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mcsnazzy's avatar

I need goldfish help!

Asked by mcsnazzy (434points) January 9th, 2012 from iPhone

My goldfish recently got swim bladder disease because his nitrate levels were too high. Apparently the filter wasn’t efficient and didn’t work so well as the insert got clogged. Anyways I’ve got a new insert and his tank is cleaned once a week. I’ve fasted him for 4 days and no result. He looks slightly like a balloon he’s blown up like air is filling him and his scales are slightly sticking out. I can’t figure out what to do. I have a water tester for ammonia and nitrate and pH and everything is okay. Today I had to reach into the tank and grab him and bring him towards the sinking pellets so he would eat because he couldn’t reach them on his own. How can I cure him?

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8 Answers

ANef_is_Enuf's avatar

How do you know it was swim bladder disease? Raised scales and a swollen body are common symptoms of dropsy, which unfortunately can be very difficult to treat.

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ANef_is_Enuf's avatar

Yeah, sorry. :( Dropsy is usually fatal, and the bloated belly and raised scales are usually the tell tale signs.

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mcsnazzy's avatar

well because it was havig bouyancy problems where it would flip upside down and couldn’t roll back and then it had trouble getting back down to the bottom of the tank. But he scales don’t stick out like dropsy. Not as severe. He just looks puffed up.

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ANef_is_Enuf's avatar

@mcsnazzy try squeezing the inside of a pea into the tank, see if he will eat that. That can help with swim bladder issues, if he will eat it. Not the shell of the pea, itself, your fish can choke on that. Just squeeze it.

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Seaofclouds's avatar

Swim bladder disease can also be caused by constipation and excessive gas. One of the recommended treatments in that case is to fast the fish for several days and then try to feed it peas.

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mcsnazzy's avatar

Thank you @ANef_is_Enuf and @Seaofclouds I will try the pea thing out.

mcsnazzy (434points)“Great Answer” (1points) Flag as…
ANef_is_Enuf's avatar

Good luck, hope it helps the little guy.

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