Please help, my goldfish isnt doing well?

Question

My goldfish is constantly swimming at the top, I just changed their water this morning and now one of them is constantly swimming at the top and lathargic and barely goes down. He also isnt eating properly. Please, help me! Is there anything I can do?

Tap or Spring?

Answer 1

Short of tossin out the constapation issue, you just changed the water in a bowl or tank? How much water did you change? If you changed all the water this could be problem number one. Especially if he isn't eating. Feeding or attempting to feed him peas won't help if he isn't eating. With Swim bladder fish will still eat.

Did you add salt to the water or keep your fish in salted water? Goldies should not be kept in water with salt, this leads to bloat (and a few other things).

Discontinue all feeding of dried pelleted and flaked foods, and all other foods of high protein content for about a week.

Lower the water level in the aquarium if possible; this will give the fish some comfort in not having to struggle so much just to get around. Depending upon the type of filtration you use, you may wish to employ a sponge filter during this time.

If you feel you need to add salt add Epsom Salt only (magnesium sulfate) to the animal's aquarium, at a rate of one to two tablespoons per ten gallons. This can be done in the main system, and can be added again in a few days after a water change if the condition persists. This muscle relaxant will help the animal to pass any blockage in the gut.

Having a lethargic fish that hangs near the surface could be a sign of lack of dissolved oxygen in the tank (or bowl) If in a tank also lower the water level 1/2" this will help add dissolved oxygen.

Also be sure the temps are lower than 70. Goldies will become lethargic once the temps exceed 72

What causes the loss of most goldfish is the poor neutrition. By nature goldies need a balanced diet. High proteins low fats. Veggies are the best foods to feed your goldies. Keeping them on a high veggie diet will keep them from getting constapated, swim bladder floaty bloaty disease and ward off dropsy.

Answer 2

Your fish is most likely constipated. You should not feed the fish for a day and then offer it high fiber food such as a softened green pea with the hull removed. After a day or so things should improve.

If that doesn't do the trick you are most likely facing a swim bladder infection. This will require treatment with an antibiotic. Furnace is the best choice for this treatment but if that's not available you can use tetracycline.

Hope that helps

MM

Answer 3

It may just be a cheap goldfish, try a smaller tank. If there are any other fish in the same tan, I would take them out, if the goldfish dies when you're not at home, it may contaminate and kill the rest.

Answer 4

Your gold fish is having a intestinal bloating problem. It is caused by feeding fish with dry packed food, which is too dry for them. The dry food expand in the tank water and when eaten it kind of expand in the stomach and hence the bloating causing the floating. You can try to feed you gold fish with worms which contains lots of fibre until the fish gets better.

Answer 5

the same thing is happening to my sisters new goldfish that she got 2 days ago. we tried getting it new food, flakes instead of pelets, and it started to eat. it still swims around the top of the bowl, but not as much.

Answer 6

http://kokosgoldfish.com/care.html

good luck