I was wondering how my bichirs and clown loaches differentiate food from gravel. The color of the wafers is so close to the color of gravel I was wondering if they could mistaken gravel for food and swallow that stuffs. What would happen to the fish? Would it cause indigestion and the fish goes bye bye forever? Any thoughts or inputs?
Fish Swallowing Gravel...Possible?
- Thread starter CichlidsGoneWild
- Start date
Never had it happen, but I imagine once they got it in their mouth, they'd spit it out. Most fish "chew" before they swallow, so I think they'd notice. Although I have heard of fish swallowing small rocks and sand to actually aid in digestions.
Clown loaches will sift through gravel and spit it out.
Bichirs however can, will, and HAVE been known to swallow gravel when trying to eat though. They can potentially die from it. I think this is more of a problem with the babies, though I can't remember.
Bichirs however can, will, and HAVE been known to swallow gravel when trying to eat though. They can potentially die from it. I think this is more of a problem with the babies, though I can't remember.
I've never seen cases of loaches and bichirs eating gravel before. I've kept Senegals and I never see them swallowing pieces of small rocks.
Lupin;1045815; said:
Search the forum. There are several posts about bichirs and specifically senegals swallowing gravel.
If loaches suck up gravel they'll swimply spit it back out, but bichirs won't always do that.
i think food and gravel taste different dont you? they would put the gravel in there mouths and be like ew this isnt food and out it goes
Fish have an extremely strong instinct to bite whatever they see floating. That is why you sometimes see them eat and spit, eat and spit, until it leaves their field of vision. But you have to sympathize with the fish. Can you imagine if you were unable to stop yourself eating some poop you saw on the floor. It's harsh.