HELP!!! My pet is in trouble!

[Guppy Mama]

Help! My pet goldfish, Flora has always been healthy. I have had her for 7 years. She is in a 45 gallon tank with 6 other goldfish. She is would appear fine until you watch her move about:

She almost swims sideways, tipped over! She looks near death...no sign of fungus, parasites...but something is so wrong! Can I save her?!?!

Please help me!

 

[ryan]

Sounds like Swim Bladder; Some treatments from a previous post of mine.

1. Feed your fish a couple of peas. Just get some frozen peas, thaw them, and feed them to your fish. Peas somehow encourage destruction of the impaction. No hard scientific evidence, but it's worth a try. Bloodworms have also worked for me.

2. Fast your fish for a couple of days. Withhold all food for three or four days, and sometimes this alone will break up the impaction and return things to normal. Most fish can go a week to ten days without food and be just fine.

3. Periodic aspiration of the swim bladder works very well. Basically, you stick a needle in the swim bladder and suck out some of the air. Not something to be entered into lightly, but does work well. This is not a cure, but a successful treatment.

Some of these treatments seem a bit extreme but it is worth giving a couple of them a try. There is also a Partial pneumocystectomy. This is another word for surgical removal of part of the swim bladder. But this is for the Vetnary side of things so is probably out of the question unless you know a vet that has performed such a procedure. (Very rare, heard about it through a Goldfish breeder).

There are also various medicines availble at fish shops, depending on what your shop stocks. However, I have never had much success with these.

 

[Opcn]

I'm guessing it a Fancy Goldfish (seeing as how most fancies die of swim bladder problems) And after you do what ryan has suggested Avoid feeding them floating foods to try and prevent the fish from inadvertantly swallowing extra air. goldfish are bottom feeders they will do better if they get the excersize from picking the gravle / sand for food.

Good luck

 

[George&Ade]

Hope your goldfish pulls through ok guppy mama

 

[Guppy Mama]

Oh, thank you very much for helping me. I gave her some peas. She looks much better today. She is still not normal, but the other day was scary.

I'll certainly keep you posted on her and try the other suggestions (except the needle!!!).
She is just a feeder goldfish. She is pretty big and I have had her for years and years.
Cross your fingers, and THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

 

[Guppy Mama]

Flora died today. In the end it looked as though her body was thight....pulled into a C shape. She would only spiral, or try to swim completely sideways. So, I guess it was her swimbladder. Is that problem generally caused by a bacteria?

 

[ryan]

The causes can be a number of things;

Damage or bruising to the Swim Bladder, secondary bacterial infection, poor water conditions or congenital disorder.

Sorry to hear about your loss.

 

[George&Ade]

Sorry to hear about your loss guppy mama.
Im sure you did all you could.
R.I.P Flora

 

[Wisperian]

Yep swim bladder

 

[Guppy Mama]

Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

 

[Guppy Mama]

FALSE ALARM!!! Last I posted Flora was at the bottom of the tank looking QUITE dead! I went to remove her and she was breathing! She was totally unable to move.

I was thinking I oughtt to put her out of her misery...but I have not been able to do it. I can't explain why.

Tonight, 10 days later, she is still alive...and I did a normal weekly h20 change....SHE IS SWIMMING! NOt spiraling about, BUT SWIMMING!!!!!It is eveident that there is still swimbladder problems...she isn't swimming pefectly, but she can go where she wants! She ate flake food w/her tankmates! I tried to geive her peas, but I don't think she got any...the other fish are faster.


Her body is still kinked in a "c", or half moon, shape, but much less than before! Can I still save her now? She has clean water and a full belly. The miracle fish is swimming as I type! I feel amazingly ecstatic, as I just told my neighbor that I was going to have to euthanize her, she was stuck on the bottom for so long looking dead most of the time!

I cannot believe this. I am so lucky. Is there a chance for the Wonder Fish, Flora??? I have had her for so many years, I can't help but feel encouraged! If the dear was your pet, what steps would you take, if any? Same as above? XOXOXO Happy Guppy Mama

 

[wuvmybetta]

awww, congrats Guppy Mama. Way to go,Flora!!!

I have no advise, I was just amazed by the ending of this thread

 

[Guppy Mama]

Thank you.

I woke this morming and she is swimming with the other fish. Granted, she still has the crookedness to her, but she spent the last 10 days on FLOOR! I have never seen anything like this. I wish I had a video for you, it's pretty unbelievable, but in the best way! She looks even better today! Guess I'll think twice about putting a fish "out of its misery"...I could have lost her.

 

[Guppy Mama]

Flora Update:

She is not as active as yesterday, but her body is almost straight now. She is still resting near the bottom, away from the others, but she is swimming normally for food etc.

 

[Guppy Mama]

...no longer swimming w/tank mates. rests in a corner on the bottom, alas.