# Betta is possibly choking, help please?



## SparklehPanda (Oct 31, 2010)

Hi guys, I'm getting a bit nervous here. My little female crown tail is choking on a pellet. Its really lodged in her throat too, I can still see it but barely. Also I can see a lump where the pellet is located. Her gills look like they're working over time and her mouth moves like she's gasping... any advice would be great.


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## Lenalee Nilla (Oct 23, 2010)

Okay, the only advice i can give you is easily very dangerous. Get her in a net or hold her in your hand wearing gloves, now take a sewing needle and wait for your betta to open its mouth, then take the needle, and at an angle try to scrape the pellet out of her mouth. Again, very dangerous seeing as how a small spasm could stab her, ive never had a betta choke but google helped me a bit. If your not sure you can do it dont try, but if you think shes going to die if you dont do anything try it, very carefully. im not sure how else you would get something out of a betta mouth if its choking,but thats really all i can tell you.


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## SparklehPanda (Oct 31, 2010)

is it possible for the pellet to dissolve? she's been like this for 3 hours now, i was hoping that she would find a way to push it down, but she hasn't tried anything yet. she also has a bubble emerge from her throat every now and then too. she stays at the top and tips her head up for air too, so is there a chance that she could force it down that way? should i try giving her a blood worm or a piece of pea to see if that could push it down too, or let it be? i found the needle option before, but she's tiny, and she doesn't like fingers, so the chances that she would be stabbed are very likely.


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## Lenalee Nilla (Oct 23, 2010)

Yeah, eventually it will dissolve, but itll get bigger before then. Dont give her anymore food today, at all. If your not willing to try to do the needle option the best thing to do is wait. But its your betta, you can do anything you feel is right, no one will stop you, yes, some might hate you or dislike you if she dies because you did nothing, but remember, no matter what you do, it was your choice, and if its your choice then its the right one, even if it ends badly fro something.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

I would leave her alone and let the enzymes do their job-intervention could be fatal-also, due to the anatomy of a fish- having food lodged should not affect breathing


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## SparklehPanda (Oct 31, 2010)

alright thanks guys =) ill leave her be for tonight. she's not panicking, so neither should i. im really not going to chance the needle option. thanks again


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## JaspersANGEL (Oct 12, 2009)

two of my guys had lodged food in their throats (eager eating of krill *lol*, too big a bite for that small a mouth heheheh). I started panicking, but I think the best option here is too leave her be, sit, watch her and hope for the best.

Try not to scare her, one wrong move and the pellet could be her last. J/k, but try not to scare her!

Eventually she'll push it out or swallow it.

if i'm wrong someone please correct me! i'd like to know what to do in this circumstance too?


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## SparklehPanda (Oct 31, 2010)

well.... im not really sure if she'll make it... she's floating on her side right now, like, completely horizontal. she's still breathing however. i dont know, i think i may have lost her...


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## Lenalee Nilla (Oct 23, 2010)

If shes looking liek shes already going to die I would go and try to use a needle to remove the food. After all, if shes going to die you might as well try something that could save her. Again, im not saying you should, but im not saying you sholdnt.


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## SparklehPanda (Oct 31, 2010)

would it be safer to use the needle's eye? how i think about it, it seems it would be the least harmful as the needle's eye is dull compared to the point... im going to wait 15 more minutes and then try the procedure... wish me luck guys =|


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## Lenalee Nilla (Oct 23, 2010)

Yes, use the needles eye, or better yet, if you have a medical syringe, the pump, not the needle, you could try suck the pellet out, not sure how it would effect the betta, but i guess thats an alternative.


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## TaylorW (Sep 4, 2010)

Good luck! Hope she's ok!!


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## celine18 (Sep 25, 2010)

try and find a VERY large needle. like a plastic one for making carpets, and try using the eye side, if you're gonna do it. that way you have the best chance of not stabbing her. a metal needle will be extremely dangerous, and would have a higher chance of hurting her. you could also try tweezers. good luck!


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## peaches3221 (Jun 1, 2010)

well,looking at the time you last posted, I'm guessing you did it? is she O.K.? :blueshake: :question: :blueworry:


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## SparklehPanda (Oct 31, 2010)

i dont think she's going to make it... im afraid i waited too long and it sunk deeper down her throat... though it might be expanded now. I cant see it as well as i could last time, so i couldnt get to it.


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## celine18 (Sep 25, 2010)

oh, i really hope she'll be ok!!! don't give up, she might turn out to be tougher than you think!


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## SparklehPanda (Oct 31, 2010)

i have school tomorrow, however in all honesty im really not going to be surprised if she doesn't make it. not saying i don't have faith, im just trying not to get my hopes up. im just really upset that i cant do anything to help her...


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## TaylorW (Sep 4, 2010)

Oh gosh, I hope she's alright!! Keep us posted!!!!


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## SparklehPanda (Oct 31, 2010)

thanks, will do.


