[kcguru]

Hello,

My new favorite fish, a Mappa Puffer, swallowed some air when I put him in my tank a couple weeks ago. I watched him closely and he burped out most of it. His appetite is superb, but the last couple days he looks like he's still got a pocket/bulge in his side that is appearant everytime he lays down.

I've read online somewhere that you can possibly grab the fish by the tail and gently massage the air out of him with his head facing straight up barely out of the top of the tank.

Is it worth stressing him out to try this procedure? Has anyone else done this successfully? Like I said he's eating and behaving normal, but visibly I can see the bulge in his side still.

Any and all comments are welcome!!!!

Thanks in advance...

[leebca]

WELCOME TO REEFLAND!

Quite some time ago I stopped feeding my fish anything that floats. Invariably one or more fishes would end up swallowing air. It's just as easy to put flake in a cup of saltwater to soak it so that it floats, and avoid pellets or anything that floats. Still, like your fish, there is an odd one here and there that may take in some air.

For the most part a fish will pass swallowed air that enters the intestinal track. It's strange, but they do. In the case of a stubborn fish or situation, I cage the fish in one of those 'traps' and anchor it on the bottom of the aquarium. They are made of mesh (not the plastic kind). Like those used for fry. If the fish isn't allowed to hang around the water's surface, they will often (as you said) burp it out.

I have not heard of the procedure you've mentioned. And, 'Yes' I think that would be much too much stress for these circumstances.