Goldfish undergoes eye surgery in Bristol Published duration 10 May 2015

media caption The operation on Monty, which is his third, cost £200

A goldfish has undergone a 45-minute operation in Bristol to remove multiple tumours from around its eye and back.

The five-year-old fish, named Monty, had to be put under general anaesthetic for the "very delicate" £200 procedure.

Vets used water soluble anaesthetic to knock the goldfish out before operating to remove its eye.

Sonya Miles, who assisted in the operation, said: "Monty is doing exceptionally well at home and is acting as if nothing has happened."

'Brilliant patient'

The Highcroft Veterinary Group said the tiny fish had been in a "very bad way" when it was brought into its Whitchurch hospital.

And despite the "tumour extending further than expected", the surgery had gone "swimmingly".

"He was a brilliant patient and the surgery went very smoothly from start to finish," said Ms Miles.

"We don't perform surgery on goldfish very often but we are seeing a definite increase in veterinary treatment in fish generally,"