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## SparklehPanda (Oct 31, 2010)

ok, so... she's alive, but her pigment looks like it drained a bit... the pellet is still in her throat and the lump has gotten a tad larger, probably due to the fact that it expanded. if she does somehow make it through this, im afraid her buoyancy will be permanently thrown off. 

to those who do have this happen to them, do not wait like i have done, if you do choose to wait, then wait until the betta has calmed down enough, especially if yours is skiddish like mine. i found that it seemed to be a two man job, as you need a hand to restraint your betta, and another to open the mouth (i used a flat end of a plastic toothpick). you will also need another hand to use some sort of instrument to take out the said object that is lodged in the throat. i put mine in a shallow soup dish filled with warm filtered water. i would recommend either using small but dull tipped tweezers, or the needle idea like everyone says. i contemplated the surgical syringe idea, but then considered the chances of accidentally sucking out her organs with the pellet, as the suction is still rather large for such a small instrument. but by all means, DO NOT WAIT AS LONG AS I DID. this problem occurred at 3 pm, i came to here around 6 or 7 pm and didn't take action until 8:30 or 9 pm. DO NOT WAIT. it quite literally is a do or die situation.

i thank all those that have offered help, i only wish that i have acted sooner. i will keep you guys posted as to weather or not she lives or dies, thanks again =|


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## celine18 (Sep 25, 2010)

oh, well i'm glad shes still alive, that's a good sign. thanks for the advice too, its good to know for future notice.

i really hope she ends up ok!!! let us know as soon as anything changes!!! (hopefully it'll be for the better)


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## JaspersANGEL (Oct 12, 2009)

oh poor girl! i hope she pull's through!!
keep us posted!

and thankx for the advice


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## Alex09 (Aug 9, 2010)

Not to sound pessimistic but perhaps you should consider euthanasia, and just end her suffering if this goes on any longer... I've successfully tried the ice water method on other fish (not bettas) and they died on contact without so much as a twitch.

So sorry


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## TaylorW (Sep 4, 2010)

Poor girl..... at this point it's probably best to decide if it's best to try to keep her going or end the suffering..... I still wish you the best and I hope she gets better, but if it seems like she's not going to make it or is suffering way too much, here's a link explaining different ways to euthanize your fish.....
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f17/an-overview-of-euthanasia-73775.html
I am so sorry, and I still wish you and your fish the best!!


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## SparklehPanda (Oct 31, 2010)

hmm... i just checked on her again... looks as if it was soft enough for her to push it down, the lump is gone, and she isn't hanging around at the top anymore, also she seems less tipsy, she's thrown off a tad, but she's doing well. i also cant see the pellet anymore. however i think she's going to have a bit of a hard time disposing of that monster. looks like she'll make it, ill give her another 24 hours. luckily i have no school tomorrow, so i can keep an eye on her. lesson learned here... don't feed a small fish big pellets... anyway, ill keep you guys posted... once she looks better this case can then be proclaimed closed.


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## TaylorW (Sep 4, 2010)

Oh, I'm so glad!! She might have a chance to pull through now!!


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## MissMoneyPenny (Oct 30, 2010)

Oh my, that had to be so scary for you and her! I am so happy to hear that she is making somewhat of an improvement. Looking forward to some, hopefully, good news! *crosses fingers, toes, anything else I can without falling out of the chair*


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## acloudconnected (Oct 28, 2010)

Crossing everything for you!!


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

How is ur betta? i hope it will survive. 

One time it happened to my betta.I feed main bettas with freeze dried blood worms. So i guess it was too long and he chocked on it. But he spit it out.


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## SparklehPanda (Oct 31, 2010)

she's doing fine now and swimming happily in her tank. she's more skiddish towards fingers than ever though, which i dont blame her for. in a few hours ill feed her a small portion of a pea to help her digest that monstrosity. i mainly feed her blood worms anyway due to the fact that she would become bloated when being feed the microsized pellets even when i soaked them. anyway, thank you for those who have gave advice, and to those who have wished her well, your wishing worked! =D lol. this case can now be proclaimed closed.


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## ANHEL123 (Jul 21, 2010)

Makes me feel better when I hear good news about betta.


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## celine18 (Sep 25, 2010)

yay!!! i'm so glad shes doing better!!!!! :welldone:


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## peaches3221 (Jun 1, 2010)

YAY! i'm glad she's O.K.!


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## MissMoneyPenny (Oct 30, 2010)

Sooo happy to hear that she pulled through. I figured she would - she's a Betta! Lol.


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## TaylorW (Sep 4, 2010)

I'm so glad she's gotten better, I was afraid it was too late! So happy to hear she's fine!


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## acloudconnected (Oct 28, 2010)

Great great news!


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## LikeDiscoSuperfly (Oct 18, 2010)

Yayy! =] Thanks for the updates!


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## SparklehPanda (Oct 31, 2010)

she says thank you. lol. now her adopted little sister still has someone to look up to still =3


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