I have a 125 gal with 5 small bluegill, and a common 8 in pleco. I feed the bluegill a variety of things including cut market shrimp. Upon expection this morning i noticed my smallest fish hiding under the log and it seemed a rock was stuck in his mouth. I netted him with no problem at all which was surprising considering how hard it was go get them out of their 55 gal they started in as babys. In his mouth i noticed a piece of shrimp that he was choking on. I pulled it out with surprisingly enough a fish hook. Has this happened to anyone else, and could this have killed my fish?
Feeding Fiasco
- Thread starter atizzil
- Start date
alot of times hooks will be pushed out of a fish thats been caught, and eventually spit out. But yeah I'de rather cut food to small and have them need to pick around more then feeding to large peices, 'n choke. Also when i've fished in the past for "tank fish" I'de always cut the barb off to fish with so I did as little damage to the fish as possible, and if by chance one was swallowed. It would have a much easier time of being spat out. Must say it's good to hear of someone w/ gills in an appropriately sized tank. 
Ya usually they are smaller pieces, but i got in a hurry and wasn't as thorough. The hook wasn't stuck in its mouth it was on my table. I used it to try to get the shrimp out. Luckily the fish is still alive today with no noticable effects.