I have a Gold fish called Richard, and recently he hasn't been as active, hes always staying low on the gravel and doesn't swim as much, i'm very scared that he may be dying. help please?
2006-09-11 03:49:02 · 11 answers · asked by pinksushi86 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
yeh thanks for all your input everyone, I'll take all ur opinions on board... I've had richard for 5 months, i have 3 other fish and they seem to be fine.... and Nadox my 5th fish just died 5mins ago :( sumthin is very wrong
2006-09-11 04:00:10 · update #1
Swimbladder is a disease which symptoms cause fish to become unable to swim correctly, your fish may exibit swimming toward the bottom of your tank or bowl, then floating back up, swimming in circles or laying or floating on his side....
There are three main things according to the posts and articles I've read that can lead to swimbladder disease.
Constipation due to overfeeding
Bad water quality
Bacteria
I recommend the following regimine, recommened to me over two years ago.
As soon as you notice signs of swimbladder do a 50% water change, taking care not to stress the fish by having the water temp as close to his bowl as possible.
After your water change you should not feed your fish any food for two days. On the third day feed your fish a fresh pea. Frozen peas thawed, popped out of the skin, and cut into bite size pieces. And then do another water change so that any uneaten peas do not contaminate your water....
Do a significant change when you suspect swimbladder disease and then follow this treatment.
If you don't use aquarium salt this is a good addition to most tanks. The recommended dose is one teaspoon per gallon, or one tablespoon per five gallons.
If this seems to be a frequent problem you may consider feeding less. Your water quality could indicate more frequent water changes.. It seems easier for him to digest. All my fish seem to love the peas and it may be of great benifit to feed a pea once a week.
If you suspect that there is bacteria causing the symptoms of swimbladder perhaps antibotics may be needed.
I recommend the pea "trick" first as it will at least correct the swimbladder symptoms that bacteria or bad water quality could be causing.
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2006-09-14 04:16:31 · answer #1 · answered by iceni 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Poor water quality. Do an immediate 50 percent waterchange makeing sure to vacume the gravel with a siphon, and dechlorinate the new water and make sure its the same temp as the water the fish are in. Goldfish have lifespans of 20-30 yrs and need to be kept in large tanks with alot of filtration.
The rule for baby-juvenil fancy goldfish is 10 gallons PER fish. (orandas, fyukins, fantails, moors ect.)
The rule for baby-juvenile long bodied goldfish is 20 gallons PER fish. Adults need 50 gallons per fish.
2006-09-11 08:28:49 · answer #2 · answered by lady_crotalus 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is he in a bowl or a tank? Goldfish put out a lot of waste, which would lead to poor water quality quickly. That's why they shouldn't be in a bowl (if it is) not to mention they get too big for a bowl. Regardless if it's a bowl or a tank, I would try doing a water change about 50%. Make sure you do daily small water changes if it's a bowl, and at least once a week if it's a tank.
2006-09-11 06:55:06 · answer #3 · answered by tikitiki 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should have 4 gallons of water per inch of Goldfish. They are considered a "dirty" fish because they let off a lot of Ammonia in the water, which burns their gills and can be deadly to them. How long have you had Richard ? You should do a water change .. of 50% right away. It may, or may not be too late for Richard. Good Luck ! :)
2006-09-11 03:53:10 · answer #4 · answered by tysavage2001 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Test the ph of his water, clean it but make sure you let the clean water sit for a day to neutralize chlorine and test it for ph before using it (should be within .2 of the old water and nearest 7). Replace 50% of his water at least once per week this way. You may need to do it more often if you keep him in a small bowl.
2006-09-11 03:52:24 · answer #5 · answered by tenaciousd 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
aww sorry about richard i had a gold fish before for about 6 years. yes his time may be almost up sorry too say !but if you dont have oxigen in the tank that could be the problem too.
2006-09-11 03:55:27 · answer #6 · answered by starglowshady 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check the water
2006-09-11 03:50:48 · answer #7 · answered by a_johnson85 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
check your water.. PH etc. You may have too much ammonia or something in your water.. especially if the tank is small.
Best of Luck
2006-09-11 03:51:58 · answer #8 · answered by ♥ goddessofraine ♥ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
test your water also do frequent small water changes
2006-09-11 06:05:15 · answer #9 · answered by C live 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's probably that the water is bad or he's lonely:)
2006-09-11 04:19:15 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