What causes goldfish to eat and spit out food?

Question

My pond goldfish are taking in flakes and floating koi sticks then spitting them back out. This affected one fish last year and now others have started with the same sympton? In general they look healthy, possible cloudy eyes on some, but pond is clear etc.

Answer 1

Several possibilities come to mind. Old or stale food. Food they just don't like, or possibly they like for it to soften a bit before they eat it. As long as they eventually eat the food it's nothing to be worried about.

MM

Answer 2

Goldfish and Koi by nature are redecorators. They will pick up pebbles, rocks, sticks and spit them back out. It has been suggested that this is how they FEEL. although goldfish are hearty eaters, food isn't something they will turn down. Gold fish are smart and if one does it they will all start to do it.

Perfectly natural however for them to Spit. If you are sure they are not eating at all, try giving them veggies and oranges.
Gold fish and Koi need high vit. c foods.

Possible cloudy eyes? did they just come out of hybernation? If this is the case it is normal. It is also normal for them not to eat as much.

Answer 3

Cloudy eyes could be ammonia spike or Ph crash. Check the perameters. GF and Koi usually eat like crazy, the fact that they aren't is concerning. First change food and toss that other stuff. See if they spit out fresh food. If they do, it could indicate something internal. Columnaris could block the intestine at the back of the mouth causing them not to be able to swallow the food. Intestinal worms could also cause this. You may need to catch one and examine it more closely. Check the gills, they should be intact and a healthy red color. Not brown, pink, blotchy or ragged. Slime coat intact. No fuzzy stuff in the mouth or lips. The eyes shouldn't be cloudy at all. Scales should be bright not washed out or dull. Fins should be blemish free and in tact. Belly should feel like a flexed muscle, not too hard or sqishy. Fish shouldn't be skinny, big head small body. I suspect the water is fairly cold but getting warmer due to spring weather. Since gf are cold blooded, their immune system works slower in cold water. Cold water doesn't necessarily slow down pathogens and they could be rising in number as the temperature does. The fish simply can't keep the bad bugs at bay due to a slow immune system response. That's why I incourage everyone who owns a goldfish to keep them in warmer water. I never let my tank go below 75 degrees. When I used to let it fall in the winter to around 66 the goldfish would begin to suffer and get sick more often. I've done a lot of research and I take advice from whom I beleive are the best in the business, all keep their goldfish in the mid to high 70's just like tropicals.
Check www.koivet.com and see if you can find a remedy to your problem. When GF won't eat there is a problem somewhere.

Answer 4

Since these are pond fish, what's the water temperature? They won't have much interest in eating (it's too cold to digest the food properly) if the water temperature is under 50-55o. The air temperature may feel warm to you, but if it gets cold where you are, the water in the pond may take a few weeks to get warm enough for them to be interested in food.

Also, at this time of year, ponds have a turnover - ice is lighter than water, but when the ice melts, the cold water sinks and causes water beneath it to rise. The water from the bottom of the pond contains nutrients from dead plant leaves and the nitrates may be affecting the fish - and lead to an algae bloom. Do you clean all the leaves (from trees, aquatic plants) from the pond in the fall and do periodic water changes? If your pond is one that has no outlet, all the chemicals from the fish wastes and atmosphere (via rain) collect in the pond. The only way to get them out is to do a partial water change, much like in an aquarium.

Answer 5

they are not hungry or they are picky and don`t want the food you are giving. Try not feeding them for a period of time and then see if they eat it. Is this the same kind of food you always feed? Sometimes fish can get spoiled on expensive "treats" (bloodworms, beefheart, etc..) and won`t eat pellets anymore.

Answer 6

My fish do this, either the food is too big, not to their taste, or something inedible...... the food you are feeding them, how long have you had it, check it is not stale, damp etc...... fish will eat most things......

Answer 7

You should get them cheaked out by a vet. Also, try changing their food.

Answer 8

Starve them a few days you will see the result, positive.

Answer 9

if poop is mixed in with it i have 121 fish i know

Answer 10

he deos not want it