Cheers all -
Had to relate this story. A while back one of my Silver Dollars developed a swim bladder problem. It couldn't release the air. It kept swimming and swimming towards the bottom, and then would shoot right back to the top. We've all seen this before, and 95% in the time it results in the fish dying. I watched this for 24 hours or so, then decided to take some unusual action.
As a catch and release fisherman since childhood, you are taught many techniques to unhook various fish and release them. When handling trout in particular, they can release their swimbladder during the unhooking. It takes very little pressure to do this, and you can easily hear it.
So.....
I figure the fish has nothing to lose with me trying to massage the blockage out of its swim bladder. I scoop it out of the tank, then very gently massage the stomach between two fingers a few times. I dropped it back into the tank, and nothing. I pulled it out again and did it again. After 10 minutes or so.....fine. Fish swimming normally!
That was 4 months ago. Fish is swimming happily in the tank right now. I can see it as I type.
Obviously, handling your fish in this manner is NOT RECOMMENDED. In this case though, it was the last chance solution. Keep in mind to always soak your hand in the aquarium for a minute before this type of handling. It brings your hand temperature down and does less damage to the slime layer.
-Mirror
Had to relate this story. A while back one of my Silver Dollars developed a swim bladder problem. It couldn't release the air. It kept swimming and swimming towards the bottom, and then would shoot right back to the top. We've all seen this before, and 95% in the time it results in the fish dying. I watched this for 24 hours or so, then decided to take some unusual action.
As a catch and release fisherman since childhood, you are taught many techniques to unhook various fish and release them. When handling trout in particular, they can release their swimbladder during the unhooking. It takes very little pressure to do this, and you can easily hear it.
So.....
I figure the fish has nothing to lose with me trying to massage the blockage out of its swim bladder. I scoop it out of the tank, then very gently massage the stomach between two fingers a few times. I dropped it back into the tank, and nothing. I pulled it out again and did it again. After 10 minutes or so.....fine. Fish swimming normally!
That was 4 months ago. Fish is swimming happily in the tank right now. I can see it as I type.
Obviously, handling your fish in this manner is NOT RECOMMENDED. In this case though, it was the last chance solution. Keep in mind to always soak your hand in the aquarium for a minute before this type of handling. It brings your hand temperature down and does less damage to the slime layer.
-Mirror
