Tropical Fish Forums

[Marcos Avila]

This "drama" is unfolding right now in the Brazilian board. A member's albino oscar tried to eat a pleco companion almost his own size, and now has it completely stuck, with only the tail out. Since the pleco went in head first (which is probably in the stomach now), his spiny body would almost certainly tear the oscar's insides apart if a removal were attempted. The member consulted a local veterinary and was told there's really nothing to do and the oscar will very likely die as well.

I thought people here would also be interested, especially since the member documented it with some photos, so it serves as a very visual response to those who underestimate oscar compatibility issues...

http://www.viverde.com.br/imagens/P1030512.jpg

http://www.viverde.com.br/imagens/P1030520.jpg
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[Heather2128]

Aw, what a shame, it's a beautiful Oscar, too.
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[Kaycie]

I started feeling nauseous as I was looking at the pics, but since they aren't anything nasty, it made me wonder why... and I realized I was subconsciously imagining what it must feel like to have a huge, spiny fish caught in your digestive tract.

I feel sorry for the Oscar, that's gotta be an uncomfortable experience. (Not to mention for the pleco!)

[ceci9293]

That IS heartwrenching. I can't even begin to think of a solution for the poor thing that wouldn't involve surgery! I think that's the best candidate for euthansia I've ever seen.

[Marcos Avila]

Just to finalize the story, the member insisted with the vet until he finally agreed to make a surgical removal of the pleco anyway. They managed, but the oscar couldn't close his mouth anymore and on the next morning he was dead:

http://www.viverde.com.br/imagens/P1030531.JPG
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Success with a fish/tank is measured in YEARS, not months or weeks...

[underOATH87]

WOW, definately the craziest thing I've ever seen. And I agree with Deci. The only option I would have gone with is Euthanasia. I figured that his jaw would have come un hinged. Poor fish, can't believe he did that to the pleco. And it's weird, I can't imagine a fish attacking a pleco for no reason when it seems like they were the only two fish in the tank. Any fish I've ever had, and I keep some pretty aggressive fish, only attack plecos when breeding.
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[Jacko]

Sad, But that is cool to hear that there are vets in Brazil that will do surgery for a fish, there are only a select few that deal with mainly koi that I can find online. This and the other Brazilians posting their pics on the photo album made me go over to the Brazilian board and if you look at the photo album there, wooohy! Those tanks are beutiful.
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[Marcos Avila]

[SLACkra]

Well that isn't a terribly happy ending. Still it is great evidence of the predatory nature of oscars. I wonder if the head of the pleco was inside the oscars stomach already if chopping off its tail for it could be completely consumed would have helped.

Andrew

[Lab_Rat]

Such a shame for both fish involved. That oscar was a real beauty too.