]

cant say it any better....

[@annabelj.h.schmidt2359]

Same for me, perfectly imperfect. Garface, brilliant idea.

[@sb-kc4bw]

Eating well: checked Active as a gar: checked Comfortable: checked Perfectly imperfect: checked Consulted w a vet: checked Did above thrice: checked Love him: checked Cover holes: checked. You did everything needed for him. I think we all can see your love and care for your fish. You do research and contacted others if needed. Your wisdom and honesty are appreciated. Thank you for posting this lil incident as scary as it was for you two.

[@shoudrastargleam1]

It makes me sad that when people like you who have integrity and actually care about their animals go through the added anxiety of possible back lash on KZbin on top of whatever situation has happened. I'm so glad he made it, and it's obvious to me you love your animals. Your knowledge of the anatomy of the fish speaks to how much you care.

[@SequoiaElisabeth]

Having consulted 3 Vet's I see no issue with following their advice. Guilt, apologies, and fear are a waste of time. What happens, happens and we make the most of it. This channel remains my favorite youtube fish channel. My respect for you and your dedication to the hobby continues to grow! Thank you for sharing.

[@TheJake76]

You take such good care of you fish, freak accidents happen, people on the internet can be ass hats. Glad the gar was ok in the end.

[@ND-pp2wd]

If we can love Nemo with his Lucky Fin then we can love your Gar’s Lucky Chin 👍🏽 #LuckyChin

[@tracylee4297]

lol

[@jenniferlee818]

It is amazing how our little loved ones can find ways to hurt themselves even with the best intentions and methods to keep them happy, healthy and safe. I’ve had fish, shrimp and snails end up on the floor even with a lid on. I’ve had cats locked up in closets for hours but when they were never opened. I’ve had my kids fall off things I still can’t figure out how they got up there in the first place. Accidents happens to everyone. Only difference if you are at the mercy of public viewing and that is some tough stuff. You are wonderful and don’t be scared to let the right people in and the wrong people out ❤️

[@brennanwilliams1551]

Man am I glad I found your channel! Thank you so much for your honesty, transparency, and integrity. A lot of people try to hide every little accident which makes beginners feel like failures if everything doesn’t come off perfectly. I appreciate your story and thank you for putting it out there for someone else who may go through something similar.

[@chevyfish5373]

Rachel, I am so happy you posted this video. The more that professional fish hobbyist KZbinrs present "all" the ins and outs of the hobby, the better understanding that newcomers to the hobby etc., will have. I think it arms people with the proper knowledge for the fish species they are interested in and paints a clear picture of all the aspects of their particular choices and gives a guide to better stocking decisions and of what could happen even if everything has been provided for the utmost care of a particular fish. Your posting of this video helps dilute the negative comments that I see when people dogpile onto an unfortunate circumstance which has caused the injury or death of an aquarium pet of many other fish KZbinrs. Knowledge is power and with knowledge comes understanding and with that, people will come to know that they have been mistaken in their negative thoughts and comments regarding this unfortunate aspect of the aquarium hobby. I think you and the others on here do a great service and I appreciate everything you do and represent. This happens to "everybody" sooner or later, dispite our level of experience.

[@Schnauzyoulose]

You have sort the advice from 3 professionals and followed their recommendations. If the situation changes you'll be seeking further advice. Keep up the good work. Love you channel 👍

[@themadaquarist]

He/she is still beautiful. We’re all damaged in some way

[@jmsguitarshop]

Pobody's nerfect.

[@chandrasmith4722]

Lady, you keeping him as is speaks alot about your character. I love it. He's still a cutie. Make him a T-shirt, "sometimes shit happens..."

[@mamaj4734]

So sorry to hear issues with your gar! I have had crazy things happen in my own tanks like a betta that managed to squeeze in a tiny opening of cholla wood and got stuck. Thankfully, I was able to free him and other than us both being traumatized he was fine. I would have never dreamed of that happening. It is great that you have a vet in your area to see. It sounds like that is a good decision for the fish. You are an amazing keeper and would never doubt your heart for the animals.

