crazy scare

[schance]

my little fahaka puffer got stuck in a pipe as i was sucking out water. i use 1in id tubing when sucking out water so i guess he was curious and got stuck then inflated. basically i ended up having to stick my finger in the other side and push him out. he is alive now but are there any precations i should take? i dosed wiht melafix. what else should i do? HELP

[mark razmandi]

wow that insane!!! very nerve racking im sure....aquarium salt?

[OrandaMan]

I've heard that a puffer's curiosity getting it in trouble with a gravel vac is common. It's one of the quirky little things driving me to plan for an Indian dwarf.

They're tough little guys, though, right? I wouldn't imagine that you'd need to do too much more than you've done, though mark has a point about the aquarium salt. Just watch him. Has his behavior changed other than maybe being a little skittish from the experience? Any lost scales? (Can you even tell on a puffer? Hard to see in videos and images.)

Of course, all I have is a lot of research. An experienced keeper will tell you if I'm full of it, I'm sure. (Will be good for me, too.)

[newb]

put a wire or mesh screen over your tube so that this doesnt happen again.

[fishlady]

+1 on the modification to the tube to prevent this again...
i would be careful about the chemicals to us for them...if he's not hurt then don't put them in there....they don't have regular "scales" like other fish do.....i would suggest you research things about the fahaka's on the net....

mine buries himself in the sand when i go to do water changes...he's afraid of the tube i use..."python"......

[Mzungu]

:( Poor guy...

+1 on what the others said.

Also, can you see any visible wounds on him?

[semper]

get an old net, cut it out from handle

and tie over tube with rubber band