Goldfish with swim bladder issues

[hunterk997]

I have been getting help from people on an aquarium forum for this, but no one has replied lately, and I need help. My gold fish always has problems with his swim bladder. Now he is upside down and is a very weak swimmer, and gets sucked up by the filter. Should I leave the filter off for the night, since I have no tank divider? Or should I put him into a bowl for the night? I'm really upset by this and any help would be great.

 

[N2TORTS]

Sounds like your finned friend has “Swim bladder Disease” A disorder actually…
This is caused from a bacteria ………you need to clean your tank thoroughly , all rocks and plants too!…..Then feed your fish frozen peas. This will rid the problem. Also note it is not contagious such as Ick. :shy:

 

[Tom]

You should get a bigger strainer or wrap a filter sponge around your exiting one. Your filter needs to run 24/7. Your fish needs to stay in its tank.

 

[N2TORTS]

http://thegoldfishtank.com/swim-bladder-disease/

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I have been getting help from people on an aquarium forum for this, but no one has replied lately, and I need help. My gold fish always has problems with his swim bladder. Now he is upside down and is a very weak swimmer, and gets sucked up by the filter. Should I leave the filter off for the night, since I have no tank divider? Or should I put him into a bowl for the night? I'm really upset by this and any help would be great.

My wife has tropical fish. Each tank has a homemade diffuser on the outlet and a homemade sponge on the intake. She has tropical fish. Close to 250 gallons in 3 tanks. At the vet clinic she works at, they have something like a 75 gallon tank with fancy goldfish in it. If she were up and about, I would ask her what she thinks could be the problem, but I think the feedback you've already received is good. As for me, I've got a goldfish of the feeder type, living in a 55 gallon barrel that collects rain water and in the warmer months, breeds mosquito, so I put him in to eat them some 18 months ago or so. He's doing great, and I do nothing at all for him. I'm a poor fish keeper.

 

[hunterk997]

You should get a bigger strainer or wrap a filter sponge around your exiting one. Your filter needs to run 24/7. Your fish needs to stay in its tank.

Is there a way to make a filter sponge? I don't have one and when I try looking it up it shows results for sponge filter.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Is there a way to make a filter sponge? I don't have one and when I try looking it up it shows results for sponge filter.

We were able to purchase a large piece of blue foam/sponge at our aquarium specialty store.

 

[hunterk997]

Is there a way to make a filter sponge? I don't have one and when I try looking it up it shows results for sponge filter.

We were able to purchase a large piece of blue foam/sponge at our aquarium specialty store.

I found a normal sponge and cut it to fit around the filter. I put the fish back in the aquarium this morning.

---

Well... He is now at the bottom of the tank upside down... I don't see him moving at all, even his gills are completely still. Is he dead, or dying? Should I keep him in there, or consider euthanizing him if he is still alive?

 

[hunterk997]

Thank you everyone for help. But sadly he has died... I put him in the freezer to ensure he is dead.

 

[wellington]

Sorry you lost him. It is very hard to save them once this happens. They usually will get it back again and very seldom live too long afterwards. Gold fish are very dirty fish that really should never, ever live in a fish bowl, like what is sold for them
One gold fish per ten gallons is pushing it. It really should be one goldfish per twenty gallons and a very good filtration system. If it does ever happen again, start feeding the frozen peas ASAP. This will usually help and give them some more time.

 

[hunterk997]

Sorry you lost him. It is very hard to save them once this happens. They usually will get it back again and very seldom live too long afterwards. Gold fish are very dirty fish that really should never, ever live in a fish bowl, like what is sold for them
One gold fish per ten gallons is pushing it. It really should be one goldfish per twenty gallons and a very good filtration system. If it does ever happen again, start feeding the frozen peas ASAP. This will usually help and give them some more time.

Thanks for the advice. He did get these swim bladder problems before, and I immediately fed peas, and changed the water. I guess it was just a matter of time. If I ever get more fish I will definitely make sure it is in a tank bigger than a ten gallon.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

If you like fish, get more fish! My wife does 50%water changes weekly with her tanks. She checks chemical levels daily, as well. When the ammonia level has gotten too high, she changes out 50%, even if it's not planned for a couple days. Also, she found the fish store with the best reputation, and the knowledgable sales people to go to in our area. This means she travels 1hr. Each way to get the healthiest fish and the best advice. She found a fish forum app as well that is simpler to the tortoise forum, but she says from what she can tell, we're all a nicer group of folks here! She has freshwater tropical community tanks, and she cares for her fish like we care for our tortoises.

 

[N2TORTS]

"PHISH"=

:shy:

 

[hunterk997]

I will have a spare ten gallon after this year ends. Maybe I will do some researching of some fish that will do fine in that. I am already getting a 50 gallon, so that plus the other aquarium, and my tort enclosure, I can only afford a ten gallon in my room
I must have been close to a mental break, because once I put him in the freezer I just lost it. I still feel horrible. But this has definitely shown me to do more research on tank sizes, and testing the water. I guess I learned the hard way.
I will be getting one of those aqeuon siphons things next month so I will do water changes whenever possible. I am so relieved about that.