[@gregoryfickling7957]

Not as pretty as he used to be? Just remember... “chicks dig scars!” He looks like even more of a badass!

[@RachelOLeary]

As a 41 year old lady, I never require anyone to be as pretty as they used to be 😂

[@annethornton9938]

So glad the story had a more-or-less happy ending! My heart was in my throat as you described what had happened, reliving what I went through when I came home to my my betta boy, Astibar, not in his tank. While we were out to dinner, he'd hopped out the lid which I must have left slightly ajar. Found him in a pile of tissues in my bedside wastebasket, fortunately just in time. Plopped him back in his tank so he could shake off the worst of the dirt and dryness while I readied a hospital tub and airstone, kept watch over him all night. Aside from some short-term damage to his fins from thrashing around, he was fairly quickly recovered, and we learned our lessons in more ways than one. I agree you did the best for your gar, and will keep doing that--you are a great educational & inspirational resource that we cherish!

[@hkk3656]

I have a one eye fish and he's doing just fine. I named him pirate.

[@andrewchong1154]

is it a gAHHHR?

[@Hrefn]

It's our scars that make us who we are - this gar's 'scar' will show that he's a survivor too ... you go lumpy gar, we

[@xoGullysMumox]

Oh bless him, like a kid wanting mum's attention and they do something silly....I'd love to know how the hell he fit threw the hole tho! God damn magician

[@RachelOLeary]

Right?? I still have no idea how he did it

[@xoGullysMumox]

@@RachelOLeary he now needs a proper little name 😂 Houdini would be pretty fitting 🤣💕

[@pjp9383]

I have a tall "baby gate" that I've used to keep my dogs out of the litter box, and/or to keep the dogs contained at certain times. The tall gate had a tiny door for the cats to get through. Totally confused me to come home one day and find my old 60 lb pitbull loose in the house. He then began to make a habit out of it! The door was basically the size of his head? More than once, I caught him halfway through, and even watching him do it, I'm still not sure how he could fit!!! 😆 Anyway, we do the best we can, but sometimes these guys just seem to do the impossible, or at least, the unexpected...

[@pjp9383]

@Mel Hawk Aww, my current dog is a Boxer/Fila Brasiliero (a mastiff blend). When she was young, she managed to pull apart some of the wires on a cage as well - I thought she was going to impale herself when I came through the door! She does *need* to be crated when she's alone, so we switched to fibreglass cages. She has burst the door on those, and/or chewed them up on occasion as well, but it's still safer than leaving her to her own devices when I'm at work. She's a bit of a special case... 🙄

[@pjp9383]

@Mel Hawk Well, she's well past that age - over 8 yrs old. But definitely a special case! She has a brain, she just forgets to use it. Too busy reacting, to be able to stop and think. 😉

[@katefennell9545]

You are an incredible fish mum and my favourite KZbinr for so many reasons. You are passionate, caring, smart, patient, resourceful, calm and such a wonderful wealth of knowledge. Keep doing you Rachel we all know you would never deliberately harm another living being

[@typerexc]

Thank you so much for sharing this. It's hard enough to deal with things like this privately sometimes, let alone airing it out there publicly. I had a cory catfish get sucked up through a 3/8" diameter siphon hose once. I looked at the fish, looked at the hose, and there's absolutely no way he could have gone through that narrow 5' hose. And yet he did. Fortunately I siphon into buckets and not a drain (would use a basket/guard thing if it was a drain, obviously). Still, he was an albino in a white bucket. I dumped the bucket into the tub as I usually do, and yelped and dove in to save him just short of the drain. He was (and is still) fine. Glad your story had a good, if not perfect, ending.

[@dbcrum1]

You have nothing to apologize for. Your passion and love for the fish and hobby shines!

[@stevendunn264]

Thank you for sharing. I have 3 tanks, all with tight lids... I have found mystery snails, a betta, guppies, and a grouami dried up on the ground at one time or another. No clue how they got out.

[@--Paws--]

9:20 What you said reminded me of what a KZbinr said in a video: "In the end, human sentiment corrupts nature's logic." -Bryan Maltais

[@augustvukosovich4683]

Well said!

