Swallowing a live goldfish is an unsafe practice that became popular as a stunt in the early 20th century. While someone may be able to swallow a goldfish, doing so can pose serious health risks to both the person and the fish.
Can you actually swallow a live goldfish?
Technically, yes, it is possible for a human to swallow a live goldfish. Goldfish are small, smooth, slippery fish that can squeeze down the esophagus in one piece. In the early 1900s, swallowing live goldfish became a fad and party trick among some groups, though animal rights activists decried the practice as cruel.
While it’s possible to swallow a goldfish, this does not mean it’s safe or humane. Goldfish require very specific environments and water conditions to survive. A human body cannot provide this.
What happens to the goldfish if swallowed alive?
Swallowing a live goldfish almost certainly leads to the fish’s death. A human body cannot provide the proper living environment for a goldfish to survive.
Specifically, a swallowed goldfish will likely die from one or more of the following:
- Suffocation – A goldfish’s gills are designed to extract oxygen from water. Without water, the goldfish’s gills will collapse and it will suffocate.
- Crushing – The esophagus and stomach lining are muscular and designed for crushing and digesting food. These organs may crush the goldfish’s delicate body.
- Stomach acid – A goldfish is accustomed to a pH of around 7. The stomach’s digestive acids have a pH of 1-2, which is highly toxic.
- Dehydration – Goldfish require constant immersion in water. Even brief exposure to air can fatally dehydrate them.
Death from swallowing may occur within minutes or take hours, depending on the exact conditions. In all cases, it causes extreme stress and suffering to the fish.
What happens to the human if they swallow a goldfish?
For the person swallowing the live goldfish, this stunt poses a number of health and safety risks:
- Choking hazard – The goldfish could get lodged in the throat and obstruct airflow, causing choking.
- Internal cuts and bleeding – The goldfish’s fins could lacerate the esophagus or stomach lining, causing bleeding and infection.
- Allergic reaction – Those with fish or seafood allergies could react strongly to swallowing a goldfish.
- Mercury poisoning – Goldfish contain trace amounts of mercury. Eating multiple goldfish could cause mercury accumulation and poisoning over time.
- Intestinal blockage or perforation – The goldfish could partly or fully block the intestines, or possibly eat through the intestinal wall.
In rare cases, swallowing live goldfish has caused death by asphyxiation or anaphylaxis in people. At minimum, it often causes vomiting, abdominal pain, bleeding, and other ill effects.
What should you do if someone swallows a goldfish?
If someone swallows a live goldfish as a stunt, immediate medical attention is recommended. You should:
- Call emergency services or take them to an emergency room right away. Symptoms like choking, trouble breathing, bleeding, severe pain, or allergic reaction can be life-threatening.
- Tell the doctor they swallowed a live goldfish. The goldfish’s sharp fins and toxins could require treatment.
- Follow any instructions from poison control if you call them.
- Have the person drink water to flush the goldfish through the system faster.
- Watch for signs of intestinal obstruction over the next few days. Seek medical care if severe abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, or other worrying symptoms occur.
With prompt care, most goldfish swallowing incidents end without serious harm. But it still poses unnecessary risk and should be avoided.
Is it legal to swallow live goldfish?
In most regions, it is legal to swallow a live goldfish. However, there are a few places where laws prohibit:
- Causing unnecessary harm or cruelty to animals. Intentionally killing a goldfish by swallowing it alive may violate these laws.
- Dangerous or reckless stunts. Swallowing live animals may be prohibited under public safety laws.
- Harassment or bullying. Social host liability laws may prohibit swallowing goldfish in group settings where it causes distress.
While not universally illegal, swallowing live goldfish raises significant ethical concerns. It is widely opposed by animal rights groups and medical professionals due to the harm it inflicts on both the fish and person.
Is swallowing goldfish abuse or cruelty?
Swallowing live goldfish purely for entertainment or thrills is considered animal abuse and cruelty by animal welfare groups, including:
- The Humane Society – Calls swallowing goldfish inhumane and urges prohibiting it.
- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) – Strongly condemns swallowing live animals for stunts or pranks.
- American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) – Classifies swallowing live animals as animal abuse.
These groups argue that intentionally inflicting suffering and death on the goldfish for amusement qualifies as needless animal cruelty. Many view stunts like this as morally wrong.
Conclusion
While someone can physically swallow a live goldfish, doing so subjects the goldfish to immense cruelty and near certain death. It also poses substantial health hazards to the person attempting this stunt. For these reasons, swallowing live goldfish is widely condemned and should be avoided under any circumstances.
| Health Risks to Goldfish | Health Risks to Human |
|---|---|
| Suffocation | Choking |
| Crushing injuries | Internal cuts and bleeding |
| Exposure to stomach acid | Allergic reaction |
| Dehydration | Mercury poisoning |
| Certain death | Intestinal obstruction or perforation |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do people swallow live goldfish?
Swallowing live goldfish became popular as a game, initiation ritual, or stunt in some circles during the early 1900s. Those who attempt it often do so as a display of bravado, on a dare, or when pressured by peers. However, it remains an extremely risky and cruel practice.
When did goldfish swallowing become a fad?
The practice of swallowing live goldfish first became widespread in the 1920s and 1930s. College students reportedly started popularizing it as a party trick. The fad peaked during the late 1930s before subsiding, but never fully died out.
Can you swallow a goldfish and cough it back up?
It’s highly unlikely. Goldfish easily slide down the esophagus but cannot easily move back up it. The goldfish would likely die before making its way back up. Attempting this still subjects the goldfish to harm and poses choking hazards.
What fish are safe to swallow?
No live fish are safe to intentionally swallow whole. Even small fish can block airways, cut the digestive tract, or introduce toxins. Swallowing live animals should be avoided for the safety of both the person and animal.
Has anyone died from swallowing goldfish?
There are a few unconfirmed reports of people dying after attempting to swallow live goldfish and accidentally choking on them. However, most people who swallow goldfish survive, often with minor internal injuries. The practice remains very risky and life-threatening.
Can you go to jail for swallowing a goldfish?
It’s unlikely someone would go to jail for swallowing a goldfish alone. However, they could potentially face animal cruelty charges or fines if local laws prohibit harming animals for amusement. Serious injuries or deaths related to the stunt could also lead to criminal penalties.