Goldfish is swimming really weird - help!

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amyandlars

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Sep 18, 2006
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This morning I found him stuck between the filter and heater. And a small part of him was out of the water. (Thank goodness for early morning w/c's). Now He's zooming from side in the tank and even hitting the sides of the tank. It's kind of a frenzy. He's even flipping in the water, and he's breathing really hard. Doesn't look like there is any gil damage.


*Note from the time I started to post this message and getting water params, he's stopped the swimming, and has settled to the bottom of the tank. He's still breathing rapidly though. Is there anything to help calm him down.

BTW ammonia, nitrites/ates are all zero.
 
rosita

rosita

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One, what is your heater set at? Gold fish aren't tropical/warmwater fish.
Two, have you checked the water parameters? His heavy breathing sounds like high ammonia.
Three, what size tank do you have him in, and are there any tankmates?
 
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amyandlars

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Ammonia,nitrates, nitrites are all zero.

The heater was off, it's only used for the winter time.

Tank mate is a snail.

Now it's started swimming in circles.

The tank is 10 gal. Yes I know it's going to be too small, right now he is 2 inches long.
 
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amyandlars

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He's a comet, and this tank is cycling again. I'm doing 2x a day w/c's. It was only part way and then I changed the filter. I give him flakes and let them sink in a cup of tank water first. Also he gets 2 feeds of veggies 1x a week. Last night's meal was bloodworms. 2 live plants java ferns. I add Hagen plant flourish with iron, after 2 50% w/c. This is also the tank that I posted about 2 days ago, b/c it had a strange odor that was coming from the water.


I'm wondering if something was wrong with him starting last night and that is how he ended up between the heater and filter. He's swimming almost as if he's chasing his tail fin. I'm thinking about trying to treat for a swim bladder infection anyway.

I have another tank that just finished cycling yesterday. It has 2 filters. One that has been in since day 1 and one that has been in for 7 days. If I take out the day 1 filter will the other filter be sufficently cycled? At least this might help the other tank and ease some stress off the goldfish.
 
plah831

plah831

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Amy, I'm going to move this thread to Coldwater for ya :) Folks there are experts on goldies and might be able to help more.
 
Dangerdoll

Dangerdoll

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Sounds like there might be a couple of problems.

1 might be an ammonia problem. Yes, he's 2 inches and yes, the water changing is 2s a day but what are the levels before you change the water? The issue at this time isn't the size of the fish because by sight, it would appear that he fits into the tank quite well, doesn't it. Well, goldfish give off an awful lot of hormones and bio-waster that fouls up the water quite quickly. What kind of filtration is on the tank?

2 What are you feeding him. It sounds like he's got possible swim bladder issues. This is a common problem with goldfishes that are fed floating foods such as flakes or floating sticks and/or pellets. Goldfish need to be fed a sinking food or need to have their food soaked to make it sink so they don't gulp madly at the surface during dinner time. It's this gulping that causes the problem. They take in a lot of air, causing the air to be stuck in their swim bladder, making it tough for them to keep themselves "balanced" correctly in the tank.

by the way, comet goldfish don't need the heaters at all in the tank unless your house temp fluctuates like mad.
 
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amyandlars

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I did take a day off from the water changes. And did I pay the price the next day. It was 1.0ppm ammonia. So I had to do 3 w/c's. 1 was 80%. For the next 2 days it was .25-.5 before the change now it is 0. I've only done 1 w/c today b/c I didn't want to stress him out more than he is. But I did test the water this afternoon and it was 0. He is also refusing food. This is only the 1st day without food.

Not quite sure what to do. Still thinking about adding some antibacterial. If I add antibac, and he doesn't have swim bladder what will happen?

The heater is more for the snail. And during this time of year you wake up to a 67-65 degree house and it hits 80+ during the afternoon.

*EDIT* After the have to start from scratch cycle filter change I added a second filter. The first 1 is Tetra-Fin 10 gallon. The 2nd is an Elite sponge filter rated for 5 gallons. I was planning on upgrading to a Marineland Biowheel Penguin 100 or w/e one is for 20gals. But if I can find a really good deal on 29+gal we will dump this 10gal.
 
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fantail

fantail

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Sounds like he is in pain poor thing.
10 gallons is way too small for a comet and you will be forever chasing your tail trying to keep up with water changes and making sure theres no ammonia. How old is your test kit?
What filter have you got and how many times does it turn over the water each hour? Is it a sponge filter where the bacteria can grow or a carbon one?

Was he actually stuck do you think or maybe he wedged himself there? If it was my fish i would salt the tank at 1 level teaspoon per gallon and 12 hours later do it again to bring you to .2%

You would need to remove the snail though.

If his gills are bothering him then the salt will help. Use any salt but table.

When doing water changes you must remember how much you take out to put the salt back in.

Does he try to scratch himself at all? And can you see what colour his gills are. Nice healthy gills are a a meaty red colour.

Is his poo ok? It should be short and brown or whatever the colour of the food?

Could he be blind?
 
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amyandlars

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Sep 18, 2006
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We have another tank for the snail. So we will try the salt treatment. If he's blind it would be for the first time today. Whenever you walked into the room he would go to the surface and start actively looking for food. The test kits are new, and I know they are testing acuratly, b/c I used them to test my newly cycled tank.

Do I need to turn up the heat, like an ich treatment?
 
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