[@Gesa1991]

Thank you for sharing Rachel :) my two bettas both jumped out of their tanks at some point and even though I noticed right away and they were fine I felt absolutely terrible. Both tanks had lids and I was super careful to always have them closed and it still happened. Seeing fish out of water is terrifying. So I know from experience how shocked you must have been. Being grateful that it happened when you were able to save the fish and the fact that he is fine is the most important part of this I would say :) thanks for being so open and for respecting your fish and his wellbeing :)

[@dunky7157]

You are such a wonderful human Rachel! your genuine empathy, care and concern you treat all your aquatic critters and plants to gives me faith in humanity. I greatly appreciate you sharing your fish keeping experiences with all of us. ❤️

[@tinkfairyx1]

Wow, I’m blown away by these fish. I’ve never seen such large intimidating looking fish in a home aquarium. I’m glad it’s doing fine. It’s clear that you care very much for your fish. Thanks for all of the great videos x

[@davidstarboy6067]

That was a touching and heartfelt video. I had a puppy once who came to harm through no fault of mine, yet I initially blamed myself with deep anguish. Indeed s**t does happen, no matter how much we care for our kids; a parent's worst nightmare. You are obviously a wonderful mommy!

[@rte64rte]

It saddens me to think you felt afraid of blacklash from people. You are a kind and caring person who takes good care of your charges. I believe that these animals, fish, know this also. Thank you for all you do for these animals/fish. Thank you also for sharing your talent and insights on taking care of them.

[@VyvienneEaux]

You are the most caring, practical fishkeeper I know of. If anyone's criticizing you, they're automatically trolls whether or not they know it.

[@kellynilsen4620]

Imperfectly perfect is still beautiful in my eyes. You take such good care of all of your babies (including your human ones), that no one SHOULD criticise you or blame you for any accidents. I love watching you & learn so much- please continue doing what you do. You have my 100% support and thank you for sharing what was a hard and difficult story.

[@basildestiny]

Oh, what a relief. I thought you were going to say you had to rehome him at the start and then as the story began that he'd died. Glad neither of those are the case. Thanks for sharing the reality of keeping these fish. That seems very important for anyone considering them.

[@GregWittstockThePondGuy]

Let’s build them a summer home...an Aquascape Ecosystem Pond!

[@RachelOLeary]

We took out our pool to have the perfect space for a pond ;)

[@j_toledo419]

Your camera is very nice.. Rarely do we see those microscopic tiny white swimmers .. not sure what there called but think I've heard they are very helpful to tanks

[@sjdalzell]

I love your honesty and good heart! Your stories are what have kept me going, good and bad.

[@marlenegrosskurth9563]

When you started the story I thought the outcome was going to be tragic when you mentioned a 1/2 hour had gone by but thank goodness you were there to hear the the sound and find him. Very very relieved when you put him back in the tank. He is perfectly perfect. Thank you for sharing this with us. 💕🙏

[@mysticacre658]

I’m so sorry to hear the story, it’s very clear that these guys are some of your favorite fish as I have followed you for a few years now. Glad that he is able to eat and continue on with his life. It just makes him all the more unique. It’s not fair if anyone else to judge you on some freak occurrence in your fish room. I’m sure plenty of us have had mishaps. Thank you for sharing this story.

[@user-py7pp6ks4g]

You’re amazing for being open about the reality of your, and many others’ fish keeping life.

[@patriciamoldovan3092]

💗Very kind of you to share this info. You absolutely did what is BEST for him!

[@yujiogura4507]

You rock Rachel! Long time subscriber, first time comment-er. Your philosophy towards keeping fish has helped me a lot in containing my enthusiasm 'to get more fish' in order to offer the ones I already have a better (more spacious) home. Keep up the good work and kudos in being honest :)

[@lostinamap]

Any one who doubts your love and dedication is blind. You're an amazing pet parent. This could happen to anyone, even the most diligent.

[@JLAbeln-kc1iv]

"Perfectly imperfect," aren't we all?!

