What Happens to Swallowed Goldfish?
Interestingly, one of the common questions I have encountered when researching the phenomenon of goldfish swallowing is simply, "What happens to the goldfish?" This question seems easy enough to answer, but further investigation finds that it is not always what one might expect. Surely, some goldfish suffer a much different fate than their other--somewhat luckier--counterparts.
Thanks in part to an episode of the popular MTV series "Jackass," some individuals choose to swallow goldfish for the sole purpose of trying to regurgitate it unharmed. A variety of factors play into the success of these attempts, and swallowers have experienced varying degrees of success. The amount of water consumed before swallowing the fish (and immediately after) is one major factor, as large volumes of water help to dilute stomach acid and carry the fish back up the esophagus during vomiting. Likewise (though much less tidy), the amount of food eaten within a couple of hours before swallowing the fish can influence the potency of the stomach acid and the ability to regurgitate a live fish. Generally, swallowing a goldfish after eating and/or consuming a large amount of water will yield the best chance of recreating the famous episode where the fish is returned unharmed. With this information in mind, it is easy to see why a large number of swallowed fish are successfully returned alive and go on to live long, full lives.
The swallowed goldfish that are not successfully regurgitated suffer a much different fate. For most of these fish, death occurs by way of suffocation; the human stomach is exceptionally poor in both fresh water and oxygen. As the fish attempts to breathe, it inhales strong hydrochloric acid and other enzymes instead of water; this stomach juice burns the fish and begins dissolving it from the inside. At the same time, external exposure to stomach acid begins eating away at the swallowed fish's eyes and fins, completely dissolving both within a time frame of less than ten minutes. The swallowed golfish generally dies within three to five minutes, and is completely dissolved within two to four hours. Goldfish, as organic creatures, are completely broken down and absorbed by the human digestive system, leaving no remains (not even bones) to waste. Although it is somewhat debated, it is widely believed that goldfish (and other live creatures) feel no pain during this process. The reason for this lack of feeling will be explored in my next contribution.
Dr. Greg Evans holds a Th. D. and researches offbeat sociological interests. His publication, Vore Magazine, examines goldfish swallowing and the entertainment value of vorephilia.
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