# Gold Fish Swallowed gravel?



## SunshinePlaty (Mar 14, 2009)

I think my oranda goldfish swallowed gravel. She is pretty large and could easily fit the gravel in her mouth. She always sucks in a mouthfull and spits it out to root up food that sits on the bottom. If that is not the problem, I did a recent full out tank cleaning(hot water, no soap) and removed all of the water. I have never cycled a tank once so this was normal and I do this around once a month(i have a well, no chlorine). When she didn't seem like she was eating the other day i decided to do partial water changes just incase there was an amonia build up or something. I have 2 filters running, one of them is just to create bubbles so i know there is plenty of oxygen...
for the past three days she hasn't seemed interested in food at all. Occasionally she will do this thing that looks like she is gagging, like she's trying to get something out of her throat, but i netted her and picked her up and looked in her mouth and i couldn't see anything. 
She swims around like normal, but hangs around at the top of the tank more often like she's going up for air but she just hangs around up there. she'll also just sit on the bottom of the tank doing nothing. 
I think that if she did swallow gravel her stomach feels full so she won't eat but she's not getting any food. The other two fish who are half her size and can't fit gravel in her mouth are perfectly fine. Is there anything i can do to get it out of her? Can i just squeezer her belly a tiny bit and see if it will come out of her mouth?


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

NO!
Even if it did eat gravel, which happens sometimes but not much, then squeezing would only make it many times worse.
Constipation may be the problem. Various cures are available for this, from green peas to epsom salts. Have a look around the web and you'll be overrun with possibilities.


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## SunshinePlaty (Mar 14, 2009)

Thanks, I did a search on the forums but I couldn't find anything about it. The only suggestions were feeding it certain things like garlic, but she isn't interested in food at all so that won't work...


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## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

if it's big enough to hold in your hand, you can try force feeding it like 4-5 cooked and peeled peas.

google fish constipation


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