I've already sent the details in PM, but for the rest of the forum, a simple version
I suggested Tricane Methanesulfonate (MS-222) to slow the animal down a little.
I've moved some big arapaima in the past. Some short moves, some longer trips. In the next month or so, we'll be moving a medium sized animal half way across the US. MS-222 isthe best proven drug to work on them. Being obligate air breathers maek thigns a little harder as well.
Let me tell you guys a story to show you why you need to slow these guys up a little.
I was called in to move an adult arapaima (14' long and an easy 350-400 lbs) out of an exhibit and take it to another facility. The animal was by FAR the largest thing in the tank, and have never had a person (diver) in the water with it. Fist thing on the list was to set up a transport tank in the back of a tractor trailor. We have a full filter system running on it, as well as O2 etc..... Next step was to see how it would react to people in the water. We spent a good part of the morning just testing it.....see how close we could swim etc. The fish had been given some drug to slow it down in food prior to us showing up, but it took no effect at all. We injected the animal with ketamine (just aft of the gill cover is the ONLY soft spot on these guys). The first shot missed and bent the needle. Second shot went in. We waited and nothing happened. We dosed a second round at half the volume of the first, and still nothing. Four hits later, it started to slow down. Note: based on weight and amount given, this animal should be barely moving by this point. We finally decided a team should get in the tank and push the animal to one side with a net. We also started draining the pool. Mid afternoon, the pool was about 6' deep. We had eight people in the water - 6 on the net, and 2 still working on the animal. We thought we might be able to muscle it to the edge, and get it in our aquatic cloth stretcher, then out to the truck. We took a chance as it passed close by. My #2 diver got a medium sized net over it's nose. The fish started to take off, so I wrapped my arms around both his arms and the fish's body. The fish then preceded to jump out of the water, OVER the net stretched across the exhibit and the people holding it, then come down on the other side, myself and the other diver attached.
Quick recap: Fish that should be 100% knocked down took two fully decked out divers up out of the water and over a net. THAT is muscle.
Later, it took 17 people to move it after two more rounds of drug doses and the fish started to slow down. We managed to get it to swim into our cloth stretcher on it's own, then lifted it straight up and out, ran outside, and set it down in the holding tank in the back of the transport truck.
So the moral of the story is even though John's is a short move just feet away, it has to be approached with some intelligence. These fish are FAR stronger than they would ever let on.
