The Puffer Forum

need help to burp puffer asap please help or link or email PP please!!!

grab your net and put the puff in it. use the net around the puff while you hold it and while still submerged, point its face up towards the surface and rub its belly. sorry to hear, hopefully it recovers

jus85411 wrote:grab your net and put the puff in it. use the net around the puff while you hold it and while still submerged, point its face up towards the surface and rub its belly. sorry to hear, hopefully it recovers

Me too, thank you. He was shipped to me today and his container was empty =( he looked like he kinda puffed, but I don't know how long he's been without water. He looks better, a little bruised maybe from my lack of experience, but he's trying. We will see how he does. he did expel a couple of bubbles

Any other suggestions on what I should do for him to give him a better chance at recovery? I had to put him immediately into the 20 gallon tank...but it does have an HOB Aquaclear 70 on it. Is this too strong for him at this point in time? Should I move him into a smaller bucket with an airstone? Should i just leave him alone to minimize the stress since he's been thru enough already? Sorry guys, I am out of my league and I need immediate help. I want to do everything I can to save him

Leave him alone and decrease the flow on the filter. If that still seems to be too much you can use a filter sponge or floss to diffuse the flow. I'd toss in the airstone as well and add some Melafix. Try and keep lighting to a minimum as well.

goldielocke76 wrote:He was shipped to me today and his container was empty =(

What do you mean empty? There was NO water?

If the fish was shipped in a bag that was about 1/4 full of water, that is normal. Less water is better for shipping.

J-P wrote:

goldielocke76 wrote:He was shipped to me today and his container was empty =(

What do you mean empty? There was NO water?

If the fish was shipped in a bag that was about 1/4 full of water, that is normal. Less water is better for shipping.

No water. Because I'm a total dumbass and shipped him in a plastic container (with large wide rubber bands around it tightly) filled about 1/2 way with water and surrounded by styrofoam peanuts. And I lined the entire box with styrofoam sheets. And apparently ALL the water leaked out. I'm an idiot.

J-P wrote:

goldielocke76 wrote:He was shipped to me today and his container was empty =(

What do you mean empty? There was NO water?

If the fish was shipped in a bag that was about 1/4 full of water, that is normal. Less water is better for shipping.

Empty as in, I thought he was dead when I first saw him because he was sticky and not moving. No water, none. When I poked at him, he flopped, and started to wiggle, so my bf sprinted across the street to Jack in the Box, grabbed a cup of water, raced back and we dumped it in the bowl. Please, to those who read this, don't make any judgements. I opened the package while I was at the Post office (about 15 min from my house) because the box was soaked and soggy. I did the only thing I could think of. I didn't have any cycled tank water on me (forgot to put it in my pocket this morning), I had no other source of water but the tap that came out of the faucet at JitB. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't warm. As soon as I put that in his bowl, he started to swim around, but not really. His stomach was a little bulgy, so I assumed he needed to be burped. Denzil cut some lights super close, and broke a few speed limits, but we got here in about 7 minutes. I ran to the house, grabbed him, and got him into the 20 as fast as I could. While he was in there, he was having a hard time swimming, so without knowing what to do exactly, I grabbed him with my hands, and burped him. He expelled about 3 bubbles of air, and now his stomach is normal. After about 15 minutes, he started to perk up. His tail even flares a bit now, instead of being tightly clamped.

It may be too early to tell, but he is pacing like crazy, and swimming normally. I hope he will be ok, but let's get thru the first 24 hours, then we can celebrate. We are working on getting the goldfish out, and then I will add some melafix per Flutter's suggestion.

J-P, he was shipped in a container, and we are not sure what happened, but it was completely empty, no fault to anyone other than USPS, IMO. I just about had an effing heart attack when the lady tossed the box on the counter, and I almost verbally ripped her head off. Denzil had to grab me and pinch me. He was right, my first concern, was Luau.

Yeah, a sealed plastic bag inside the container would have been better.

I'm shocked he's alive! Sounds like you did everything you could, if he's pacing and swimming, he's probably going to be fine. That's super crazy that no water was left and he's still alive.

Expect the worst and hope for the best.

I think is a waiting game at this point. There are too many unknowns. Even burping is no guarantee that it will be ok. Do what you can.

J-P wrote:Expect the worst and hope for the best.

I think is a waiting game at this point. There are too many unknowns. Even burping is no guarantee that it will be ok. Do what you can.

I agree, that's what I am trying to do.

I think though, that if I didn't burp him, he would have passed. He started to perk up after I burped him, and I did get bubbles out. I know that that wasn't his major problem, but, in the 7 minutes that I had had to plan a course of action, I tried to do everything that I possible could as fast as I possibly could, to minimize any additional stress. Ugh, sorry guys, I am just now starting to unwind. What an afternoon, and omg, almost 2 hours have passed >< feels like this all happened in the last 5 minutes LoL

They actually can live out of water for quite some time, as long as they stay wet. Of course, the air inside them can be a problem & it is likely the stress will cause it to puff with air inside. Good thing you got it out.

oh my goodness, goldie, i don't think anyone could judge you for what you did! that is absolutely terrifying, it's good you & denzil are quick acting and seem to have gotten this puff "back on his fins," if you will. (ha, corny, i know).
definitely keep us posted on how he's doing, i've got my fingers crossed for you!

ILoveLola wrote:oh my goodness, goldie, i don't think anyone could judge you for what you did! that is absolutely terrifying, it's good you & denzil are quick acting and seem to have gotten this puff "back on his fins," if you will. (ha, corny, i know).
definitely keep us posted on how he's doing, i've got my fingers crossed for you!

Thanks Lola! He seems to be doing on the better side of "ok" right now. He's definitely perking up. Still pacing, but as he didn't get to acclimate to his new home properly, I can totally understand that. Also, his tail is at full flare right now. Belly is still white and he just seems lively. He's such a cutie, I hope there is nothing but smooth sailing from here. =) After looking at it in retrospect, I still can't believe he is alive. He sure looked dead when I first saw him. He didn't move until I poked him the second time....but PP said that they can live out of water for a while, and his container was still moist, and he was in a drop or two of water. I don't know how long he was without water, but man. He's alive and that's all that matters now ^.^