my gold fish has his dorsal fin clamped close to his back?

Answer 1

That's usually a first sign of something to come. I'd check the water first, then keep a sharp eye out for fin rot, parasites, etc.
Also, if you've intorduced a new fish into the tank, i'd segregate it for a while, for both their sakes.

Ps, never dump more than 25% of the water at any one time, it will shock the fish too much, and may get rid of necessary good bacteria.

Answer 2

A clamped fin is a sign that the fish is not feeling well. But, there are many different diseases that the fish could have and you need to specifically identify which disease it is so that you can treat it properly. I have attached a link below that lists all goldfish diseases. Please look at your fish closely and note every little thing that looks wrong with it. Do its fins look ragged? Are there little white spots? Are there white cottony patches? Are there red patches on the body? Are there red streaks in the fins? Is it gasping for air at the surface? Then once you have made a diagnosis of what the fish has, you need to get the appropriate medication and get treatment going immediately. If the most noticable thing about the fish at this point is the clamped fin, it could mean that you've caught this early and you have a better chance of curing the fish. Treatment is long and tedious, so it requires a lot of patience, dedication and perserverance. But, it really is amazing how great you feel when you cure a fish of its sickness. Now, the second question is, what is the cause of the sickness? More than likely it's poor water quality and cramped quarters. You haven't said what size or type of goldfish you have, but at the very minimum, goldfish need 10 gallons of water per fish. If it's larger than 3 inches, you need 20 gallons per fish and if it's larger than 6 inches, you need about 40 gallons of water per fish. If it's one of the long, slender fish, it can grow up to about 14" to 18" inches on average. If you have one of the little, fat ones, they still can grow really large if they live long enough, sometimes 8" to 10". Goldfish are high waste producers which fouls the water easily, so you need to keep a close eye on the water quality parameters at all times. So, you need to get a test kit too to check for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Water ph should be a 7.0. Water temperature should be around 70 degrees. Goldfish require a lot of oxygen. While a filter is important, if you can only get one thing, get an air pump that pumps 10X size of tank. So, if your tank were a 10 gallon tank, you would need a pump that pumped water at 100 gph. Don't feed more than once a day. You can even feed every other day. You cannot overfeed goldfish. It will kill them. Remove any food they don't eat after 5 minutes. Take care of your little fishy and it will give you years of happiness! Good luck!

Answer 3

symptoms are: Fin edges turn white, Fins fray, Bases of fins enflamed, Entire fin may rot away The fins begin to fray and get ragged, becoming shorter over time. Usually the edges look white, and may even develop a fuzzy growth due to secondary Cotton Wool infection. As the disease advances the area may become red an inflamed, with bloody patches appearing as more of the fin is eaten away. Treatment : correct the root of the cause/ problem, Water change, Treat with antibiotics Fin rot is caused by one of several gram negative bacteria. Several anitiboitics are effective, however the root cause must be addressed as well. Fin rot occurs when the fish is stressed for some reason. The most common cause is poor water quality. Overcrowding the tank, feeding outdated food or overfeeding, and moving or handling the fish can also cause stress leading to fin rot. Treatment should include a water change, and careful examination of the aquarium conditions. If there is food debris, vaccumm the gravel and take care to avoid overfeeding. Start dating your fish food, as it loses the vitamin content fairly quickly after it is opened. Feeding fish fresh, high quality food, in smaller quantities is far better than frequent large feedings of stale foods. Check the pH and water temperature of the water, and make sure it is appropriate for your fish. Incorrect pH is very stressful for fish, and can lead to disease. Low water temperatures, particularly in fish with long flowing fins, can trigger fin rot. If the root cause is corrected, antibiotics will usually cure the disease itself. Use a drug that is effective against gram negative organisms. Chloramphenical, Oxytetracycline, and Tetracycline, are good choices. Treat according to manufacturers instructions.

Answer 4

When a fish has its fins clamped, that means its feeling stressed by conditions or illness. What else do you notice about the fish? Does it have white spots or fuzz anywhere? Are its gills the right color? Is it rubbing against things?

If the goldfish is in a bowl, the first thing you should do is change the water. How much? Not more than 50%. Do daily water changes.

If the goldfish is in an aerated aquarium, test the water for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, then change 50% of the water. Make small water changes (20%) daily.

Either way, cut his food significantly (almost everyone over-feeds, including many experienced fishkeepers. I know I do :) ). He doesn't need much food, and the extra food just fouls the water. In general goldfish need about 10 gallons of water per fish. It's not just about their size (if they are in a bowl too small then its like a human living in a box...its not healthy) but also they need the water volume to dilute the waste, of which they produce a lot.

Answer 5

treat him with quick cure fast, change water clean sides of tank and increase his temp a little bit. hes stressed and has clamped fin disease. this happens normally b/c of poor water quality.
to avoid stressing fish out take in these tips ive learned over the years- Keep fish in the ideal water conditions
dont overcrowd
dont overfeed
avoid homes that have no water movement or filtration, like fish bowls
always rinse new plants etc
dont add the fish water from new fishes bags, just float the bag in your water and get him out with a net when ready to go in the tank
of course you always want to take a few minutes a day to monitor your fish, look at em all and make sure no one has signs of stress or disease
if you need me to explain more detail on anything feel free to email me [e-mail]

Answer 6

I would say it is stressed. You need to check the condition of the water and whether or not he is being bullied by other fish. Also has he plenty of room where he is living and you haven't got any young children that keep putting their hands into the water have you? I hope this soon resolves itself.

Answer 7

Dear Martha

This is exemptionally common in wild goldfish ( carp ) but inexplicably rare in the domestic varitiees.

Please prise it's fin up from the back region with a clamp attached to the side of your pool and then with immense leverage twist the offending body part sharply to the left. This is by far the best way to deal with this sort of problem and I can verify from personal experience that your fish will be as good as gold by the next day.

Answer 8

Probably from stress or internal problems. What size is the tank? Other occupants? What are the water parameters: ammonia, nitrite, nitrate? How often do you change the water?

Answer 9

With Sharks, this means its not well.

Possibly same pricipal for a Goldfish?

Answer 10

You don't say whether he is in a bowl or aquarium. If in a bowl, empty the water and add fresh water (room temperature). Try feeding and say a couple prayers because it sounds like he is on his way out. If in an aquarium, I can't give you much advice. Always too much work for me to have one. Good luck to you and your fish!