Fish tried to eat pleco

Betty

Betty

Well-Known Member
Staff member
One of my P. flavus has attempted to eat a young bristlenose that has been in the tank about a week now, but it did not go all the way down. I tried to net him to see if I could remove it, but there's a ton of rock in the tank and I haven't been able to catch him.

I guess my question is what would be the best course of action... leave it alone and see what happens or start taking out rocks and try to help? Plecos aren't exactly tender, but this one is young, about 1.5 inches.
 
M

Mikey

New Member
I've taken a male Kenyi out when he tried to swallow a rock (not the smartest guy...), and then squeezed his lips and it popped out. I think if you grabbed some tweezers you could pull the pleco out. The P. flavus won't be able to eat probably, so he might die. If you kill him trying to save him - at least you tried.
 
Betty

Betty

Well-Known Member
Staff member
I'm thinking it's going to be stuck with those stiff fins. I'll have to try it like removing a fish hook. I had this happen with my D. compressiceps eating a large tank mate before and I couldn't pull the fish out until it started to decompose and softened. :suspect:

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Of course the others have been trying to take it away from him, so he's looking a little ragged.
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Betty

Betty

Well-Known Member
Staff member
I managed to catch him and tried to work it out with the tweezers, but it's really stuck and I'm afraid to pull too hard. He's in a floating breeder box for now. Poor guy. :cry: I'll try again in the morning.

Thanks for the replies.
 
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sandnuka

New Member
That is terrible.... very cool and amazing.... but terrible...... I would honestly try to take it out, its not the lack of food he will die from, but he isnt gettin proper water thru the gills I am assuming.

Plus, those plecos take forever to decompose, they are big an boney and pretty much gonna have just as tough as a time in a couple days as you would if you did it today.... but, this is what "I" would do.... Your call betty, but definely let us know, and if you could set up a video while you do it and upload I would sooooo appreciate it! be awesome to watch.

Good luck, and keep us updated daily!
 
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sandnuka

New Member
oooooo, if he doesnt make it, it would be like a fishy snuff video.... so maybe nevermind on the video... lol .... goodluck though, im crossin my fingers for you..... just do it nice and slow, and keep pulling.... he will die if you dont pull it out sounds like, so might as well let him die trying all you can.
 
Betty

Betty

Well-Known Member
Staff member
:lol!: on the snuff video.

I'll check on him again and see how he's doing. The other fish were chasing him relentlessly and he's probably happy to get a chance to rest.

If he doesn't look too stressed, I think I'll wait til morning and try again with better light. I'll let you know what happens.

Thanks again.
 
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shua

New Member
you need to pull the fish out you need some surgical scissors, another person, and a damp rag

lay the fish on a damp rag
have another person hold the fish fermly as to not hurt the fish
open its mouth with what ever it takes, and cut the side fins off the pleco (its dead already no since losing two fish over this)


never keep any spiny catfish with fish that it can fit in there mouth there side fins are like retraction hooks, the fish can suck it in but not spit it out. causing suffocation, starvation, and sever puncture wounds
 
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sandnuka

New Member
I dont think its a two person job shua..... you guys are used to big fish... this is a lil' african.... its probably 3-4" or so. I really like the idea of choppin it up with surgical scissors though.

And I keep plecos/catfish in all my african tanks... never had a problem, and obviously it was bigger than its mouth... lol :) little gluttons.
 
S

shua

New Member
i bet your right the time this happened to me it was a red tail tiger shovel nose cat vs a Raphael cat and his side fin came though the big cats top of his head... we managed to save the tsnxrtc though
 
Betty

Betty

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Thanks for all of your input. :)

I got it out (the pleco out of the flavus) this morning! That was a great idea, shua, but sand is right about the size of the flavus. He's a little over 4 inches long. I used scissors when this happened to one of my bigger fish, but it wouldn't work on this one.

I ended up using a very small crochet hook and tweezers.

That's the pleco's head in the top right corner. That head looks almost as wide as the flavus's.
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Now he looks like he's holding, but this should go back to normal in a day or two.
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F

Fern

New Member
Good save! If you can get wound ease treat him with that, it will help the healing and prevent infection.
 
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