Swim Bladder Venting- Rhomboid Wrasse

[JaredB]

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. I received a terminal male Rhomboid Wrasse. Fish looks healthy but swimming very strangely. Upside down and bobbing all around. From my research I am nearly certain that it’s a swim bladder issue. I would like to attempt to vent his swim bladder this evening. Could anyone offer specific advice on this procedure? Anatomy? Technique? Etc. Trying to be as prepared as possible.
thank you!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Can you post a video taken under white light?

If you just got the fish through being shipped to you, and this behavior was seen soon after arrival, it may have been exposed to lower pressure during the flight, and you may want to wait a day before trying to vent it.
If the fish has not been exposed to lower pressure, then the gas buildup is more likely due to infection. In those cases, I’ve almost always seen the gas reform in a day or so if you don’t resolve the root issue.
For a fish that size, I’d use a tuberculin syringe and try to draw off the gas....tough to do without anesthetic. The spot you are looking for is above the midline, middle of the body, and slide the syringe under a scale.
Jay

 

[JaredB]

Can you post a video taken under white light?

If you just got the fish through being shipped to you, and this behavior was seen soon after arrival, it may have been exposed to lower pressure during the flight, and you may want to wait a day before trying to vent it.
If the fish has not been exposed to lower pressure, then the gas buildup is more likely due to infection. In those cases, I’ve almost always seen the gas reform in a day or so if you don’t resolve the root issue.
For a fish that size, I’d use a tuberculin syringe and try to draw off the gas....tough to do without anesthetic. The spot you are looking for is above the midline, middle of the body, and slide the syringe under a scale.
Jay

Thank you Jay- I will post a video later today, but from the ones I’ve seen- this is definitely the problem.

Does it matter right side or left? In front of or behind the pectoral fin?
Thanks!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Either side is fine, go about midway between the insertion of the pectoral fin and the anal opening, above the lateral line. If you go too high, you’ll hit the spinal cord, and if you go too low, you’ll enter the viscera. You might try googling some images of fish internal anatomy to see where to go.
Jay