[@TCS_Aquatics]

You are a wonderful fish keeper, one of the best. No one could rightly question you as a fish keeper on KZbin. And think of this, this fish is now a perfect example of the species, it shows just how tough they are. I have a huge scar on my head from a car wreck and an open head traumatic brain injury, I used to be really embarrassed by it but now I look at it and think about how amazingly tough the human race can be and how strong the will to survive is.....

[@csquared6000]

Honestly it's kinda nice to know that even the "pros" have shit happen too. I think anyone who watches your videos can understand that you have every fish's best interest at heart. It's the reason I watch your videos. Thanks for sharing your fish and your experiences.

[@suzaynnschick158]

Thank you, Rachel. You do a lot oef good with your education and your dedication to your fish, your career and your family. None of us make it through life undamaged. The gar is no exception.

[@aquahogs]

Haters are gonna hate, you want only what is best for you babies. You are a qualified fish expert, you will do the right thing. We love ya Rachel, and have your back aginst the naysayers! All the best from Montana!❤.

[@Melinko7902]

Rachel, my 150g Puffer tank cracked over the summer and I had a puffer jump out of the stock tank I had kept them in while I had the tank repaired. I was lucky and found the fish on the floor, dry, but I tossed it back in the stock tank and invested in some lighting diffuser to cover the stock tank until my glass aquarium was back. The Puffer is alive and well to this day! It happens, you're not alone. Thank you for sharing!!

[@peppertharp5223]

You Are a true animal lover, naturalist, biologist, animal behaviorist and scientist....the planet needs more people like you. Thank you for bringing the beauty, of understanding the species we share our habitat...teaching us their beauty and vulnerability.

[@charleshowieson1474]

Thank you Rachel for sharing what must have been an emotional video . What it does show is that the unexpected can and often does happy , even to experienced fish keepers as yourself . To me it goes with the territory of keeping pets . great videos and some real helpful tips .

[@thomashynes4042]

Having worked for a Veterinarian, I would agree with you that your decision is perfect. There is no change in the quality of life for your Cuban Gar..., he swims, he eats, I have seen no change in his behavior from past videos. 1: The fish in that tank are well cared for, you can tell by the shear size of them, they are healthy, fat, well fed, and I am sure that the water quality in that tank is spot on. 2: Ten Plus years of dedication shows - the amount of money in food, time and energy is a reflection of the overall health of those fish. 3: the fish jumping was not a careless error You have certainly done the right thing!

[@walterroswell8376]

This was a great video, often youtubers hide their "mistakes" and put on a fake front but I felt you in this...I appreciated this.

[@theshrimpscene4386]

You are absolutely doing the right thing by leaving it be. It’s crazy to think that people care more about how the fish looks than its well being nowadays. Your a wonderful fishkeeper and there’s a reason captain crankypants and the big boys have been around so long. Your an inspiration to all of us in the hobby!

[@MarTeeNezNC]

I'm SO glad he survived!! I was afraid you were going to give really bad news. Screw what people think on KZbin. You SAVED YOUR FISH!!! You are amazing.

[@soniahoward7129]

You’re doing a great job Rachel. You’ve definitely made the right decision to not proceed with surgery. It’s so fortunate that you found your fish outside of the tank and were able to rescue him and he survived. Keep up the great work.

[@mareahc]

I keep a Tiger Oscar and two plecos together in a huge tank and over the 9 years I have had them we have had 3 major mishaps despite taking proper precautions. On all 3 occasions I thought the oscar was a goner, but today he is a happy, healthy fish. He does have one lingering scar, but don't we all! Glad you shared, you are my favorite KZbin fish keeper and I can't wait to see what you'll have going on next

[@TheTrueMitch]

I'm a fish keeper as well as a fisherman. It's crazy the injuries fish can live with just fine. I've caught fish missing lower jaws, missing an eye, weird growths, and lots of healed battle wounds. I think the imperfection on the gar makes it even more natural.

[@twunderaquatics1770]

I don't ever plan to get these type of fish but I love your updates on this tank. 🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿

[@4randosutube]

Well thankfully he survived. I have experienced similar events with energetic fish. They can surprise with their speed and power. If they have even a small opportunity to fit through an opening, they will eventually. Glad you were around to find him too.

