The goldfish are about two and a half months new to us, and were previously swimming around very energetically all over the tank. IN the last couple weeks they are mainly at the top. Any ideas?
2006-11-22 14:13:33 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
most likely you are experiencing water problems, like ammonia levels, you should do a water change and make sure you add something called "Amquel" it works really great!
getting a tank going in the very beginning is difficult because of the tank has to "cycle" and beneficial bacteria have to multiply.
you could get the process going by adding "Cycle" it's a bacteria solution you can buy in Walmart.
I'm wondering too if the goldfish swallowed air and having problems staying on the bottom?
it's critical you take care of this problem quickly because they could die soon if they are swimming at the surface
2006-11-22 14:18:24 · answer #1 · answered by ♪ ♫ ☮ NYbron ☮ ♪ ♫ 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Get a water test kit at the fish store, or take a water sample in-- many fish stores will test your water for you. If you haven't been doing regular partial water changes (they should be a regular part of aquarium maintenance), there are a few different toxins that can build up and cause problems: they can change the pH (acid balance) in the tank to an uncomfortable level, and/or they can lower oxygen levels in the water. For tonight, I would change about half the water in the tank and replace it with conditioned water. If you don't have aquarium water conditioner to remove chlorine, you can set the water out overnight to let the chlorine dissipate, then use the water tomorrow, but don't change more than 1/4 of the water. A half is a big water change, but it sounds like your fish are in a little bit of trouble. Be sure your filter media are clean, too, but if there is more than one substrate, only replace one type at a time, and just rinse the others. fish are totally dependent on us for the quality of their environment, and that takes regular tank maintenance. Good Luck!!
2006-11-22 14:28:35 · answer #2 · answered by Annie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hide somewhere and take a peek at them, when there is no one around do they still hang on the top?
You see, goldfishes are very greedy and as long as they can see (food provider) people walking beside their tank, they tend to swim near the surface waiting for you to feed them. The good thing about fishes that behaves like that is that they are stable and have got use to people near their tank. If thats the case then there is nothing you need to worry about.
The other factor casuing the goldfish to hang on the surface and gulping air is that the dissolve oxygen (DO) in the water is too low. That could be because the water is too warm, warm water can retain lesser DO thereby causing the fishes to gulp for air. If thats the case, turn the heater lower ( if there is one in your tank) or else (no heater) try to identify the source of heat (eg. sunny window or near fireplace) and remove/reduce it or move your tank to somewhere else.
Hopes this help
2006-11-22 17:55:25 · answer #3 · answered by dragonfly_sg 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
piping at the surface means they're having a difficult time getting enough oxygen.
Definitely check your water to make sure it isn't getting toxic.
http://thegab.org/Articles/WaterQuality.html
How are you cleaning your filter pad?
You want to rinse it in discarded tank water and reuse it for as long as possible. When it starts getting stopped up, smack it against something to clear it. A lot of your biofilter bacteria that convert ammonia (toxic) to nitrIte (still toxic) to nitrAte (less toxic) live there.
I too think a good vacuuming of the gravel and a 50% partial water change should help. You need to be vacuuming and changing out 40-50% of your water weekly. Make sure to use a dechlorinator and match the temperature of the change water to that of the tank. Here's a good goldfish caresheet
http://thegab.org/Articles/GoldfishBasics.html
2006-11-24 07:37:59 · answer #4 · answered by Betty H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
These are goldfish, not rare exotic tropicals...your water is bad! change at least 50% of it immediately, use dechlor in the new water as it is added to directions. Goldfish are dirty fish, their water goes bad from ammonia build up quickly. If you do not change the water immediately, these fish will die of disease due to stress. After you get it straightened out, change 20% of the water weekly..that is normal for goldfish, even in large ponds where lots of fish live. I change about 20 % of my pond water weekly while backfushing filter...never have problems. Problems arise with goldfish when the water is overburdened with fish waste. Good luck
2006-11-22 16:55:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
hes sucking simply by fact there is not adequate air in the water. An air pump and stone could be ideal. yet simply by fact it cant be powered, a greater aquarium is a ought to! HE needs greater floor area for oxygen and air stream. a 10-20 gal is right.
2016-10-12 22:57:15 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have you checked the ammonia levels in your tank recently? Seems late-ish for an ammonia spike, but you never know. Maybe it's time for a water change -
2006-11-22 14:17:00 · answer #7 · answered by Misa M 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
change the water.. do a 50% water change.. Sounds like bad water. Gold fish eat and poop a lot so, you have to do partial water changes every 2 weeks...(depending on how big your aquarium is)..
2006-11-22 14:17:45 · answer #8 · answered by professorminh 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
fish need real OXIGEN to breath........the bubbles help but they still need the real air.......and when goldfish swim at the top of the fish tank that means that something iz going to happen......for example an earthquake...........or probably the fishies don`t like the bubbles and they are scared........
2006-11-22 14:26:11 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Make sure that the filter isn't clogged. Also try cleaning the
tank. Maybe even make sure they aren't DEAD.....
2006-11-22 14:17:53 · answer #10 · answered by jazzyart 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