Video: 'Fighting' with Companions Leads to Emergency 'Artificial Beak' Surgery for a Golden Carp in Leshan
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Sichuan Online Reporter Wang Bol
"It cannot now feed itself, and we feed it once a day," On March 3rd, at the Muchen County Muchen Carp Breeding Center in Leshan, technician Wu Yongzhong retrieved five mud carp from the pool and prepared to assist a male carp with a broken beak in feeding.
According to Wu Yongzhong, on February 8th of this year, he observed a male carp injured its beak during a "fight" with its companions. "It broke about 8 centimeters." After observing for nearly a month, the male carp’s beak did not heal, and it significantly affected its feeding. "The length of the carp’s beak is about 18 centimeters, and nearly half of the lower part is broken, which makes it unable to pick up the mud carp or organize its feathers."
To facilitate the next step in treatment, the breeding center implemented "beak cutting" on March 1st for this carp, removing the already broken part.
"After discussing, we decided to install an "artificial beak,"" Wu Yongzhong introduced. "Artificial beak" can be imagined as a human’s "artificial limb," made of special materials in the shape of the missing part to give it a complete beak again. Installing the beak for the carp is not small, Wu Yongzhong said, currently there is no precedent in China, which means there is no experience to learn from.
The breeding center’s staff consulted the materials and found that a Siberian Crane in Nanjing Red Mountain Forest Park was also broken-beaked due to a fight. The veterinarians then customized a "titanium alloy artificial beak" for it. However, compared to the Siberian carp, the carp is smaller and cannot withstand the weight of titanium alloy.
"Through comparison, we found that PEEK material, which is used for human bones, is more suitable," Wu Yongzhong said. The weight of the same volume of PEEK material is only one-quarter of that of titanium alloy, and its texture is closer to the bird’s beak.
After selecting the material, the breeding center immediately placed an order with a factory in Guangdong. "The ‘artificial beak’ is currently being shipped to Leshan."
Another difficulty in installing the "artificial beak" is that the carp’s beak is very thin and has blood vessels in the middle of the lower beak. "If you press too hard, it could cause a secondary injury." Therefore, the breeding center specially invited a professional surgical surgeon to perform the installation, trying to minimize the harm to the carp.
The breeding center will carry out the surgery once the ‘artificial beak’ arrives in Muchen and is debugged, Sichuan Online Reporter will bring the surgery results and related videos to you as soon as possible, please pay attention!
