Is my fish okay?

Question

I recently purchased a fancy goldfish for my kitchen side. I put it in a regular sized fishbowl, with pebbles at the bottom, and a little shell i bought from a local Petco.


However, he just sinks to the bottom and doesn't move. I have put anti stress drops in there, but still he doesn't seem interested.

When I put food in, he will take it, but thats all.



I'm curious as to if anything is wrong.

THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP GUYS. NOW I HAVE A NEW PROBLEM.

BUT, WHILE HELPING ME YOU GET TO SEE THE TANK I HAVE IT IN:


http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AuxFOea7sRwnh84zyBlCHpvO7BR.?qid=20070316191249AAPzf7I

THANKS.

Answer 1

Well yeah, no doubt some things are wrong. First, go fish that shell out of there if it's a real shell. That's a bad move for freshwater. Second, goldfish need like 20 gallons by the time they grow up, so you're looking at expanding quite soon or finding a new home for the goldfish.

Third, if he's been there more than 24 hours, he is probably feeling the effects of ammonia by now. Goldfish produce a lot of waste and with no filter you will need to change like 75% of the water every day to try to keep him healthy until you can get him larger quarters.

MM

Answer 2

Well the main thing that is wrong is what you put the fish in. Goldfish require a minimum of 10 gallons for each baby fish and will need 20+ when they get bigger. They are also very messy fish and need a filter. He could just be getting used to his new environment but more then likely he is being poisoned by high ammonia which will raise very fast in a bowl. If you would like your new fish to live to his potential ( which can be 20+ years) then please do a little research and buy a proper sized tank with a good filter.

Answer 3

goldfish; do best having 2-3 gallons of water per inch of body size (including tail) Goldfish are omnivours read the labeling on your goldfish flakes do you feel it has a 50-50 diet? if not feed (delmont'e no salt ) little green peas. Goldfish are prone to swimbladder problems feeding the peas will help prevent this. They also swallow alot of air eating food, so pre soak flakes before feeding. In a bowl you need to feed him less often. every other day one time, or the ammonia level between his waste and the food will become toxic. also upgrade to a larger tank asap. Goldfish can live 8-10 yrs +, they just usually dont get enough water space and die off.

Answer 4

he needs more room and an air filtration system if you want to see him active. fishbowl fish don't usually last long. they do make fish tanks that are small enough to fit in smaller spaces...the big thing is the air filtration. i have two fancy goldfish in a 10 gallon tank. i have a filter to catch the waste, and i have a air stone which helps move the air around in the water. they are constantly swimming around.

if you do get an aquarium, it will take a few days (once full) for you to let it run and get used to being set up. you want to make sure that you keep your fish in the water that he is currently in and place him and the water in a large bag (i find ziplocs work best). let that sit in the aquarium water for 30 minutes or so. then add some of the tank water in the bag and let him get used to it for another 30 minutes. then you should be able to let him go in the aquarium.

yes, your fishy will get stressed out if you move him too much. but i'm afraid your little bowl environment isn't enough for him.

oh, and if he does end up passing away, or becoming very sick that you want to ease his pain, do not flush him. he will still feel it. if you have to, place him in a small throwaway container and put it in the freezer. it will take a few hours to freeze, but he won't feel it.

Answer 5

Petco always sells goldfish in bowls! They know they are sooo wrong. Goldfish cannot and never could be kept in a fishbowl. That's the problem. GF need 10 gallons per fish, heater, airstone, and filter. I'd take it all back and get your money back. The only fish that can live in that bowl is a beta. Petco shouldn't be allowed to sell fish.

Answer 6

first of all a goldfish can not live in a bowl. They need airation...also they get large they need at least a 20 gallon tank per goldy. And shells can hike up the ph level in your little bowl they do not make good decorations unless you have a salt water tank. I included a link for you. Shaz

Answer 7

Go stand in your garage for a few days. No leaving to go to the bathroom, do it on the floor. Food should be passed in to you and no scraps taken away. All windows should be closed and sealed shut and no doors opened to let in fresh air. After the 4th or 5th day you will begin to understand what is wrong with your fish.

Answer 8

There is lack of oxygen in the bowl.A bowl is a small place for a goldfish to live.Take the shell out of the water.It may contain poisonous bacteria in it.

Answer 9

Well, nothing is very wrong, my goldfish has done this. Make sure that you put room temperture sink water, have a quiet environment, and give it time to get used to you. Be patient. If you experience further problems, contact a vet or the company/person you bought him from.

Good luck!

Answer 10

My 2 goldfish used to act like that but I bought a bubbler and they got more lively and also the lady said they live longer when they have a bubbler. My goldfish always love to swim in the bubbles:)