The Puffer Forum

I think my Fahaka swallowed some air this morning. He can't swim right and has to keep his body like a pencil straight up. I don't think it's a disease because he was fine last night. I know you can use clove oil to burp a puffer, but my Fahaka is ~11'' so how much oil to water ratio would I use? Can you get clove oil at a local pharmacy like Savon? Please help, thanks.

You shouldn't need clove oil to burp a puffer.

OK. I tried to burp my Fahaka twice. I wrapped him in a towel underwater with his head pointed up, rubbed up on his stomach and no air came out. Both times he puffed up. He is still the same... What else could it be?

You kept his head underwater? Is he floating head or tail up?

Yes his whole body was underwater with his head pointing up. I just reached in the tank and grabbed him. He didn't swim away, it's like he wants me to help him... He his floating head up.

He's not floating at the top of the water surface. His body is straight up with his tail on the gravel. I tried burping him again. He didn't puff up but no air came out either. I push the air up to his mouth, but it just stops. I don't want to push too hard. I figure if it's air it shouldn't be this hard to expel.

Possibly constipated? Try adding 1 tbsp Epsom salt/10g & then in 2 days do a 50% water change & double that to 1 tbsp/5gal.

What's your water change schedule?

Now he is laying on the bottom upside down. I think he is just too tired Is Epson salt the same as Aquarium salt? I do 50% WC every week in a 150G

should I do a water change now? will that just stress him more?

Can you post water parameters? What have you been feeding lately?

Nitrate ~20ppm Nitrite 0 Ammonia 0 I feed him market shrimp soaked in Zoe. Is Epsom salt the same as aquarium salt?

I don't know what to do... He's just lying on the ground upside down When he sees me he trys to swim up right, but he can't. This just started this morning and for this to come on so quickly the only thing it could be is air in him, right? BTW, thank you for your help.

How hard am I supposed to be pushing on his stomach when I'm trying to burp him?

You could try shaking him back & forth in the same position too. They're pretty tough fish. Epsom is not the same as aquarium salt. Is that all you feed him? They need a much more varied diet. How do you think he got air?

You can pick up epsom salt in the pharmacy section of most stores (or go to a drug store). Just ask the clerk, they can find it for you.

Good luck with him!