[@Firestorm637]

Age causes battle scars as badges of honor for living long lives. The fish seems fine. Surgery can never make things as good as the original equipment. Surgical can improve, cause no change or make things worse. It’s a beautiful fish.

[@jastity8646]

Caring for your fish, as you do, is the best thing you can possibly do for the rest of we fishkeeping numpties who follow you. Fish keeping can be like opera, it’s all joy and dancing one moment and death and misery the next. Show us all of it Rachel, calmly and sensibly, so that we can try to be the same.

[@Firestorm637]

Many of us become disabled as we age. Age is failing health as you are not going to develop better health as you age. More bailing wire and duct tape. Many more people in way worse shape, many poor kids never enjoyed good health as they were born with poor health. We are all lucky in that aspect and we are lucky to live in the USA.

[@FullMoonAquatics]

Rachel, you are so awesome! Thank you for sharing. I had tears in my eyes listening to your story. We lost our fire eel that we had for four years, from 3” to about 18” when he jumped during feeding from our 105g Oceanic Show tank with heavy glass lids and wood canopy. He/she injured itself on some equipment in the fall behind the tank. We still haven’t recovered enough to restock the tank and it has taken a lot of the joys of the hobby away from us. We are getting there, but certainly understand why it was difficult to share what happened to your baby.

[@ronshook5194]

HI RACHEL, YOU ARE TRULY AN INSPIRATION, TO MANY MANY PEOPLE....! I am a 70yr. Old retired zoo keeper. LOTS, OF animal pleasures, and. Disasters. I HAVE raised llamas, alpacas, all types, OF PARROTS, poultry ETC. Now, I'm into AQUARIUMS. In the wild, and in captivity, you can expect "accidents ". If the animal, or in this case, the gar, can eat, swim, has a good QUAILITY of life, just let it be, as you have......BRAVO......... I WAS LOSING INTEREST, IN MY AQUARIUMS....UNTIL, I discovered your channel....! 1 OF MY favorite fish is the CORIES, CORYS, Keep up the GREAT work , thanks for sharing......May EVERYTHING u do, THRIVE, and Flourish......lol, Your new subscriber Ron Shook

[@Pokeepogo]

I'm glad he's doing great

[@RavenSaint1]

I had a friend who had a gar that had ripped half his lower jaw off. The gar ate fine afterwards and the most had to worry about, was the gar getting enough food in. Which after 2 months showed the gar had no problems, even in a predator fish pond. Gars are tough customers when it comes to care and survivability. I've even heard of gars who have lived for weeks out of water, which was crazy, but it took a few weeks to get the fish to where it was recovering. That fish lost a lot of scales and never could be in a tank with other predator fish. That was over 5 years ago.

[@annel5296]

Thanks for sharing your story, Rachel! This could have been soo much worse and I'm glad your gar pulled through. It's never easy to make these decisions when it comes to your pets. There's risk with any surgical procedure and you have to weigh the risk vs benefit. I think you made the best decision and you would know better than anyone what the right thing to do is.

[@elizabethingham7789]

We're here for you and to learn about your wonderful fish. Accidents are part of how everyone learns. I'm sad the gar got hurt, but we all trust you. We see every video that you do everything you can to keep all your fish healthy and happy. There shouldn't be backlash for a freak accident, it'd be downright wrong to judge you for that. Lots of love, Rachel.

[@carolebraswell982]

I could tell this was difficult for you to share. The bottom line is, we can do our best and things still happen. I am thankful that you shared this as it helps us all see that things sometimes happen beyond our control no matter how skilled we are at our hobby. You obviously feel bad about it, but don't beat yourself up! Thank you for always being so open and sharing so we can all learn and grow.

[@sarahslovely08]

No judgements here. You are one of my favorites in the hobby. Specifically because you care for your fish the best you can. And your tanks are real and the care is real.

