So... I bought a thing of sand shrimp to feed my fish. In the container was a little clam that was still alive about the size of a quarter.. my son was looking at it and the next thing I knew, he dropped it in the tank.. the oscar paid no attention to it so I went to put the shrimp in the fridge. Came back to get the clam and it was gone! He had to have eaten it... the oscar is about 9 in now.. is there anything I can do? I mean asside from pray that he was able to crush it before swallowing? I don't think there is any way he could pass something that big is there? This happened at about 1 or 2 this afternoon so about 6 hrs ago.. the O is acting fine right now.. swimming around and breathing fine.. this sucks.. funny in a weird way but really sucks.. what do you guys think I should do? Or is there anything that I can even do....
Thanks,
Nick

Nick, I don't know of a damn thing you can do... no way to get it out... I would just keep a VERY close eye on him... i would think it would be like a dog swallowing a golf ball... it goes in but in reality, I have no idea how he will pass it.

Good Luck.

How big was the clam?

It was smaller but id say at the widest parts.. maybe the size of a quarter.. less than a half inch thick closer to 1/4 inch thick.. it was a butter clam or cockle almost oval in shape.. wonder if he was able to crush it at all.. I can't believe he ate it.. he is so damn picky with what he eats! It always needs to be moving for him to even show interest.. this looked like a little rock...

perhaps, you haven't seen any fish taking a clams along the river line....
i did and was wondering how could they digest the shell.

my oscars used to get small snails but could not find any shell in their
poos. thus, i think oscar is just like a duck that could dissolve shells
in their stomach.

just keep an eye and keep us posted...i believe your o will be fine.

Thanks paul, that's reasuring. I didn't really think about it but I have seen bass eat fresh water muscles all daqy and I doubt that kills any of them.. I just freaked out.. thinking I may be eating oscar and eggs for breakfast.. hope it goes through him ok. Ill keep everyone up to date.. btw, I need to get some up to date pics on here.. I just completely redid a 55gallon tank and built a stand for it.. though I origonally built the stand for a different tank so its like an inch too skinny.. but it works! Have my O and jack in there for now( jack is 8 yrs old and I don't think its going to be around much longer). The oscar is getting big! He is about 9 or 10 inches now and is such a wimp.. gets his butt kicked by the jack from time to time..
Thanks again, I think I will sleep better now.

i had live in a shoreline with plenty of clam along banks. it is always
an indicator when fishes splashes too much during high tide...they get
young clams that squirting water when reach by rising water from the
sea. a few weeks later, the big clam are ready for harvest....

those fish take the clams whole with shell...so i believe that is normal.
oscar is no difference

PAUL wrote:


i hope it can dissolve it as Paul suggest but I am not sure. i wouldn't worry to much. as for it coming out Nicki whats it like having a baby

marcus wrote:


lol i can speak on the delivery part Marcus, but manufacturing process is pretty fun!

Win wrote:
naughty Win

PAUL wrote:

Well this has taken an interesting turn now hasn't it..lol!
Well micky fin is swimming around seemingly hunting this morning.. I'm going to try an earthworm and see if he eats..
I know that I have had three kidney stones, the last one with no pian meds... that was BAD! Let's hope that it just comes out. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.. besides, anything that tears can heal. If it gets blocked, he's a goner. Tough fish though.. he is missing half of his lower lip anf had a broken lower jaw from a previous battle. Fully recovered now. But his mouth looks a little funny.

any updates?? hope all is well

seems to be doing ok.. Ill probably know more tomorrow though.