cold water

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

gonsouth

AC Members
Nov 27, 2009
33
0
0
I have a neighbor who has deep bodied goldfish in her pond. We have had unusually cold weather (we're in South Carolina) and three of her fish are swimming upside down. Will they go back to normal when the pond warms up? Should she add a heater to the pond? If so, What kind?
 

SumTinsFishy

Vampire Pleco??
Nov 3, 2009
68
0
0
Fennville, Michigan
Real Name
Joel
most likely not, Sounds like they have bloat, or swim bladder infection (bacterial infection) you can treat with antibiotics or there are a few home remedies you can try. cost effective wise they should be brought into smaller aquariums to treat cheaper.
 

SumTinsFishy

Vampire Pleco??
Nov 3, 2009
68
0
0
Fennville, Michigan
Real Name
Joel
Sorry I did not addresss the heater issue above. If the pond is freezing over then yes a heater or bubbler should be added. something to keep the ice at least partly open, to allow for gas exchanges. However if it does not ice over and there is a pump running a heater or bubbler should not be needed. Either way extra treatment for the Gold Fish will most likely be needed.
 

gonsouth

AC Members
Nov 27, 2009
33
0
0
She does have a bubbler in the pond , but no heater. I could lend her a 50 gallon water trough that she can move to her garage and treat the fish. What type of antibiotic should she use?
 

SumTinsFishy

Vampire Pleco??
Nov 3, 2009
68
0
0
Fennville, Michigan
Real Name
Joel
Swim bladder infection can be hard to treat. Try feeding them peas I've also heard some times cooked white rice works. If that does not work you can try fasting the fish for a week. There is also a method where you can use a hypodermic needle to aspirate the swim bladder (a lot of vets prefer this method). As far as medications you can try Metronidazole, also add aquarium salt, that never hurts
 

Lupin

Registered Member
Sep 21, 2006
21,430
13
0
Lupin Information Super Highway/Goldfish Informati
thegab.org
Real Name
Paul
Key questions here...

How cold is the pond exactly?
How deep is it?
Had she been feeding her goldfish during the cold season?
If so, what was she feeding them?
Have they expelled poop at all?
What variants are they exactly? Ryukins? Fantails?

Fancy goldfish tend to do better in warmer water than anything else below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Singletails however are much more tolerant hence they are much more suited to pond life than the fancies.

I would not aspirate the goldfish just yet without figuring out the actual issue nor attempt treating with antibiotics. There are plenty of things you need to find out more before trying anything.

However one thing to consider here is that if she had been feeding her fish foods at all during their "dormancy" period, then their slow metabolic rate can cause the foods to remain confined in the gastrointestinal tract and potentially cause internal bacterial infections. When this happens, it can cause inflammations in the vascular mechanisms causing the fish to lose control its buoyancy balance. This is one thing to consider and most likely the root of this problem but we still need to look into other angles before jumping on recommendations of treatments.

Could you please add more details by answering the questions below?

1. What is the size of your tank?

2. What are your water parameters? State the brand of test kit used.

3. Is your aquarium set up freshwater or brackish water?

4. How long the aquarium has been set up?

5. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them?

6. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)?

7. What temperature is the tank water currently?

8. Are there live plants in the aquarium?

9. What filter are you using? State brand, maintenance routine and power capacity.

10. Any other equipment used (aside from heater and filter which are two very important components of the tank)?

11. Does your aquarium receive natural sunlight at any given part of the day? What is your lighting schedule (assuming you do not rely on sunlight for our viewing pleasure)?

12. When did you perform your last water change and how much water was changed? How often do you change your water? Do you vacuum the substrate?

13. What foods do you provide your fish? What is the feeding schedule?

14. What unusual signs have you observed in your fish?

15. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? If so, what treatments did you use? State your reasons for planning ahead of proper diagnosis.
 

gonsouth

AC Members
Nov 27, 2009
33
0
0
the goldfish are in an outdoor pond about 160 gallons. The pond has frozen over and she has a bubbler to keep a hole in the ice.. (we're in SC). Last winter the fish were all ok because i t was not as cold. They are not being fed. Only one of the fish is permenatly upside down, the other two seem to be able to right themselves. The plants in the pond are all dorment. It's not my pond, but it's my neighbors. She says the PH is about 7.2 and there are about 7 fish in the pond. Only 3 are having problems. I don't know exactly what kind they are, but they have very deep bodies.
 
Last edited:
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store