The Puffer Forum

Hello, i need some good advise,

i have some dwarf puffers. there about two years old. quiet a good size healthy, and quite tough. they have never puffed up. and there little buggers

but the other day. i came to my tank and one of them is struggling, to keep down as he floats to the surface, he has a small pea shapped bulge on the left hand side of his belly just near his tail..

most of the time, he wedges himself in some plants, and comes out to feed. he eats then goes straight back to were he was, he is currently lodged him self upside down under a feature in the tank..

i showed some video footage to a aquarist . as this guy used to look after puffers for a tropical center, and he said he has definate trapped air.

i have gently tried to burp him twice. to relese the air. this has has not worked. i have exsperience with working with marine life as did marine biology at uni. unfortunatly in never worked with puffers,

any one give me any advise. will he work its way out. should i add a bacteria solution. add salts. ?? and help would be greatly appriciated. im going offshore to work on wednesday(in 2 days) , so any advice would be greatly appriciated as i would like to put any treatments in place before i leave.

im doing water test tomorrow.... i will post them in the morning. .. i did introduce 4 new smaller Dp to the tank.. babies. and it happened a couple of days after this...

Help. please

Dan

CAn you post a pic if possible so we can be sure its not a scar or bite even thou it does sound like air. The only way I kno to release the ait is to hold him by his tail and with his nose pointed upward, gently shake him. But it sound like you tried that already. Maybe gently massage his belly while doing this...Sorry wish I could help more. Some others will chime in on this soon enough thou.

How are you feeding. Your not making them jump for their food are ya?
Always defrost any foods too so theyll sink and they wont be eating off the suface of the water. Coulda been something dumb like that causing the bubble.

If I got really worried about it I might try to make him puff then release him and maybe hed fill up and purge it all out. But thats definitely not recommended. That would be the absolute last resort. Wait for someone else to help thou maybe theres a trick with salt Idk, Good luck I hope he makes it I feel bad for him like that.

How big us your tank and how many dos are in it?