A Question About A Sick Goldfish | Golden Skate

A Question About A Sick Goldfish

megsk8z

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I hope one (or two or three) of you learned people can help me. My daughter has had two fantails for about 3 years and a couple of days ago one of them started to swim in a weird position. It was like his skin was on too tightly on one side, so he was forced to bend to the other side. I thought he was on the way out, but gave him a few days to try to get better. Amazingly enough, this morning he was swimming almost normally, but listing to one side slightly. Anyone know what this is? I'd sure appreciate any suggestions you have. I clean the take regularly and change the filter in the water wheel regularly.

Thank you so much!
 

CzarinaAnya

Medalist
Joined
Aug 29, 2003
Do you happen to have those little aquarium rocks in the tank? If so, your fish may have swallowed one of them. I had a fish that swallowed one, kept swimming sideways. It went completely through his body, but he couldn't pass it, so he ended up dying.

Our other two goldfish lived up to 4-5 years. They probably would have lived longer, but we were moving, so we decided to give them to our neighbor. Big mistake, because goldfish are dirty water fish, and the lady we gave them to plopped them in fresh tap water and put a filter in, after she was told not to. They died within 24 hours. I was attached to those fish. We always cleaned the tank, put fresh water in, let it rest for 24 hours, while the fish were in a separate bowl of their old water until the new water was ready. We gave her the instructions, but nooo, she thought she knew better, even though they had been just fine for a long time, the way we did it. Ok, I'm done ranting!
 

megsk8z

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
No little aquarium rocks.........those big plastic ones are prettier. The fish has managed to upright himself and seems fine now, but I sure would like to know what made him act like that. He's done that sideways thing twice now.

I never do the "stick the fish in tap water" thing either. I put slime coat in a gallon of water and when it gets to be room temperature I take a gallon of the tank water out and replace it with the new gallon of water.

Thanks, Anya, for the reply. It seems silly to take a 99 cent goldfish to the vet. At any rate, he's swimming and eating fine today. Do fish have ears? Maybe it's an inner ear thing?
 

diver chick

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 18, 2003
usually if fish are struggling to maintain a normal swimming position it is a swim bladder infection.
If the fish is swimming and feeding fine now then chances are it was only a mild infection, however I would think about getting some water testing kits which will check things like PH and chemical balances etc. as quite often it is poor water quality that leads to sick fish and also get something to add to the water which will treat the source of the infection.
 
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