Help With A Fantail Fish..

[Cleo]

Hi,
I was advised to join this site from another forum..

I recently decided to buy some fish for my room, and started out with 2 fantail fish. One stood out at the time as it was extremely fast and speedy and I thought it was a good sign that it was active and healthy.. and the other fish much smaller in size. I have a glass bowl for them, and had it set up about 3 days before getting the fish. My pet shop told me all I need it to use 'tapsafe' and if I put some food in beforehand it can help the bacteria.. So I done so.
However, as soon as the fish we put in, the speedy fish which is named Loco, seemed fine but swims upside down. and it seemed like he was struggling to stay in the water and tends to stay upside down near the top. Loco also uses his fins extremely fast when swimming.. and started to swim and bite the other fish quite a lot.
Around 2 days later the other fish suddenly died. I went back to the shop and they gave me 2 new fish. One similar to the one that died, and a big black/gold fantail.
Loco continued to swim strangely, and the next day the new small fish was dead.. Then a few days after the black fish died too. I was obviously distraught as I have had fish that lived for 10 years before. Could it be something to do with Loco? Have the pet shop not informed me of something else I should do? I have told them what happened and they have just said you never know with fish..
Since all of this has happened, Loco was doing fine, but continues to swim upside down, and now often floats up to the top with it's belly out of the water. I have also noticed it has a strangely 'bloated' looking stomach.. and the fins right underneath it's stomach have started to become very red.
If anyone can advise me what to do as I would hate for it to be in pain..
Thanks in advance for any help.. and sorry for such a long essay
Cleo

 

[JenCliBee]

for a start a gold fish bowl is no where near big enough for any type of fish IMO, 2. the tank wouldnt have had enough time 2 cycle the your LFS dont seem 2 have any idea about fish wot so ever cycling 2 gain bacteria can take upto say 8 weeks and even then it may not be fully done. 3. adding fish that soon is probably wot has killed them 4. loco sounds like his swim bladder has gone maybe a cause of just putting him in much colder water than he is used 2 . 5. i would take the fish back throw away the bowl and consider getting a much bigger tank goldfish are huge waste makers and really need a tank of 50gallon upwards.

not probably wot u wanted 2 hear but u did ask

hope it helps anyways

jen

 

[Cleo]

Hi Jen, nope I want to hear any advice So thank you. The bowl is a very large bowl. Approx 30cm diameter. Is that too small?!
I did look on some sites to try and find out what the problem was, and I thought it was swimbladder.
I have just fed Loco and he perks up as soon as there is food in and he manages to stay upright to eat, but it looks like it's very hard work for him.
If I take him back, they will probably just kill him right?
I am feeling very guilty, but this is new to me and being a huge animal lover I hate to have had this happened to me. I guess he had something before I bought him, and the fact that I havn't prepared the home properly has worsened it?
Thanks again for your help it's much appreciated

 

[Cleo]

I have also just read about not feeding the fish for a few days, and to give it a mashed pea?
Does anyone recommend this to? And is my fish too ill to be cured? Also, why is this so common in fantail fish?
Thanks again..

 

[ALEXF]

Hi Jen, nope I want to hear any advice So thank you. The bowl is a very large bowl. Approx 30cm diameter. Is that too small?!

yes goldfish can get like a foot long.

I did look on some sites to try and find out what the problem was, and I thought it was swimbladder.
I have just fed Loco and he perks up as soon as there is food in and he manages to stay upright to eat, but it looks like it's very hard work for him.
If I take him back, they will probably just kill him right?

not nessacarily, but keeping him in unsuitable conditions will kill him anyways

I am feeling very guilty, but this is new to me and being a huge animal lover I hate to have had this happened to me. I guess he had something before I bought him, and the fact that I havn't prepared the home properly has worsened it?
Thanks again for your help it's much appreciated

its not that you made it worse. its not good but you didnt make it worse. If the fish had a diesease befor you bought it you can control that. Tank size you can. cycling you can but im guessing you didnt do your research... i would just start reading as much as you can and learn as much as you can before adding anymore fish? and feel free to ask here as most people will be able to give you good info. good luck

 

[JenCliBee]

as above

it's just a learning curve u make mistakes but then u know not 2 make them next time every 1 started out with no nowledge but in time u pick certain things up, u made the rite step in coming on here and asking for help.

most ppl on here will give u good advice and help as much as they can so dont think it's ur fault every 1 makes mistakes

jen

 

[ALEXF]

Most people on here wont judge you on your mistakes either, you may get a jerk every now and then but critisizing doesnt get a solution so most people just give help and dont try to make you out to be a fish murder, because if youwere you wouldnt be taking the time to learn now. As jen said you made a good choice in comming here. O yea and im assuming that you just joined so.....

 

[JenCliBee]

sorry yes..... Welcome & Enjoy