Gasping For Air...so Worried

[Frazy85]

Ok i know this isnt the correct area for a goldfish problem but i dont know what else to do. My goldfish is absoloutely gasping for air every minute or so in my tank. Hes had ammonia problems recently, black spots formed and they have now all disappeared as i did regular water changes. After these regular water changes, my fish seems to have been getting worse! The more i change his water the more distressed he gets and starts gasping for air. He really is at his worst now, when hes not gasping, hes thrashing around the tank.

I dont know my ammonia reading, i took the water to a shop recently who told me it was fine, which is rubbish, because black spots formed. Im trying to get an ammonia test kit but theyve run out and wont get any in until tuesday.

Hes had a problem with a bloated stomach for around a year, he wasnt treated well by his previous owners, i decided to try and help him, but its been a learning process ever since, and i seem to just be killing him instead of helping him.

i changed his water this morning hoping to help, and hes just gasping even more now. Im using tetra aquasafe water conditioner, i originally actually used quite a bit extra dosage, the water even turned a fairly blue colour, and the fish seemed to like that. Ive been using a bit more than the normal dosage ever since but he seemed to prefer it when i used a lot more.

Any ideas what i can do?

 

[star4]

Do you have an air pump? try adding some extra air into the tank, or move your filter so its disturbing the surface more. Try feeding some peas, goldfish can get constipation quite easily, it may be worth trying an antibacterial medication too for the bloating. The brown spots would be ammonia burns from the high ammonia, the antibacterial med will also help clear it up a little.

 

[Frazy85]

I originally did add the bacterial medication for the bloating, which seems to have done nothing. Its a problem which stemmed from his previous owners deciding not to use a filter in his tank for a whole year.....

The ammonia spots have all gone, and yet hes acting a lot more distressed than he was when he actually had the spots. I dont have an air pump, but i moved the filter so its disturbing the surface more and it still is causing problems.

 

[Frazy85]

Please, if anyone knows anything, id be really greatful, hes getting so bad hes just constantly thrashing now, i feel helpless!! Just having to watch him die and i think its me whos killing him

 

[star4]

Is he rubbing or flicking at all, I am wondering if he has a problem with his gills, do they look red and inflamed? the high ammonia could have caused damage to them hence him struggling to breath, when you do a wc he may just be stressed from the interferance. The more air you can get into the tank the better, see if you can get an air pump.

 

[Frazy85]

he does spend a lot of time on the ground with his face in the gravel actually...i presumed he was looking for food. Visually he shows no signs of problems apart from his obvious inflated belly. But i mean, hes not a very active fish these days as it is, hes 8 years old, so for him to be thrashing all around, violently swimming to the top of the tank every minute or so desperate for oxygen, i just think hes on his way out, and i really dont know what else to do. I mean should i keep doing water changes?! Should i add more water conditioner even though ive added a fair amount?

Could it even be the water conditioner thats hurting him?

 

[star4]

Did the previous owner use conditioner? it is a possibility that if they didnt bother with a filter they might not have bothered with conditioner and it could be irritating him, try a wc with only a half dose see if that changes his behaviour. Or you can get away without using conditioner if you do a small change and add the new water very slowly.

 

[Frazy85]

No they didnt, they barely did anything

Well...i used conditioner with a fairly high dose actually first time, and he didnt seem bothered, but then the recent ones, ive used a smaller dose, and hes getting worse...so im thinking whether i should add a lot again...but that turns his water fairly blue. Im not a fishkeeper im a novice and im trying really hard to help this guy but it just seems like im doing the wrong things

 

[star4]

Is he the only fish in the tank? sounds like the poor little guy had a tough time and he does have some problem with his gills most likely damage from poor water I would be tempted to try some Melafix help repair any damage and go with smaller more frequent water changes rather than large ones using such a heavy dose of conditioner.

 

[Aqua Tom]

How big is the Goldfish in question & how big is the tank that he is in?

 

[Frazy85]

Hes pretty big, but the tank is 30 litres, been told that hes fine for the tank that hes in, thats all ive been told. I mean, he hasnt had any gasping problems until the last couple of days, and ive changed his water twice in the last couple of days.

Just checked him again and hes just sitting on the top gasping constantly now.

Im thinking maybe add some water conditioner to the tank? I really am out of ideas

 

[Alasse]

30litres is nowhere near big enough for a goldfish, especially a 'pretty big' one

Do you have any larger containers (not had chemicals in) that you can move him to, run as much air into the makeshift container as you possible can.

 

[Frazy85]

I really dont have anything...i just tried to help the fish cause it was being neglected, i really dont have anything else i can put him in, and i cant afford a huge tank or anything like that.

 

[guppi]

I would suggest you use the recommened dosage for the water you are adding,also add a air stone if possible.

 

[Alasse]

It came from a filthy tank? Did you drip acclimatise him over a few hours to your tank water?

I bet he is in major shock, you have taken it from filthy conditions which it was used to living in into pristine water which is not what it is used to, fish generally do not deal with that well at all. Then you are constantly adding more chemical would be compounding the problem, and honestly you should only use the recommended dosage anyway, I would leave the water alone and add heaps of air in the form or airstones, bubblers etc.

And not to be mean, but it cannot live long term in a 30litre tank, so if you cannot upgrade you need to rehome it