WantToReef512

1 hour ago, Sierra Bravo said:

I've done it twice with anthias and used the video above for guidance.  I had three fish I needed to vent.  I was successful with two of them, and they are healthy and healthy today.  The third I did not pull sufficient gas out of the bladder and had to repeat the procedure.  That fish developed an infection at the site of puncture and didn't make it.

Tips: 

• Make sure the fish is well illuminated from below.  I used a glass casserole with a cheap LED puck underneath.  I placed a piece of tape to block the light at the head of the fish because I felt it was too bright for its eyes. 
• Get the smallest diameter needle you can.  I bought an insulin syringe from Walgreens Rx. 
• Enlist a second set of hands to hold the fish while you do the venting.  You need to withdraw the gas slowly and this takes a steady hand.
• Have a QT tank set up in advance to receive the fish.  It's not going to like the procedure very much and needs peace to recover. 
• Don't skip the sanitizing procedure or iodine. Would not hurt to put the fish through metroplex/kanaplex while in the QT as well.
• If you have a healthy one, examine it under the light first to see what size you are aiming to get the bladder down to.

I hated having to try it for fear of killing the fish but resolved myself that if I didn't it wasn't going to make it long term anyway.

Hi Sierra,

Would I be able to enlist your help on this? I actually tried to call up the Vet here, but they aren't available until Monday and I fear that will be too late. Everything I've read and seen pretty say if this isn't done the fish is likely done for.

He is in a QT right now (I QT all my fish). I have metro/kanaplex/sulfaplex/neoplex/acraflaven on hand.

I have all the tools to do this except for the needle. I'm having a hard time procuring a 30 gauge needle. Hopefully I can get on at WalGreen.

Please let me know if you can help. I think a second eye on this would be extremely valuable, especially knowing you have had to do this 3 times. The fish is fairly small (around 2"). It's a Yellow Coris Wrasse.

Does anyone here know how to vent a fish? I have a wrasse that was shipped with a swim bladder issue. It’s one of the ways to save it, but it’s a pretty advanced technique. I'm trying to see if I can get help with this. It's a yellow coris wrasse that has it: