Can't get hook out of Mystery Wrasse fish's mouth

[ken6217]

I didn't know where to post this so I will try here.

I was trying to get a Mystery Wrasse out of my tank. I used a #26 trout hook and caught him but cannot get it out of the roof in his mouth. It is pretty far inside.

Will he be OK until tomorrow where I can bring it to a store or someone that can get it out of his mouth? I can't do it and I will probably hurt him more trying.

Thanks,
Ken

 

[ReeferBill]

Try a pair of tweezers and grab it in its mouth and push in and down to get it out.

 

[ken6217]

I'm already passed this stage. I can't get it out. Not saying it can't be done. I'm saying I can't do it without killing it etc.

I was going to trade it into a LFS anyway as it killed two cleaner shrimp. I am more interested to know will he live until tomorrow with a hook in the roof of his mouth?
Ken

 

[tommy tomato]

fish survive in the wild with hooks all the time.. they usually wear out after awhile... but it depends on how stressed he is or if he was injured in the process.. only time will tell at this point. you shouldve filed the barb off before going fishing in your tank...

 

[ken6217]

fish survive in the wild with hooks all the time.. they usually wear out after awhile... but it depends on how stressed he is or if he was injured in the process.. only time will tell at this point. you shouldve filed the barb off before going fishing in your tank...

The barb is off. I'm just not talented enough to grab the end of the hook and maneuver it around to get it out. I'm too nervous that I will hurt it in the process. I'll have someone experienced take it out tomorrow.
Ken

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

The hook shouldn't kill the fish overnight. If the fish dies, it is from stress or something else. In fact, the accepted way to handle a fish you catch that is too small to keep but that has swallowed a hook too far to get out without severely damaging the fish (referred to as gut-hooked) is to cut the line and let the hook work its way out.

In the future, take a pair of pliers and crush the barb on the hook and it will come out very easily.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

The barb is off. I'm just not talented enough to grab the end of the hook and maneuver it around to get it out. I'm too nervous that I will hurt it in the process. I'll have someone experienced take it out tomorrow. Ken

We were posting at the same time, so I see you already took care of the barb.

I am guessing that either you can't get a good angle on the hook, the fish's mouth is too small, you are worried about putting too much pressure on the fish or you don't have tweezers or needlenose pliers that will reach far enough in. You should be able to take a pair of needlenose pliers (they make very small ones if the fish's mouth is small) and push the hook back the direction it entered where it is stuck in the fish's mouth and twist it sideways so that the hook doesn't catch when being removed. Remember, the fish's mouth is primarily cartilage and isn't filled with blood vessels and nerves like ours.

Waiting until tomorrow shouldn't hurt, though.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[ken6217]

Thanks a lot.
Ken

 

[Dragon moray ki]

Good luck

 

[yubunski]

Trout hooks should rust out pretty quickly in saltwater. Fish may be hurt if you try to get it out using tweezers and what not.

 

[block head]

leave it , it will be gone in a week. fish will be fine

 

[ken6217]

Took the fish to the LFS. I don't think it took them more than 5 seconds to get the hook out. He is fine.
Ken

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

That is good. What did you use for bait, a piece of shrimp?

 

[ken6217]

I used raw shrimp from the supermarket. I only went with that because I couldn't get a mysis shrimp on a hook. Also the shrimp is tough and has substance to it.
Ken