[@lesliesockwell8385]

I’ve had some crazy sad stuff happened in my very long time in the hobby. Thank you for sharing your experience it helps educate us all. 😊

[@aloratalyn]

So glad you shared this story. We need prominent people in our hobby, like yourself, to let others know that even when you've kept fish for ages, shit can just happen. You shouldn't feel bad at all. All of us that watch you on the regular know, and even being new to your channel you can tell, that if there was any doubt he could've fit through that hole, you'd have taken steps to prevent it. I just a couple weeks ago lost over half of my community tank I've been building for over a year, to what I'm calling a freak water change. Something I've done for so many years. Thousands of times. I still don't know what happened, but I know the fault didn't lie with me. Sometimes shit just happens in this hobby. It's a message we all should hear at least once throughout our fishkeeping journey. ❤

[@RachelOLeary]

Sorry to hear of your loss :(

[@aloratalyn]

@@RachelOLeary Thank you :)

[@jbweldon13]

You are one of the smartest most educated fish keepers on this channel! Love your knowledge and the subjects you teach. I have lost all my panda gara out of my 65, just really bums me out, they are real personal fish. Keep up the great work.

[@debohaver4747]

I don't make lots of comments, but I want to say thank you do much for sharing the truth about your gar. He looks happy and healthy to me. You have a background as a vet tech, you give the best life possible to your animals. I appreciate you as always.

[@RachelOLeary]

thank you Deb!

[@Amy-ls7qe]

The Cuban was obviously just trying to get out to bite you. Hopefully it learned a lesson. (Glad the gar is ok, its amazing how easily our pets can hurt themselves when we aren't watching)

[@brandyswett5245]

I think your Gar is still beautiful and I am so happy to know the Gar is ok. You take awesome care of your critters and it shows. I also believe that this is a great representation of fish and some of the things you can see on them from the wild. Yours just has the benefit of someone who has access to a vet to determine if they need vet care or not. The wild ones not so much. Thank you for sharing! HUGS

[@KyIieMinogue]

I’ve seen so many of your videos but you can really feel the love you have for these big boys the moment the video started 💕

[@janeshell1328]

We all have scars either inwardly or outwardly I think he’s gorgeous just the way he is and it proves he is a survivor. ❤️

[@BenOchart]

I’m just amazed and glad that he survived. He seems to be doing fine.

[@rosiefrancis-rogerson4508]

I really find you to be so inspirational, I hope that doesn't make you feel weird and I'm not trying to be all soppy I just think you are awesome! And shit does happen and I actually think it's really good to see that it happens to people like you, people that we look upto, as well! It makes you even more relatable and real. You sought the opinion of multiple veterinarians and you are doing what is in the best interest of your fish buddy! Lots of love to you and your family :D

[@meridianmormont665]

Awww he's still gorgeous ♥️ fish can do silly things!!! We can see how much you Love them and clearly do the best for them. I have a tank I call my misfits, they are all perfectly imperfect and I have them as their previous owners could no longer care for them. And I love them all because they are different. Love and hugs ♥️

[@darkdragoneclipse]

Thank you for putting the fish before KZbin comments. I know people who wouldn't even call a vet about a fish but you called THREE. I honestly was afraid this video would end with him having not made it. You did good.

[@Tyriad_]

I have a spanish ribbed newt and two weeks after moving him into a paludarium I built for him, he went missing. He somehow crawled through a hole half the size of his head, through a 2 foot tube the same size, and into the fog machine. I found him after the fogger had run for the day, half stuck in the mechanics of it. Somehow he was okay, and is doing just fine (it's been about 4 months). Once my mom's corn snake got out of it's tank and we found him a week later as my grandma was taking the laundry OUT of the washer. Little bastard survived a house full of cats for a week and then a spin cycle. He held his head slightly sideways for the rest of his life, but he was fine (and got HUGE). Sometimes this shit does happen despite our best efforts. Loving animals can be... difficult sometimes, but it's so rewarding.

[@gurky2hart6566]

Thank you for your honesty and giving others the heads up that these things can & do happen. It's obvious you love your fish and do your best to take care of them. I don't have big beautiful tanks like you do as I'm a novice but I've had little fish commit suicide by jumping out of the feeding ports too. Now I only keep snails & plants in those little acrylic tanks. My newest 20 gal tall tank & my 30 gal have lids that cover all but where equipment is hanging on the back. There's no extra space in between for suicidal fish. I learned the hard way too. By the way, I love the flowing algae on your driftwood. It's beautiful. Wish I could get that to grow on mine.

