@qwerty
The Ibn Ezrah is in Jonah 2:1 as far as I remember. Although he doesn’t say it exactly the way I quoted him.
Have a look at the Malbim, at Radak and Metsudot.
Think it is the Malbim who clearly references the lack of air.
@philosopher
Think it was you who mentioned the issue of Jonah being in such pain [not be able the breathe] for such a long time , for 3 days ? [Same about Yaakov forever]
Cf. Rashi and other commentaries who reference hazal who were medayek in the psukim that in the beginning he was inside a male fish, and Jonah did not see a need to pray, so the male fish spit him out and when he was inside the female fish , he was uncomfortable so he started praying.
It couldn’t have been too uncomfortable inside the male fish , notwithstanding the lack of air.