Cichla ate rocks... HELP!!

[twk1]

I have a temensis that swallows polishes river rocks every now and then, not just one rock but like 3-4 of them, and would hold it in its stomach for a few days and then would cough them back out. And I KNOW they are rocks because i have seen it in action.
But this time looks like it has swallowed about 6 or 7 rocks... because its stomach looks like its been stretched to to the max and very lumpy... and its been just over a week now and stilll haven't spit them back out.... and now i can tell my temensis is getting kinda week it isn't swimming around as often.... Has anyone's cichla done this before?? And does anyone know what i can do to help encourage it to cough up those rocks?? I'm getting worried and afraid to lose my fish. Any Help or advice ???

 

[Superlaz]

Im familiar with catfish doing thisd...never cichla. Sorry man...have no info for you. Try and keep him stress free. Increase oxygen, raise temp a bit and add a little salt. hopefully he'll spit them out. Get those rocks out of the tank

 

[sostoudt]

maybe your cichlids are like birds and swallow rocks to aid in digestion? never heard of it before but i guess its possible.

 

[twk1]

Im familiar with catfish doing thisd...never cichla. Sorry man...have no info for you. Try and keep him stress free. Increase oxygen, raise temp a bit and add a little salt. hopefully he'll spit them out. Get those rocks out of the tank

Those rocks are my substrate... if i take them out then my only other options would be sand... or go bare. I don't like the look of a bare bottom.... and if i use sand, it would be too much work... my tank is a 370 gal. Btw... nice costume.

 

[Superlaz]

Not me in avatar . You may have to go through the trouble, or seperate this fish. How big are the rocks? and the fish>?

 

[twk1]

Fish is about 12-13" and the rocks are 1.5-2" I'm not worried about the changing over to sand... but i'm afraid that it would be very hard to change from sand back to rocks in the future... man thats hecka sand to try to remove every grain... LOL.

 

[xander]

should pass them out or regurgitate them fine. my gar ate a huge rock but all was okay

 

[bOOsteN aUdI]

it's natural.. i have caught some big striped bass with some big peddles in their stomaches. he should eventually spit them up. as long as he's eating your ok.

 

[twk1]

it's natural.. i have caught some big striped bass with some big peddles in their stomaches. he should eventually spit them up. as long as he's eating your ok.

Yeah even when he had just a few rocks in his stomach he would still eat like theres no tomorrow. But i haven't tried to feed him since his stomach is stretched to the max... cause it looks like its goin to explode and i feel like if i feed it i won't digest well and cause bloat or something??
So... do you guys think i should still try to feed it?? OR try and wait till or IF it spits out the rocks??

 

[oHsNaP1337]

My Jardini ate rocks several times and spit them out over a period of time, I wouldn't worry too much, just feed him as usual, your Pbass should eventually throw them up.....