EMERGANCY!! RED TAIL CATFISH

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JakeLindsay

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 2, 2022
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My RTC ate a suction cup that had fallen off the heater. What can I do? I tried to catch him before he swallowed it but I couldn't. After I caught him I struggled to hold him and he dropped to the floor and probably was injured by that as well. He stabbed me with his barbs a couple times so those are bleeding too. I need help!! What can I do to no loose my RTC I have grown him from 2in to 12in. All suggestions send them my way!!!
 
The catfish will probably be fine, both about the cup and about the fall. I sure hope so for yours and his own good.
However, if you got stabbed by his 'points', you need to make sure to disinfect well the area (hands?). I would submerge the afflicted hand in hot water (not boiling but hot) with table salt dissolved. This is very good at cleansing and to avoid otherwise easy and nasty potential infection. Afterwards I would apply antibacterial/fungal ointment. I would repeat that at least twice, on two consecutive days. Good luck!
 
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This is like the 5th thread I’ve seen on redtail catfish swallowing suction cups. Not anything else, only suction cups.
 
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This seems to happen every week. Just wait it out and the RTC will spit it out.

Hold off on food for now and give it time. Take care of your hand like others suggested
 
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Not a lot you can do about the fall. Just monitor, fish can be quite hardy regarding falls to floor but will all depend how hard the fall was and how “resilient” the fish is
 
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I agree with all the guys are saying above. Please, read these threads for more info on the same problem:



There is nothing you can do about the fall but pray... and also don't handle fish barehanded in the future, but this was understandable, you legitimately freaked out.

Never have anything that an RTC can swallow in its tank, edible or inanimate.
 
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Thank you everyone for your suggestions, my RTC puked up the suction cup and it’s out of the tank. My hand is okay after getting stabbed and it looks like he’s already healing up. I did a 70 percent water change after he puked it back up. Now everyone is saying nothing a RTC can swallow should be in the tank so should I go bare bottom? I have seen him spit gravel out as he’s sifts the bottom for the pellets
 
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