Gold Fish issue

Just a Plinker

Hi all I came home from work this evening and found my sons gold fish on his side, He is still alive and when touched swims for a while, but it is like he is drunk lobbsided, Is there anything I can do or is he on the way out, He is in a tank about 2 feet long 18 inches high and 1 foot wide there is a filtter / pump on the whole time and is feed once every 2 days as per instruction from pet shop

And help or advice please

Davy

Tropheus

Hi Davy,

Are you doing water changes every week? Are you treating the water and bringing it up to temperature? How much are you feeding? A couple of flakes is more than enough. One flake every day would be better.

If you can get your hands on eSHa 2000 you could give it a try. It's a good broad spectrum treatment. It sounds like a swim bladder problem. Odds are against you judging by the description, but it's worth a try.

Just a Plinker

Hi and thanks for the reply we were told not to change the water once we had the filter / pump on, We use ritchies steriliser & cleaner and feed him tetra Goldfish Sticks, He is in a badway now

ksimpson wrote: »

Hi Davy,

Are you doing water changes every week? Are you treating the water and bringing it up to temperature? How much are you feeding? A couple of flakes is more than enough. One flake every day would be better.

If you can get your hands on eSHa 2000 you could give it a try. It's a good broad spectrum treatment. It sounds like a swim bladder problem. Odds are against you judging by the description, but it's worth a try.

kylith

I don't know who told you not to change the water, but you need to change 50% per week. Treat it with dechlorinator before you add it to the tank. I've never heard of Richie's Sterilizer and cleaner. A search online tells me that it's for cleaning brewing equipment! If this is what you're using stop immediately! It is probably wiping out any good (poo eating) bacteria, meaning that your ammonia levels are probably through the roof. Do you have a kit with which to check the ammonia levels?

Immediately change as much water as you can with dechlorinated water which is the same temperature as the tank water and read the 'Cycling a tank' sticky at the top of the page.

Just a Plinker

Cheers mate will do, The guy in the shop told us not to change the water, He was dead this morning, But thanks for the reply

Davy

kylith wrote: »

I don't know who told you not to change the water, but you need to change 50% per week. Treat it with dechlorinator before you add it to the tank. I've never heard of Richie's Sterilizer and cleaner. A search online tells me that it's for cleaning brewing equipment! If this is what you're using stop immediately! It is probably wiping out any good (poo eating) bacteria, meaning that your ammonia levels are probably through the roof. Do you have a kit with which to check the ammonia levels?

Immediately change as much water as you can with dechlorinated water which is the same temperature as the tank water and read the 'Cycling a tank' sticky at the top of the page.

kylith

Sorry to hear that. Read that sticky before you start again, ditch the steriliser (my money is on that having poisoned him), and change at least 50% of the water every week.

Unfortunately not everyone who works in a pet shop knows much about fish.

Tropheus

Sorry to hear that. Sounds like you got very bad advice. When preparing water for a water change, leave it sitting overnight so it comes up to the same temperature as the tank water. When cleaning the filter, wash the sponges in tank water (after you've removed the water from the tank). Chlorine in tap water will kill the beneficial bacteria. 50% water changes per week and you'll bet set.

Also keep feeding to minimum. A goldfish's stomach is about the size of its eye so one our two flakes a day max.

Clean everything down and start again. Change the sponge in the filter as it may contain some of that cleaner stuff which I would also bet caused your problem. Fishkeeping is pretty straight forward once you get the basics right.