livingart Posted February 24, 2010 Report Share Posted February 24, 2010 when saltwater fishing some fish that come up from deep water have inflated swim bladders i usually deflate these using a 22g hypodermic needle inserted into the swim bladder and let excess air out my problem at the moment is a porcupine fish that every time i stick the needle in it inflates to the size of a small melon and i can't reach the swim bladder any thoughts ideas or a 4 inch 22g needle somewhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 24, 2010 Report Share Posted February 24, 2010 I could get you a 4 inch needle but it wouldnt be 22g (0.7mm diameter). More like 4-5mm diameter :lol: Are you doing it down the throat or through the side? Will you be able to access the bladder once it has deflated? If so could you make a fine trocar and cannula and leave the cannula in until the bladder has deflated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted February 24, 2010 Report Share Posted February 24, 2010 sedate it first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted February 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2010 i have a big needle in that size olly i am worried that if i hit the liver or kidney i will do some damage on a normal fish you go in just under the lateral line from the side to expel all the air no lateral line on the porcupine going in through the mouth would be an option but the jaws are very strong and it wouldn't let go of the needle once gripped on fish will not deflate while it has something stuck in it iit seems to be swimming lower in the tank will gas in the bladder possibly dissipate over time? sedation is an option but i haven't tried that before stella suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted February 24, 2010 Report Share Posted February 24, 2010 I haven't sedated fish before either. Friends use clove oil with great success, even to just slow them down for photos, but obviously care must be taken! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted February 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2010 i will try going in from the top instead of the side and see if that works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted February 24, 2010 Report Share Posted February 24, 2010 Should deflate over time mark, The swim bladder is highly vascular, so, like a diver coming up from a deep dive, it will take time to disperse the extra air/O2 into the blood stream and then across the gills and out. this is especially hard in a aquarium where we have high oxygenation that slows the gradient. Does he de-flate after a while? If he was really stressed he would be inflated almost all the time. by the sounds of iit seems to be swimming lower in the tank He is probably already re-covering. give it a couple more days and see if he fixes himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted February 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2010 he seems to be settled was having trouble staying off the surface and it was causing problems with its skin drying out not swimming as hard to stay down now learnt a lot about internal structure of porcupine fish over the last week i want to go fishing again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted February 24, 2010 Report Share Posted February 24, 2010 not without me!! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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