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Author Topic: fish may be ill  (Read 1039 times)
ashley
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fish may be ill
« on: January 13, 2010, 09:44:31 PM »
my fish seems to be swimming towards the top of the tank and kinda laying on its side then swimming down again and has been doing it for a few days...when he swims around he seems to be ok but when he is on his side at the top of the tank he seems to struggle to get back down...its hard to tell if hes dying or just being a fish...
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SeaWitch
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Re: fish may be ill
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2010, 08:21:57 AM »
Could you answer a few questions for me?

1.  Tank size, type of filters?
2.  How many fish in tank and their sizes
3.  Water conditioner used
4.  Any new fish or plants added to tank?
5.  Water parameters for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH
6.  Any medications added?
7.  Tank temp?
8.  Types of food fed and how often

This will give me a starting point to diagnose.  Thanks!
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ashley
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Re: fish may be ill
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2010, 07:44:22 PM »
i think its a 20 gallon
2 fish about 4 inches long
no water conditioner just the filter
no new fish or plants or anything
no water parameters?
no medication
the temp not sure but its a little under room temperature
tetra fin food about 3 times a day

ive had the fish for three years now and i havent changed anything since ive gotten them the only change is i recently added a filter
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Mindemae
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Re: fish may be ill
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2010, 11:32:42 PM »
Ashley,
What kind of goldfish is this?  It sounds like he may have a swim bladder problem.  Try adding aquarium salt to your tank.  1 TBS per 5 gallons. and feed him frozen peas with skin removed for a few days.  Feed 1 pea thawed slightly and cut in half and squeeze it out of the skin and feed to the fish.
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Ahmad
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Re: fish may be ill
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2010, 12:34:28 AM »
The anatomical structures of most fancy goldfish make them more prone to swim bladder problems,so that would be my first guess too.

Ashley, how often do you change the water in your tank? (weekly, bi-monthly, monthly?). What percentage of the water do you change each time.  Have you performed any water test recently? If so, can you tell us what the parameters are?

Well, a goldfish or any fish for that matter is not supposed to be behaving the way you are describing Ashley, so there's definitely something wrong with the fish.
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SeaWitch
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Re: fish may be ill
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2010, 11:48:28 AM »
I would def. recommend a good water conditioner and a water testing kit that checks for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH.  If you have nitrate in your tank, it could be attacking the fish's gills, which is making him gasp at the surface to try and get oxygen. 
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sinead
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Re: fish may be ill
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2010, 03:14:22 PM »
i got a fish the other day and yesterday i thought he was dying so i changed the water and he seemed to improve a little now hes behaving exactly the way youve described yours i went back to the pet shop and the man there said it sounded like a swim bladder problem he said it would likely die its my sons first pet and **** be heart broken hes gone away for the weekend and the fish was fine when he left hes still alive now but hasnt much control on his swimming is there any hope that **** survive this???
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Mindemae
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Re: fish may be ill
« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2010, 03:33:40 PM »
This is a most common problem with egg shaped fish...it can be a swim bladder problem due to damage or genetics or it can be from constipation.  The swim bladders vent through the intestines and when blocked, the fish either float to the surface or sink to the bottom each time they stop swimming.  It is very important to treat right away or the problem can become permanent  However, once inflicted with this problem, the fish is likely to have problems repeat themselves again.
The diet should be changed to a more digestable one...high in fiber, so chopped red lettuce, peas with skin removed, and spinach are good to include in your fishes diet.  Worms can also act as a laxative and help relieve constipation problems.  Frozen foods for amnivores are also good.  See your pet dealer for these.
Lastly, this problem can also occur because of sudden temperature change or permant damage to the swim bladder and also a bacterial infection.  for the latter a antibiotic called Furanace can be given.  It must be ingested tho to be effective.
My sister had a goldfish with swim bladder issues for years...it lived to be about 10.  every time she cleaned the tank it would evelop swim bladder problems again...but she swore by feeding it peas and said it gave it some relief.
Good luck!
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sinead
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Re: fish may be ill
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2010, 04:43:34 PM »
bad news fred passed away this evening i thought at times he was improving but then at others he seemed to get worse again it was so sad to watch him my son was upset that he died but was even more annoyed with the fact i flushed him down the toilet he couldnt understand how he would get to heaven from there but i explained he was already gone to heaven it was just his body i was flushing i have a dog three cats and now a hamster too and its the fish thats caused me the most panic and worry i thought goldfish were easy to look after i have three when i was younger and they lived for years i have now bought my son a new gold fish is this a common problem because if we lose another one my son will lose all faith in me
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Mindemae
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Re: fish may be ill
« Reply #9 on: February 07, 2010, 04:53:50 PM »
It is very common in the egg shaped goldfish.  The further genetically you deter from the norm, the less hardy the fish.  The slim shaped fish with single tails are the hardiest, like the commons, comets, and shubunkins.
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Katarine
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Re: fish may be ill
« Reply #10 on: February 07, 2010, 06:59:14 PM »
I'm sorry to hear about your lost fish. Like Mindemae said, slimmer bodied fish with single tails are the best for beginners. I have a comet myself, and shes lived through so much crap I'm not even sure how shes stayed with me so long. Good luck with your new fish! Smiley
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Tai
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Re: fish may be ill
« Reply #11 on: February 08, 2010, 10:46:09 AM »
My big goldfish named Sushi has white spot on its body. And i am worried. My tank is all green algeely and it looks like it needs to be cleaned. Plus my fish does lie on its side then swims down, goes upside down.  Can u solve the probelms??? Sad Sad Sad Sad Sad Sad
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Nossie
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Re: fish may be ill
« Reply #12 on: February 08, 2010, 02:39:27 PM »
Algae is good for your goldfish! It shows that you've got good water quality. And it protects your goldfish so they won't bump into the glass or decor (:
Try checking water quality first. The whole list, pH, KH, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia.
What does the "white spot" look like?
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