Let me share this with you. I was clearing out my garden pond yesterday at 4.30pm, and took out a great clump of overgrown oxygenating plant. I checked through it to see if any of my 3 goldfish were in it, and I could not see any. Leaving this clump on the path until today (5pm), I saw to my horror one of my prized fish lying amongst the now dry plants - itself dry and splatered with dirt. I picked it up ready to give it a sad but honory burial, when I noticed a small movement. With that, I placed it back in the water, and within 30 minutes,it was swimming with his two mates again. Now how on earth can a fish survive for 24 hours out of water? Answer me that, oh wise ones. I now call this fish David Blane. His next trick is to survive a fish soup, boiled in a saucepan for 20 minutes - only kiddin'!! The pond story is true - honest!
2007-03-11 10:51:04 · 27 answers · asked by baldyoldgit 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
Obviously all the plant matter kept him and his gills wet enough to live. Great story though, glad it turned out well.
MM
2007-03-11 12:32:07 · answer #1 · answered by magicman116 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont know how the fish survived but i heard a story like this before where a goldfish had been out of water for a day and came back to life, therefore i have no doubt that your story is true.
2007-03-12 10:08:01 · answer #2 · answered by Catwhiskers 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say that the green algae thing that was wrapped around it must have protected it from drying out. Also in winter the fish are in a sedated state b/c of the cold, so maybe to the fish it only seemed like he was out of the water for only 5 minutes as opposed to human time of 24 hours.
2007-03-12 09:51:58 · answer #3 · answered by sonicachic311 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is truly amazing! The closest I ever came to experiencing something similar was when we first put our pond in - we had left it for a while to establish and put some plants in it, one of my friends gave me a really weird looking loach to go in the pond so I brought it home in a little tub of water and emptied him into his new home. I went out shopping for about 2 hours and when I got back he had flipped out of the water and was trying to make his way across the garden! It was a baking hot day and he was starting to dry out but still determined - I picked him up and dropped him back in there. As far as i know he hasn't made another bid for freedom! Great story though and I'm glad your fish was OK.
2007-03-12 12:40:57 · answer #4 · answered by Badgrl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Angel may be a more appropriate name or Ghost!
All I can think is that the plant kept it wet enough and the cold caused it to become hyperthermic, the gradual return to the water temperature allowed it to survive maybe!
Look after it well though because that really is one little miracle fish you have!
2007-03-12 16:39:27 · answer #5 · answered by willowGSD 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Congratulations Baldyoldgit!!!
You make me laugh though - a prized fish! You only
have three of them!
Get to the pet shop now. Buy some fish. You can't
only have three fish in a pond. Unless they are Koi
Carp.
P.S. I am not well up on fish, so I could not give you
the answer that you wanted. Give my love to David!!
2007-03-12 09:26:16 · answer #6 · answered by Minxy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Goldfish are very hardy ones.Only catfish and eel can survive longer with no oxygen.Tench and carp are also champions and the wild goldfish and a hybrid type of carp called crucian carp.
I know that a goldfish can survive that long provided the there is some humidity.Carp can survive in almost frozen mud and muck.
2007-03-12 06:58:50 · answer #7 · answered by Michael V 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I did read somewhere that this is possible, they have a survival thing that can keep them going for a while out of water, but i am guessing a few hours or maybe minutes later he may of perished!!!! Am happy that the fish is okay!
2007-03-11 17:55:12 · answer #8 · answered by sally c 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I read of a fish that was kept in a tank and it's owner-a young kid-thought it was dead and so buried it in a shallow grave.The fish was still alive after four days and when it rained it struggled to the surface,was seen and put back in the tank.
Apparently the moisture in the earth below the surface kept it alive-maybe the plants did the same for yours?
2007-03-11 18:17:34 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I can believe it because last year a gourami jumped out of my tank in the middle of the night when i saw it on the carpet the following morning
I put it in a little bin next to our living room fire after a while i heard a noise it was the fish flapping about it was covered in cigarette ash i put it in a basin of tank water went to work when i came home it was still alive it lived for about six months so i can well believe you
2007-03-11 18:03:55 · answer #10 · answered by Black Orchid 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