Help! Bichir tried to eat loach, now floating at top!

I have a baby dinosaur bichir and he was in a tank with a black kuhli loach they are literally the same size! So i didn’t think it would be a problem. Anyway my bichir attempted to eat the loach and it got stuck in his throat and he was choking on it I seen him on his back with the tail hanging out of his mouth so I scooped him outta the water and I had to pull it out of his mouth now he’s on his side floating at the top and idk what to do I’m scared I’m gonna lose him I just got him today and drove an hour away to get him please any helpful advice???

 

Which one is floating? I would separate immediately. Monitoring behavior and clean water are the only things I can suggest at this time

 

I’m so sorry this happened! Never underestimate the mouth size of a bichir. As said above, I don’t know what to do other than keep water clean and hope for the best.

 

yea i have to be careful with that with my mix of oscar and cichlids use some highly oxygenated water

 

Just my thoughts and I know it’s not what you want to hear but I don’t think the loach will make it unfortunately. Pulling the fish out of the bichirs throat is not only stressful but could also cause damage. If the loach was deep in there it was probably already being digested. But you never know what could happen, maybe a miracle will happen.
Sorry for being the downer

 

Which one is floating? I would separate immediately. Monitoring behavior and clean water are the only things I can suggest at this time

The bichir is floating the loach is dead he killed it..he’s not floating on his side anymore he’s floating upright now but when he tries to swim he swims all funky and uncoordinated what is wrong with him?

Just my thoughts and I know it’s not what you want to hear but I don’t think the loach will make it unfortunately. Pulling the fish out of the bichirs throat is not only stressful but could also cause damage. If the loach was deep in there it was probably already being digested. But you never know what could happen, maybe a miracle will happen.
Sorry for being the downer

The loach is already dead he was dead when I pulled him out it’s the bichir that I’m worried about that this post is about

 

The bichir is floating the loach is dead he killed it..he’s not floating on his side anymore he’s floating upright now but when he tries to swim he swims all funky and uncoordinated what is wrong with him?

Pulling him out of the water can pulling something out of his stomach probably messed with his swim bladder. Can he sink? If he can’t sink and only floats I’d assume it’s swim bladder disease

 

Pulling him out of the water can pulling something out of his stomach probably messed with his swim bladder. Can he sink? If he can’t sink and only floats I’d assume it’s swim bladder disease

Pulling him out of the water can pulling something out of his stomach probably messed with his swim bladder. Can he sink? If he can’t sink and only floats I’d assume it’s swim bladder disease

no he can’t sink from what I’ve seen so far, what can I do to help him? Assuming that’s what it is

 

How is he doing now? his was caused by injury. Usually with swim bladder, it’s caused by either bacteria or constipation. Those could be more easily treated with meds and peas/frozen daphnia, but this is different.

As we don’t know the severity of the damage, we don’t know the likelihood of survival. Just keep the water as clean as you can and keep the lights off to avoid stress. I would also do a small (~25%) water change as soon as possible.

 

How is he doing now? his was caused by injury. Usually with swim bladder, it’s caused by either bacteria or constipation. Those could be more easily treated with meds and peas/frozen daphnia, but this is different.

As we don’t know the severity of the damage, we don’t know the likelihood of survival. Just keep the water as clean as you can and keep the lights off to avoid stress. I would also do a small (~25%) water change as soon as possible.

Well he’s still alive but still floating at the top but upright so either him getting shook or having the other fish pulled out of his mouth did something

 

I hope he makes it!

 

I hope he makes it!

Thank you he is doing a lot better today he is able to swim better and he’s sitting at the bottom upright looking better