One of my goldfish is swimming on his side and floating on top of the water...please help?

Question

I have a goldfish and his abdomen is swollen and he cant swim stragiht and he keeps floating to the top of the tank and fighting to swim back down....anyone know whats wrong with him? Or if there is anything i can do for him? Or is he just gonna die? Please help fast...its urgent

Answer 1

Sounds like your goldie has SBP (Swim Bladder Problem)... usually happens when your water quality is bad (too much fishcrap or excess food not being removed properly).

Sometimes its worthwhile to put your goldie into a separate quarantine tank with clean water. By 'clean' means its treated slightly to reduce harmful chemicals to fish like chlorine and chloramine which is present in our normal tap waters. You can buy those anti-chlorine from petshops. Addind a little bit (teaspoonful or less depending on quarantine tank size) of table salt also helps

Having said that, its always good practice to put anti-chlorine stuff when you change your tank water or when u start a new tank so that you won't stress your new fish.

So yeah, if any of your fish looks sick, put it in a quarantine tank till it gets better... or till it 'sleeps with the fishes'

Answer 2

This is a common problem whereby fish lose their equilibrium and are unable to maintain their position. This can result in the fish swimming awkwardly, laying upside-down either on the bottom or top of the water, or unable to maintain a horizontal position in the water. This is often attributed to swim-bladder problems and indeed this is the most common cause of loss of equilibrium. The swim-bladder is an air-filled sac laying just under the backbone at the top of the abdominal cavity. By inflating / deflating the swim-bladder, the fish can adjust its position in the water and maintain neutral buoyancy.

The swim-bladder can be affected by bacterial or viral diseases. In addition the swim-bladder may malfunction, leading to over or under inflation. Clearly anything which affects the proper functioning of the swim-bladder will also affect the fish's equilibrium.

However, before diagnosing all equilibrium problems as swim-bladder disease, we should be aware that there are other conditions which can cause buoyancy problems. Disease in other organs such as kidneys and intestines for example can also cause problems. This can happen if there is any swelling of the affected organs leading to either a change in organ density or pressure being put on the swim-bladder. This is often a problem with fancy goldfish whose abdominal cavity is tightly packed.

Treatment is difficult, mainly because it is virtually impossible to diagnose the cause and secondly there are only a few conditions that will respond to treatment. It is always worth considering a course of antibiotic injections in case a bacterial infection is involved. An attempt should be made to see whether the fish is defecating, in case the problem is being caused by an intestinal blockage. If this is suspected it is worth either trying to feed the fish a few frozen peas, caned or fresh will do, which act as a laxative, or else try baths in Epsom salts (70g / litre for 5 minutes) which has the same effect.

If these treatments do not work, there is little else that can be done.

Answer 3

Swim bladder disease, this is a problem more common in fancy goldfish, and there is no cure for it. Feeding medicated food, adding salt to the tank, feeding peas, and raising the temperature to 76 degrees may help but only for a short time. Eventually the fish may be unable to eat and will have to be euthanized.

Feed your fish a couple of peas. That's right, peas. Just get some frozen peas, thaw them, and feed them to your fish. A professor of fish medicine at N.C. State College of Veterinary Medicine has done this in several cases with very good results. He thinks that the peas somehow encourage destruction of the impaction. No hard scientific data yet, but it's worth a try.

Fast your fish for a couple of days. Withhold all food for three or four days, and sometimes this alone will break up the impaction and return things to normal. Most fish can go a week to ten days without food and be just fine.

Periodic aspiration of the swim bladder works very well. Basically, you stick a needle in the swim bladder and suck out some of the air. Not something to be entered into lightly, but does work well. This is not a cure, but a successful treatment. The head veterinarian at the Baltimore Aquarium prefers this method.

Answer 4

Many modern goldfish shapes (short body,round fat bellies....) are the result of mans attempts to selectively breed certain shapes and colors in goldfish. this often shifts and distorts internal organs from their natural positions. These goldfish often have poor air bladder position resulting in poor control over the fishes orientation and balance in the water.
this makes them susceptible to internal infections that press on the air bladder resulting in what you see. they also may be eating too much food in one go that causes a 'bulge' in the intestine that may be pressing on the air bladder. SO, try feeding small amounts of food more often (3-4 times a day) for one thing and give a medication for internal infections second. good luck

Answer 5

How long has the goldfish been like that?Could it happen to be a girl instead of a boy goldfish?? But it does not sound to good.How many other fish are in the tank it could be the cause maybe. Hard to tell what is wrong with fish.

Answer 6

I am sorry but your goldfish be seriously sick &/or injured. You should have phoned your local vet since this be too serious/complex for anybody who's not in your house seeing the situation up near to provide advice for a goldfish in this state.

Answer 7

its swim bladder is broken. The swim bladder allows the fish to take in water to sink or swim. If its broken or ruptured the signs would be that it would be floating to the top or swimming on its side. They usually dont live long after it has happended. Im sorry, theres nothing more you can do for him.

Answer 8

swim bladder disease... fish tanks and bowls should be kept clean and dont over feed. he could have dropsy. not curable or worth curing. when water gets really dirty u gets lots of the wrong kind of nasty bacteria in the water.hand so u have them. always read the symptons and treat accordingly to directions

Answer 9

I'm sorry :( but it sounds like he's swim bladders "out" (burst) he will last a while but eventuly wont be able to eat the food or swim and pass away :(

Answer 10

I think the only thing that will help your ailing goldfish is to place him in a separate fish bowl ... the large white one in your bathroom should do admirably. Once you have successfully repositioned your goldfish, pull the silver handle on the side on the big white fish bowl ...