Help my goldfish!

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momnatur

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Oct 8, 2003
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One of my comets, Monstro, is having terrible trouble. He's been slowly deteriorating in health (he's at least five), and now he can barely swim. He spends most of his time on one side, and his body is slightly twisted. One of his eyes is bulging out. I have him in a little insert in the big tank so he's close to the surface, but I don't know that it'll do any good. Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong with him and what I can possibly do to help him? If there's nothing I can do, I don't want him to suffer anymore, so what should I do in that case? Poor guy.

Andrea Z and the Z Zoo :confused:
 

aquariumfishguy

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Well first of all, many things can be going on. What are your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels? I assume this tank is cycled in which case you wouldn't have ammonia or nitrites... but what are your nitrates?

This could be a swim bladder issue as well as a water quality problem. What do you feed him?

Five years isn't old for Goldfish, which can live for decades.
 

momnatur

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more on the situation

Yeah, I didn't think 5 was very old. I have no idea what my nitrate levels are, but my three other golds are just fine (I can go out and buy a nitrate-testing kit, if I find I don't have one). I feed them all goldfish flake food in the a.m. and pelletted goldfish food in the p.m. I don't recall the brandname off the top of my head, but the jars of it are white with a bubble-top cap. I'm very consistent in the brand and feeding times. I use a Penguin filter, it's a 20-gal tank, and I have a bubble curtain in back. As I said, my other golds are doing just fine, so I'm not sure what's up with Monstro.

His back does look like he has some sort of scoliosis, but I don't know if that can be a symptom of something else, like a swim bladder issue, as you say.

If anyone can offer anything I can do, I'll be checking the board frequently. Thanks.

Andrea Z and the Z Zoo
 

aquariumfishguy

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It could also be stunting symptoms...

... you mentioned a totally of 4 goldfish in a 20 gallon? You should (ideally) have a 50-60 gallon tank with 4 goldfish.

Definitely test for nitrates, they are very important at this point. How often do you do water changes/gravel vacuuming?
 

momnatur

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I try to do a vacuuming and 1/4 tank change each week, but it's more often every other week or so. I do know that a larger tank would be better, but I can't afford one right now (I'm in the goldfish trap that I'm sure you're familiar with: I bought goldfish from a pet store, not knowing that they need a lot of space, so here they are in a 20 gal). Still, it's better than the original 10 gal they were in. Three of the four are about 2-3 inches long, and one is 1-2 inches. I also have a clown plec and two bettas (one male, one female) in the tank. Both bettas are on the small side (the male is barely larger than the female). Again, not ideal, but they do get along, so at least that's something.

Am I doing the right thing, having Monstro in the suspended separator in the large tank so he's close to the surface? He can hardly feed, either, which of course is contributing to his decline.

Andrea Z and the Z Zoo
 

lark

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If you still have the ten gallon the right thing to do is to move him by himself into it and do daily large water changes and treatment there. That many fish, especially goldfish, is crowded for a 20 gallon.



Also, though seeming how your other fish aren't affected(yet?) I think this is not a factor. I just want to warn you that electrical current in the water can cause deformities like scoliosis. Make sure your equipment is properly grounded!
 

momnatur

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electrical current

Wow. Okay. I think everything is grounded, but that's good to keep an eye on (makes sense since no one likes to be swimming when lightning hits the water).

I can certainly move him to a 10 gal by himself. How on earth do I get him to eat, though? He barely manages to grab stuff, and it has to be right in front of his face for him to even see it. Like I mentioned in my first post, he's pretty much on one side, and one of his eyes is bulging out.


Andrea Z and the Z Zoo
 
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