:UPDATE: !Gourami swallowed string!

[Blucat]

Hmmm.... just got home from church and noticed my gourami has swallowed something. It's a long piece of line which i think could be a thin plant root. anyway its half in and half out and its swimming around gulping and gulping. What to do?

[Frank_the_Tank]

I'd keep an eye on it for a while, and if it doesn't get it out, I'd try to net it and take it out as a last resort.

[Blucat]

Ok thanks.

[Blucat]

Well the plant root is extremly long so i managed to get the end of the root when the gourami was at the surface of the water. Unfortunately, it is stuck in their pretty good so i guess the root would be in his stomach.

[frog girl]

You don't want to pull to hard because it might hurt the fish's innards (this happens all the time when cats or dogs swallow string). I would cut off the trailing end & keep an eye on the fish. It may have a hard time passing it or it could just go through fine. With cats & dogs usually they give them a mild laxative to help but I have never heard of a fish laxative.

I think you might want to stop feeding for a few days too because you don't want it to build up if there is a blockage.

So Sorry. Hope it works out. :|

[Blucat]

ok, i'll try and cut it and see if it can swallow it and pass it.

[mattrox]

The discus folk use Epsom Salts in the water to help enduce bowel movements.

[Blucat]

I've got other fish in their too so if i stop feeding and add some epsom salt stuff will the other fish mind?

[RoK]

They can go a few days without food but I wouldn't go too long. For me, at the most would be like 3 days.

[Billsgate]

If you want to give your fish some laxative, try boiled peas. You'll have to cut them up fine enough to fit in the gouramis mouth though. Keep us posted!

[Blucat]

UPDATE

I tried gently pulling the string out but it didn't work so last night I managed to cut the string until it was 2cm short and I switched off the light in hope that my poor dwarf gourami would survive. This morning when I went to the tank, the string was gone and there was a bit of the string hanging out of it's bottom!!! My gourami had taken in the string overnight!

Now all I gotta do is get the gourami to completly pass the string. Hopefully by eating, it can push the string out. Lesson learnt: Never ever leave plant roots exposed

[QTOFFER]

Glad it worked out. Your gourami had its intestines flossed!
I recommend feeding fish a pea once a week (microwaved 30 sec, shelled, and mushed) to prevent bloating and constipation. Most of my fish go nuts over peas.

[Blucat]

Latest news!

PLant root/string completly passed. Now the little coward grouami is bright as ever in neon blue. Yet he still manages to bully the other gourami and get chased by a puny juvenile female betta

[frog girl]

Glad to hear it worked out. Sounds like you fish is no worse for wear. If this happens again & the string is only partly passed you can also cut off the bit from the other side so no other fish will pick at it & cause damage.

[youronlysin]

Originally Posted by QTOFFER

Your gourami had its intestines flossed!

I've felt like I could use something like that myself, a time or two. 8O