HELP! Red Tail Catfish Swallowed chunk of wood?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Rass

Rass

Aimara
MFK Member
Oct 3, 2005
752
602
130
44
California
Ok so my GF saw the cat with the piece of wood in its mouth just a few minutes ago. She grabbed the camera while i grabbed a chair so I could reach into the tank and grab it away from him, but as soon as I went for him he just swallowed it down. I netted him from the tank and I couldn't even feel it in his belly which is surprising considering how big it was. How concerned should I be? What are his odds of regurgitating it? I'm worried about what will happen if he cant get it out on his own. He is around 14" BTW. What should I do? Or is there anything I even can do other than wait it out?

IMG_1177.jpg


IMG_1176.jpg
 
You could probably stick your hand down his throat and grab it if its not too deep. But I've heard pretty crazy things about RTCs eating decorations and surviving just fine. Good luck man.
 
Its completely swallowed. I mean I would be afraid of damaging him somehow trying to manually pull it out. Anybody else? Suggestions? Any similar experiences? He is behaving like his normal self today.
 
That pic doesnt do him justice at all. He looks skinny for some reason. Man you dont realize how big these things are when you see them everyday, until you take them out of the tank! He really is a beast at only 14". His head is a solid 4" wide and his body is thick all the way to his tail fin.
 
He should be okay ... have heard tons of stories of them regurgitating whatever they ate, often weeks or months later even. Just make sure he keeps eating or maybe even don't feed him for a couple of days to see if it will come back out ... I don't know whats best at that point.
 
My plan is to not feed him for at least a few days. I don't want the food to get impacted.
 
i honestly can't tell you if he'll digest it or if he'll regurtitate, but it WILL come out one way or the other.'

if he does regurtitate it someone will need to be there and watching. when RTC's vomit it fouls the water.. you're going to need to do a big water change or two and suck out all that he regurgitates.

i lost my RTC and my TSN because my RTC ate too much and regurgitated, unfortunately i was not home at the time and the fouled water killed them both.
 
He is in a 125H with a black acrylic background BTW, 18" wide (front to back). That gives you an idea of how big he actually is.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom