Help Please RTC in Distress

Ian · Post by **Ian** » 29 Jan 2006, 12:55

Hi,

a close friend recommened this forum as I need help with a problem with a 13 inch RTC.

First off the fish is not mine - I wholly agree with the sentiments expressed on these boards regarding the keeping of this magnificent fish however some years ago our company MD purchased an aquarium and thought a Red Tailed Catfish would be a nice peice of office decor.

The fish is in some distress right now.

I went into the office yesterday and saw that he had pulled the tank thermometer of the side of the tank . The thermometer is a small probe connected by wire to an external LCD - the probe was secured to the side of the tank by a circular plastic suction cup with a raised hub which the probe was inserted into.
The thermometer was floating freely in the water - the suction cup is now lodged in the fish's gut. You can clearly see a large circular impression and the raised hub on his underbelly and he is trying to regurgitate it but it appears it may have become stuck.

Can anyone either advise me what to do to assisit him to get thsi thing out of his gut or is a trip to the vetinary a must?

Thanks

Ian

coelacanth · Post by **coelacanth** » 29 Jan 2006, 21:45

Given the shape of the foreign body it may well require veterinary intervention, but it's always worth waiting and seeing if it can voluntarily regurgitate it.

Hayabusa · Post by **Hayabusa** » 08 Feb 2006, 03:47

Yeah may well need a vet, although I have known one from m lfs thats kept in a large tank swallowed a large algae magnet, took a few days but threw it back up.

Hopefully this poor cat will do the same, but as the above poster said its a funny shape so may well need a vet to remove it.

Another option may be to feed the cat alot of fatty food that will hopefully do two things, one, make him sick and hopefully bring the thing up secondly it will coat it with fat that will hopefully prefent it from causing any damage on its way up.

RTC are quite well known for eating tank decor and usualy it gets sicked back up, but ofc isnt always the case, may well be worth taking to the vet if it doesnt come up within a couple of days.