Goldfish Emergency!

[rsz]

Hello there

I know its not exactly a tropical fish, just in dire need of help!

Tank size: Small (about 8L)
tank temp: Room temperature
Change of water every: 2 weeks, about 2 jug fulls are taken out and replaced with treated water.

Living quite happilly in one of these cheap crappy tanks (as it is our first fish - please don't flame!) We were about to put it into a Biorb when suddenly he became dispondant.

We replaced the water and treated it as we had been doing previously, and then he got worse; he just sunk to the bottom.

He used to be able to swim up for food then would sink like a rock again, but now hes not even swimming up for food; he's just stuck at the bottom.

Before switiching tanks though, i just want to ensure he's well again. I was about to feed him a mushed up pea, but was also wanting to see if there was any one avaliable to diagnose whats wrong, and how he can be fixed.

Thanks very much in advance!

UPDATE: Tried feeding him a mushy pea, but he wasnt interested in eating.

 

[Wisperian]

Okay that is just way too small for 2 goldfish

 

[BWBettas]

There is only one goldfish in that tank but still it needs a lot bigger tank... a 30 gallon at least. And your tank is only 2 gallons

Bret

but i would dose some salt and a swimbladder medication, anything else wehave to go by

 

[rsz]

I know the tank is too small... that's why we've bought the new tank. As he's only small, we put him in the small tank when we bought him. He's been happy as anything up until now.

How would I dose salt? Can I buy it from an lfs?
Is it quite likely to be a swimbladder infection then? Do fish recover from this usually?

Thank you.

 

[LucyHurst]

Have you got any test kits, as you said he got worse after a water change, im thinking maybe theres ammonia in your tap water?
Is the tank filtered?
btw a biorb is still not a good tank for goldfish.

Is he eating at all? like if it falls in front of him.

 

[rsz]

We got the water tested at the lfs... they said the nitrate levels were too high, and gave us some stuff to put in the water.

He's not eating at all now. When we tried to give him some pea [I read it can help with swimbladder infection] he kept on sort of swimming away.

Now, my friend is the one with the fish, and he posted the first two posts here with my account [his confirmation email never got through, as is the way with hotmail], so I don't know if the tank is filtered... I'll get him to come on and tell you =]

Rosie x

 

[WILDER]

Yes it is swim badder and it can be fetched on to poor diet and bad water quality.
Neither of the fish are going to make it the tank is to small, they are massive waste producers, that why the first goldfish needs a 20gal, then 10gal for every other one added.
If your nitrates are very high its due to the fact that the filter isn't coping with the fish, as you need excellent filters, i use two filters in my tanks.
If the other fish is well, i would see if you can find somebody with a pond, as a 8gal tank is not far on the fish, as they grow big and need room to move.
If it's a fancy goldfish you will have to invest in a bigger tank straight away.

 

[LucyHurst]

For high nitrates you dont need to waste money on buying stuff, you just have to do water changes to lower it (as long as you dont have high nitrates in the tap). They were just trying to make money there.

 

[black angel]

The only way to help your fish is putting it in to at least five gallons of fresh dechlorinated aerated warm water.
Do you have a tub or other container big enough?
Please dont put goldfish into a glorified bowl such as a biorb they arent suitable.
If you dont dechlorinate then i advise you to get some.
Salt is wonderful for ailing goldfish and suggest adding 1 level teaspoon of an aquarium tonic salt to 1 gallon of water.
So in a 5 gallon tub it would be 5 level teaspoons and then 12 hours later add another 5 level teaspoons to give you .2%.

You have to also get your own testing kits for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph and test each day.

Filtration is also very important for goldfish as they are really messy, hence the more water you need.

For now though do a 100% water change on the fish and put some warm kettle water in so its not too cold and if he makes it through the night then see about something more suitable.