Help needed - please

[MNManatee]

I was hand feeding my spiney puffer and glanced away. He got hold of me rather than the food and in instant reaction I jerked my hand out of the water - but he was attached and he plopped out on the rug. The fall didn't injure him but he tried to puff and sucked air. Now he has a large air bubble caught in his system and he floats. He can get down but only with expending a lot of energy and he is looking very fatigued. I tried chasing him till he puffed normally in the tank but that didn't dislodge the bubble. Will this correct itself or will it kill him? I sound silly but I'm attached to this little "water dog".

 

[Anonymous]

Hey MNManatee, and :welcome:

I am not fimiliar with these particular fish.

I am going to send a PM to one of the site adminstrators that I think can help you. Hopefully, he'll chime in soon.

Louey

 

[wade1]

I've never had much experience with something like this myself... I've emailed a friend of mine who is an aquatic veterinarian for a more definitive answer, however, I don't know exactly what could be done for now.

You might want to feed a little extra (hopefully the stress isn't causing it to stop eating!) in order to keep its energy high.

If it is looking bad, you might be able to cause it to inflate itself underwater and rotate it around to try disolodging the bubble... but thats a guess.

Wade

 

[Bojangles]

A fellow reefer I know that has had these for quite awhile had told me its fatal, which is why when you transfer a puffer you always do it underwater. I'll see what I can dig up while we await the answer from wade. Good luck

 

[ChrisRD]

Someone like John Brandt may be able to help you. I'll move this into the GRD (and leave a shadow in the NRF as well) so you get more feedback...

 

[Anonymous]

It's possible it may correct itself but unlikely.
Try netting it with a thick mesh net or baggie, keep it underwater, tilt its face towards the surface (not above the surface) and carefully massage the bubble (trying to get the puffer to burp). Also getting it to inflate underwater may help displace the air bubble.
Good luck.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[MNManatee]

Well, by default I tried a little of everything. I fed him last night after he develped the bubble. At that time I didn't know just how he puffed - filling the stomach so the bubble would be in the gut or filling a seperate bladder - he fills his stomach. In humans if you get a bad gas bubble you eat and nature uses the food to work as a plunger to push the gas thru to he "end". I also tried making him puff underwater but rotating him didn't cause the bubble to release - he keeps his mouth shut tight. But after that he puffed several times on his own and after 24 hours the bubble is gone and he is again able to swim properly.

I thank everyone for their offerings. And I promise to be more alert when feeding him so I don't do something this stupid again - he might not survive next time. He has already forgiven me tossing him out of the tank and is eating from my fingers. Amazing, the fastest way to this fish's heart is thru his stomach.

 

[Anonymous]

Good to hear! Happy endings are always welcome!

 

[Bojangles]

Amazing, the fastest way to this fish's heart is thru his stomach

Heh Dude thats the way to MY stomach lol