An Australian woman shelled out hundreds of dollars to save her pet goldfish after the fish accidentally swallowed a large pebble and started to choke.
The pebble became lodged in Conquer the ranchu goldfish's throat after the fish accidentally ate it from his tank, Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Services said Thursday in a Facebook post.
In images shared by the veterinary service, the black rock can clearly be seen inside the fish.
Conquer's owner, 21-year-old Emma Marsh, told The Courier Mail that she took her 1-year-old pet to Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Services in Greenslopes, Queensland, after she saw him choke.
"I treat fish like they're any other pet," she told the newspaper.
Veterinarians put an anesthetic into Conquer's water to keep him asleep as they examined him.
"He was making excessive mouth movements trying to dislodge it," veterinarian Emma McMillan told The Courier Mail. "If we did nothing he would have starved to death."
McMillan removed the pebble, which was about 8 or 9 millimeters long. Conquer is only about 5 centimeters long, the vet said.
The fish was kept overnight for recovery and was released back to Marsh.
The ordeal cost Marsh $500 ($376 USD) -- $100 ($75 USD) for the emergency consultation and $400 ($301 USD) for the anesthetic and overnight stay, according to The Courier Mail.
"So far (he) has stayed out of any more trouble," according to Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Services.
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