Can fish choke?

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jmmiller

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Feb 8, 2005
Messages
53
Location
Hammonton NJ
I have a baby volitans lion. I usually feed him mysis shrimp, but I decided to get some prawn to mix things up. Last night I gave him a piece of the prawn and as soon as he ingested it he began heaving. His body was constricting in and out very hard. When I went to bed he was no longer heaving but he was breathing very hard. When I woke up he was in the same spot and was breathing even harder. Is he choking or is he just really stressed out? Is there anything I can do to help him?
 
I have no clue. But if that happened to me id get the gloves on, pick him up near the surface, and take a look into his mouth.
 
You peeled it? It wasn't frozen? Probably just too big of a piece but I've seen them eat whole fish that were nearly as big as they were.
 
Keep an eye on that Lion, it could have lodged the piece of food also watch for bloating. When you feed your lion try to feed smaller pieces, your lion will be better off taking 2-3 smaller chunks throughout the day than 1 large feeding.
You can feed raw shrimp, scallops, squid from the grocery store.
I would not feed for about 3 days just to make sure that chunk passed.

They do yawn quit a bit so dont worry if it looks like it's yawning.


Kaye
 
Fish can choke although its not as serious as us humans that use the same path for air and food. Was this bit of food much larger than the normal feedings? I wouldnt go trying to grab it either. Unless your prepaird to feel the sting of a lion.
 
It was a normal size piece of food that I usually give him. Since my last post the lion died. One of my chromis died as well showing the same signs as the lion. And now my clown is doing the same thing. Im not sure whats going on. My water conditions are all great and I took a sample to the lfs and he said the same thing. I dont think its ich(no spots) ANy clue on what is happening?
 
Yikes I am not sure, start a new thread saying this and what your Test show (Nitrates, trites, amm, PH). sorry for your losses!


Kaye
 
This probably isnt the answer but i lost fish rapidly due to velvet, no signs showed up for several days afterwards on the fish I qt. Good luck.
 
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