Sick Fantail...Help!

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ginaf1588

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Mar 27, 2009
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I'm new here and have had freshwater aquarium since Sept 2007. I bought a 30 gal tank to house my 3 pond fish because I was afraid they wouldn't make it outside. So I have 2 fantails and 1 comet, then added a pleco. I have been doing regualr pwc and everything was going fine. I was also feeding them floating pellets. 2 weeks ago, my female fantail was laying on her side at the bottom of the tank. Then she was floating on her head and couldn't seem to keep her bouyancy. From what I've read, it sounded like Swim Bladder Disease. I took her out of the main tank and placed her in a 10 gal tank, with filter, airstone and thermo. set to 78. I've tried Fungus Clear, Marycin-2, pimafix, melafix, peas, aqua salt, epsom salt, TMT. I fasted her for the last 2 days. Now she's just staying on her side on the bottom, but still appears to be alert and she is still eating. She likes the peas. Thanks for any advice you gave give me.

Amonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5.0
pH 7.6
 
Last edited:

jm1212

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Jul 22, 2006
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that is a whole lot of meds that you put in there, hopefully not all at once or one right after another.

if it is a swimbladder disorder, it sounds like the damage may be permanent. the best you can do now is make sure that she keeps eating, and is otherwise healthy.
 

ginaf1588

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Mar 27, 2009
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I tried the meds over the past 2 weeks and did partial water changes before switching meds. Not sure if she's suffering or not. Just laying on the bottom...
 

Flaringshutter

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Oct 17, 2006
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Hey Gina, welcome to AC! :welcome:

It sounds like you have a few things going on that could be causing problems. First, that's an awful lot of fish in a 30 gallon tank. Especially pond goldfish! Second, you're adding one med after another and only doing partial water changes between!

You're going to want to keep the fish in a much larger tank, even if you are only keeping them there for a few months. If they are small enough now to physically FIT in a 30 gallon tank, they must be young goldfish. That makes it even more crucial to keep them in a large tank. Young goldfish can grow 2 inches or more in just one month! If the tank is too small, even for a short time, it can cause deformities and illness. I suspect that the stress of moving to a small tank may be what triggered the buoyancy issues in your fantail. Stress can cause minor problems to suddenly blow up into big ones.

The good news is that if the fantail is still eating and able to swim around, the swimbladder problem can be managed. You may want to first move all the fish into a larger tank. She can go back with the other fantail and comet, since this problem is genetic and not contagious. If you don't have another tank lying around, a large rubbermaid tub will work just as well. Wash with diluted soapy water, rinse very thoroughly with dechlorinated water, and that will serve as an excellent temporary home until the pond is warm enough for them to return.
You'll want to rehome the pleco or move him to another tank. He may try to take advantage of the fantail while she is resting on the bottom and suck on her slime coat. Plecos don't make good tankmates for goldfish either way - they have dietary and temperature conflicts, besides their taste for slime coat.
Next, perform a large double water change to remove as much medication as possible. Replace the carbon in your filter with fresh to soak up the residual. Feed the goldfish a high-quality sinking pelleted food, and feed the peas every few days to assist in digestion. You may need to try a few different pellets to find one that won't cause buoyancy problems. Since SBD is a genetic problem, each fish is different and can be floaty with one food, fine with another.
I suspect a larger tank, clean water and a sinking pellet will get the SBD under control, even if it doesn't solve the problem entirely.

I hope I'm reading your post correctly in that the 30 gallon tank is meant to be a temporary home until your pond warms up again. A comet goldfish should not be kept in a tank smaller than 55 gallons, and for all three of your fish I would recommend at least a 70 gallon tank.

Best of luck with her! Keep us updated.
 

ginaf1588

AC Members
Mar 27, 2009
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Thanks for the welcome! I realized that I was not clear about the pond situation. My goldies are former pond fish. I originally purchased 4 fantails and 2 comets (they were young) for my two small ponds not knowing anything about fish. 2 died right away, and 1 fantail got eaten by a heron! After that I decided I couldn't deal with my little ones getting eaten, so I got a 30 gal tank and started my aquarium. The beginning of my fishkeeping career! They were only outside for about 4 months and were faily small; Lucky the Comet was about 4 inches and fantails (Cleo & Abby) about 3 inches. That was August 2007. I then got Herman the Pleco, who was also small---about 2 inches.

So, these guys will never be in a pond again! I would like to get a larger tank for them but large tanks and stands are quite expensive. I'm going too check out the internet for used tanks. Is a used tank a good idea?
Once I get a bigger tank, I'll keep Herman in the 30 gal and get started on a tropical tank! I know I'll get good advice from you guys when I'm ready to set it up. I obviously got alot of misguided advice thus far.

Well, I did double water chg for Abby and changed the filter as suggested. Unfortunately, she is still laying on her side at the bottom. She doesn't seem to be able to right herself anymore, so she doesn't move much except when I put food in. She wiggles around and manages to eat. I feel like I should be doing something to help her. I hope she's not suffering.

