My Goldie isn't eating?

Question

The past few days, my common goldfish hasn't been eating. I've tried all sorts of things to get it to eat, including changing foods (flakes to pellets, shelled peas in case it's constipated), I've even done the equivalent of a full water change over the past few days after vacuuming up the food particles, etc. off the bottom that it hasn't eaten. I cleaned the filter media in a separate container of tank water. All my goldie does is hang out at the bottom of the tank and doesn't swim around much... I'm not sure why (swim bladder?). There aren't any parasites or anything that I can see, no Ick, this is a mystery for me. I've had the goldie for roughly 6 months, so it's not like it's been through tank changes. All the levels look normal (the temp is a little high, since I don't have A/C, but there's been a fan cooling it off from the outside of the tank for the whole summer). HELP!!!

It's now been two weeks since I've seen my goldfish eat, he must be getting tidbits off the bottom, but I'm pretty sure his swim bladder is screwed up, because he'll try really hard to swim, but when he stops he ends up crash-landing at the bottom of the tank. He now has discovered the Airstone (it's been in there a month) and likes to hang out in the bubbles. But i hardly ever see him swimming around, he just stays in the same general corner of the tank. Should I get him friends to get him moving?

Answer 1

It definately sounds like constipation
http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/disease.html

But it could also be from stress since you cleaned your tank so much and so often

Check your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels, if you have got nitrite readings, your tank is going through another cycle and that stresses him out



Hope that helps
Good luck


EB

Answer 2

The temperature in the fish tank got to be under 80 degrees. If is it and it over 80 degress the the goldfish can stress out and won't eat. I have a/c and the fish tank in the next room and it doesn't keep it cool. Want I did put water in the refrigrator and at night I would change water 25 percent to 50 percent and it would cool the water and the fish doesn't mind. Their is something wrong possible but I think it kind of hard to figure out with fishes. Good luck..

Answer 3

Too many people jump to the wrong conclusions and over-medicate their fish unnecessarily.
You must have just over cleaned your tank.
Therefore, your tank is going through another cycle and that stresses out your goldfish.
Be patient as your tank's biological processes get their collective act together.
Try to keep your tank in the shade and as cool as you can.
Toss in a few ice cubes.
Try tubifex worm cubes. My goldfish love 'em.
I'm sure your goldfish will be up & gravel grazing again soon.

Best of Luck!
.


Don't add any new fish. Your fish needs to heal and relax.
New fish would just be a bother to him. Feed him in his general location, sinking food which reaches him.

Answer 4

I just lost my goldfish I've had for a year to cancerous tumors. He started out like that. I tried everything for medicine with him. He got better for a week or two then got worse again. Then the tumors got large enough to see them. I had to end his pain tonight as he was not going to get better and he was suffering. Hopefully yours is just stressed and will be back to normal in a few days, but they are severely inbred these days and are prone to many health issues.

Answer 5

you must make sure the tank has good aeration, you wouldn't think it but fish have to breath, make sure you have an air pump with an adequate defuser "air stone" also keep the tank out of direct sunlight, hope this helps
i have a 450ltr tank my fish "shane" has been with me 8YEARS!!!

Answer 6

Try feeding him some bloodworms. It should change your goldfish's mind!

Answer 7

i think it is a bladder problem and it will sink to bottom.I don't think there is a cure for it.Hope this helps.