Emergency!! Lionfish has food stuck in his mouth

[exalectric]

So our greedy Lionfish stole a piece of shrimp meant for the puffer and was too big for him. (Lion is only 2” long) it’s been stuck half in his mouth for a half hour and he looks distressed like he can’t swallow it or spit it out. The piece is about the size of his head and it doesn’t seem like he’s able to dislodge it. Should we leave him alone? Or try to use the tongs to pull it out? Or something else?

 

[HB AL]

I would give him a few to see if he gets it down, he will spit it out if he can't swallow it unless it's stuck somehow then your gonna need to pull it out.

 

[exalectric]

It’s been about a half hour already and seems like he can’t spit it out.

I would give him a few to see if he gets it down, he will spit it out if he can't swallow it unless it's stuck somehow then your gonna need to pull it out.

 

[exalectric]

I would give him a few to see if he gets it down, he will spit it out if he can't swallow it unless it's stuck somehow then your gonna need to pull it out.

Crisis averted. It was stuck. Pulled the piece a little bit and then he spit it out. Puffer came by and ate it

 

[HB AL]

Yea

 

[exalectric]

I would attempt a manual removal, gonna be tricky with a lion. I would catch it wrap it in wet towels and pull the food out with some needle nose pliers.

We got it! Brought him to the surface in a pasta strainer and used pointy tweezers/tongs to gently pull it out.

 

[exalectric]