I think my albino bichir may have swallowed gravel what do i do

Thomas cw

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 28, 2019
28
9
8
22
Hithere I'm currently stressing out as I believe my young albino polypterus palmas may have ingested a small piece of gravel as she has a abnormal lump on her right flank that has a dark patch around it. I really don't want her to die she is an amazingly beautiful fish. I know that one of four things can happen if she has she'll either regeretate it or it'll find a place in her stomach where it can hurt her until she's big enough to pass it or she'll pass it or it'll cause an impaction and she'll die which I really don't want to happen she's had it for at least two days now as I noticed it last night. What should I do and is it actually gravel or is it just a lump of good as it appears to have decreased slightly over the course of today.

orca-image-1582490199678.jpg_1582490199891.jpeg

orca-image-1582490401434.jpg_1582490401671.jpeg

orca-image-1582490241580.jpg_1582490241780.jpeg

orca-image-1582490418444.jpg_1582490418641.jpeg
 

tlindsey

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Aug 6, 2011
23,252
24,111
1,660
Ohio
Hithere I'm currently stressing out as I believe my young albino polypterus palmas may have ingested a small piece of gravel as she has a abnormal lump on her right flank that has a dark patch around it. I really don't want her to die she is an amazingly beautiful fish. I know that one of four things can happen if she has she'll either regeretate it or it'll find a place in her stomach where it can hurt her until she's big enough to pass it or she'll pass it or it'll cause an impaction and she'll die which I really don't want to happen she's had it for at least two days now as I noticed it last night. What should I do and is it actually gravel or is it just a lump of good as it appears to have decreased slightly over the course of today.

View attachment 1406581

View attachment 1406582

View attachment 1406583

View attachment 1406584
What do you feed the Albino Senegal? It will be difficult for it to pass gravel but hopefully the gravel was very small. That's why most of the Polypterus members use sand for substrate. I personally had gravel with my Senegal Polys but after reading about danger of gravel removed and changed with sand. You can dose aquarium with Epsom Salt non fragrance it is a laxative.
 

Mister-Blister

Exodon
MFK Member
Feb 19, 2020
68
36
21
24
Hithere I'm currently stressing out as I believe my young albino polypterus palmas may have ingested a small piece of gravel as she has a abnormal lump on her right flank that has a dark patch around it. I really don't want her to die she is an amazingly beautiful fish. I know that one of four things can happen if she has she'll either regeretate it or it'll find a place in her stomach where it can hurt her until she's big enough to pass it or she'll pass it or it'll cause an impaction and she'll die which I really don't want to happen she's had it for at least two days now as I noticed it last night. What should I do and is it actually gravel or is it just a lump of good as it appears to have decreased slightly over the course of today.

View attachment 1406581

View attachment 1406582

View attachment 1406583

View attachment 1406584
might be a small rock, but it could also be some sort of growth. its infinitely hard to determine from pictures alone
 
  • Like
Reactions: Thomas cw

Thomas cw

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 28, 2019
28
9
8
22
What do you feed the Albino Senegal? It will be difficult for it to pass gravel but hopefully the gravel was very small. That's why most of the Polypterus members use sand for substrate. I personally had gravel with my Senegal Polys but after reading about danger of gravel removed and changed with sand. You can dose aquarium with Epsom Salt non fragrance it is a laxative.
I know it is best to keep bichirs on sand or bare bottom tanks but im afraid that if i remove all the gravel it will spook and stress all my other fish out. Im also not sure how my other fish will react to the salt. I thank you for the advise though. The other fish in that tank include three bala sharks, a synodontus catfish, pimpictus, striped dora, hopplo catfish, apollow sharkminnow, parrot cichlid, two silver dollars, a flying fox, a rainbow shark, a common pleco, a bulldog plec, three senegal bichirs
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey

tlindsey

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Aug 6, 2011
23,252
24,111
1,660
Ohio
I know it is best to keep bichirs on sand or bare bottom tanks but im afraid that if i remove all the gravel it will spook and stress all my other fish out. Im also not sure how my other fish will react to the salt. I thank you for the advise though. The other fish in that tank include three bala sharks, a synodontus catfish, pimpictus, striped dora, hopplo catfish, apollow sharkminnow, parrot cichlid, two silver dollars, a flying fox, a rainbow shark, a common pleco, a bulldog plec, three senegal bichirs
You can treat in a separate aquarium or small tote. I should have stated that earlier my apologies.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kno4te

Thomas cw

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 28, 2019
28
9
8
22
You can treat in a separate aquarium or small tote. I should have stated that earlier my apologies.
i dont believe i have a smaller aquarium also what is a tote? No apologies needed should have really thought thats what you meant
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store