[@01poppyblue]

I’m just thankful you didn’t lose your precious gar.

[@Jasper_Tree]

Accidents happen. You look after your fish incredibly well but you can’t foresee everything! I’m so glad that you were able to save him. And having consulted the vets your decision makes perfect sense. Don’t worry or be too rough on yourself. 👍

[@rob93aquatics]

Well done video. Monster fish keeping is no joke. 👍💪

[@brandonwatson781]

Props to you! Awesome animal care. It takes a much tougher person to do what's best instead of appeasing the public!

[@debbieswan1213]

I'm so sorry that this happened and that it caused you so much stress. You did more than most would have by consulting 3 Vets, all who told you to let the fish be. How anyone could hate on you for caring for your fish the way you do and then taking the advise of 3 experts is beyond me and any who do are idiots. You are someone that I know cares more for the fish than the all mighty dollar. Much RESPECT to you. ❤🐟🐠

[@Digital_Distractions]

Sometimes people think their fish escape through the feeding port but actually they are quite strong and can lift up a lid and slip between the lid and the top of the aquarium. I have heard of arrowana gathering enough speed and force to slam into an acrylic lid held down with 2 cinder blocks covering a 180g aquarium and knock the entire thing off the tank and onto the floor. For intelligent and strong fish such as these, locks or latches should be in place and feeding ports covered in a similar way.

[@MikeZak101]

Nice collection of bichirs, I have an ornate and an endlicheri which are both about 9 years old now. I'm probably gonna get hated on for this but they have both been in an open topped tank all there lives, never jumped or anything like that, they come up for air but go back down straight away, think the main reason is I've been ok with this setup is I have never fed them floating foods and have never had any tanks mates for them that swim near the surface that might spook them.

[@TheUNIquorn270717]

He is absolutely gorgeous and you made a great decision ❤

[@jamesparadigm]

Thank you for having the courage to share this story with us.

[@MrCdybvrs]

These things happen, even at large scale aquariums with tanks holding 1000s of gallons. It's very sad, but you're making the best decisions you can and think it's great that you shared your experience.

[@jodymagara1660]

I just started watching your videos as I recently bought Snails and needed to learn more. It is sad you had to worry about backlash for sharing your story. I’m disabled, every animal in my house has “issues”. We lost our cat end of last summer who thought he was a dog. We have 2 rescue dogs one doesn’t know what she is the other was severely abused and is terrified of men. The 3rd dog we have had since 12weeks bearly survived Parvo and has been so babied thinks he’s still 6lbs when he’s at least 60. Seeing the feeding whole I would never have thought one of those fish could fit through. Don’t worry about haters or him having an imperfection. You checked with the vet I would do exactly what you are. Glad he’s ok and hoping he lives a long healthy life. Keep up the great job your videos are super helpful. Thanks 😄

[@RachelOLeary]

Thank you

[@WikkidVyxen]

Theres no lumps to be taken, Rachel. Life happens. Certainly not always as we wish it to happen, but it happens. Life is messy. Anyone who knows you even a little bit, knows your character and intent. Keep up the great work and practice what you preach! Take it easy on yourself, woman!💜

[@FrankiesUploads]

Rachel, don't be too hard on yourself. These things can, and will happen despite what we attempt to do to prevent it. One of my female bettas jumped out of her lidded tank through the most tiniest slot you ever did see. She landed directly on the floor below and pretty much dried out. I found her the following morning barley breathing, and instantly put her back into her tank. I assumed as I continued to check on her throughout that day she would only get weaker, and probably pass away. But to my sheer surprise she did the opposite! Yes, she has a few imperfections to tell the tale, but shes otherwise fine, fit and very healthy! I gave myself such a hard time for that, and still do. But truth be told these things just happen. Keep up with your awesome videos, I've really been enjoying your content! Wishing you nothing but the finest! Frankie 'Frankie's Aquatics'.

[@iddybiddyladybugleeza909]

I’m just happy he’s ok! Beauty is just exterior health & life is so much more 🥰