Thanks for help and encouragement. :thm:
 

Flaringshutter

Befriend a feeder!
Oct 17, 2006
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Ah, that makes everything clearer. So these fish have been in a 30 gallon tank for about a year and a half now. They are still young, but living in such a small tank for so long puts a lot of stress on goldfish immune systems. A two-year-old comet goldfish should be at least 8 inches long, if not 10 or 12 inches - which gives you an idea of how much stress is on your little ones! But not to worry - goldfish are very adaptable and young fish are still capable of catching up on lost growth. So it's important to start looking for a larger tank right away.

Used tanks are cost effective and pretty easy to find - have a look at our classifieds section, the classifieds over at MonsterFishKeepers (a great place to find very large tanks), and of course local ads like classifieds and craigslist. A reasonable price is anything under $1.50/gallon. Although a tank and stand CAN be expensive, there is no reason they have to be. Temporary setups like large rubbermaid tubs work like a charm in the meantime. You might also consider an indoor pond - these are the simplest of all! A sturdy wooden frame can be built to fit any area, and a double-layered pond liner easily contains the water. Best of all, no stand is required and the pond can be dismantled and moved if necessary.

But back to your original point - the little fantail with buoyancy problems. If she is having trouble eating, you may want to assist her by isolating her in a breeding net in the tank. The type with a plastic frame over which a soft net is stretched are the best. The soft net will cradle her and keep her from injury, while keeping her near the surface where there is plenty of oxygen. She will be easier to feed and keep an eye on.

SBD is always tough to treat - some fish will recover with a special diet, some will always have problems. The only permanent solution is surgery. A vet will be able to inflate a too-small swimbladder or deflate/weigh down a floaty fish. Since it's a fairly simple but uncommon surgery, many vets will offer a deep discount for the opportunity to teach students/other vets. But it can still cost hundreds of dollars.
You can check out http://www.aquavetmed.info/ to search for vets in your area that work with fish. Using the search, fill out only the country and state fields and check the "ornamental fish" box. Give the closest vets a call, and get an estimate on surgery. Mention that it might be a good training opportunity. The worst they can tell you is that it's out of your budget.

Keep up with the sinking pellets/peas regimen for now, isolate her at the surface in the net and give it a week or so to see if she improves. Hopefully she will regain buoyancy. Best of luck! :] Keep us updated.
 

ginaf1588

AC Members
Mar 27, 2009
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I bought the net and have had abby in it since tuesday. She's still about the same. I have noticed that the tips of her bottom fins have turned black and one of them is starting to rot. Should I start meds again? If yes, which ones would you recommend?

I also may be getting a used 110 gal tank this weekend. I want to put the tank in the living room but my one concern is the weight of the tank. Is it safe to put it in a room with a basement under it----will normal floor joists usually support the weight? My only other option is to place it in my Florida room that has a concrete floor. However, the room is not very large, mostly windows and not alot of wall space. I will have to put it in front of windows.

Thanks! :newbie:
 

Flaringshutter

Befriend a feeder!
Oct 17, 2006
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Gina, the black is a sort of bruising that is most often a sign of ammonia burns. finrot is often a sign of poor water conditions - two signs that ammonia and nitrates are building up between water changes. Your params tell me that the tank is cycled, so that's not the cause of your chemical problems. How often/how much are you feeding? It's possible that you have a hidden source of ammonia like a pocket of rotting food or something in the gravel. Otherwise, be sure to vacuum thoroughly and change the water often. It's amazing how quickly ammonia and nitrates can build up in a small tank with goldies.

Best bet right now is another big water change, and add one teaspoon of salt per 5 gallons. This is a good overall tonic and will help stop the finrot before it gets worse. The only med I would recommend at this point is melaleuca, found in meds like Mela-fix. Check the ingredients to be sure of what you're getting. Melaleuca is an all-natural, tea tree oil based antibacterial and antifungal.

The 110 gal is a perfect home for your goldfish! That's great news! The weight shouldn't be a problem - remember that at about 8.5 pounds per gallon, your tank will weigh about 1000 pounds with gravel and decorations, etc. Roughly equivalent to a big couch with four burly guys on it. Or a small horse. So if you think your floor could support that, you'll be fine.
For the best placement of the weight, be sure to use a foam-type pad under the tank to cushion it and keep an uneven floor/stand from putting uneven pressure on the glass. If you're using a stand, buy one that has as many contact points with the floor as possible. And if you can, put the tank on top of a load-bearing joist.
I have my 125 gallon in our condo on the second floor, and we've never had a problem. Many members over at MFK have even larger tanks on upper floors - but I wouldn't recommend anything over 200 gallons.

Best of luck! Keep us updated on the fantail... I hope she improves!
 

ginaf1588

AC Members
Mar 27, 2009
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Thanks so much! I have Melafix. I'll check my water parameters in the morning and start her on the meds ASAP.
 

Kashta

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Jun 24, 2008
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Since Flaringshutter has the advice part of this covered, I'll just add my best wishes that your fantail recovers quickly. It's great to see someone taking such an active interest in the welfare of their fish. Good for you!

Welcome to the site and let us know how everything goes!
 
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