Fish swim bladder problem

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BoRED S2upid

Original Poster:

19,644 posts

239 months

Friday 19th January 2018
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Is there any hope for this poor fella?



I know fantails can suffer with swim bladder issues but I swear he doesn’t have one. Tried swim bladder treatments no end of times nothing works he has been like this for 6 months he just won’t die. Swims, eats but rests upside down.

Any ideas?

akita1

487 posts

199 months

Friday 19th January 2018
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Hi I don't think there is much that can be done but I am sure I read somewhere that feeding frozen peas helps.

JBR Kiwi

17 posts

103 months

Friday 19th January 2018
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I'm not sure if you have tried just basic mashed up peas, feeding them for a week method, but its helped mine in the past.

Asides from that, I would suggest doing a 50% water change (with some tap safe) and then take about 10% out and replace every couple of days as well to see if you can help with the water quality.

Have you got another bigger tank to pop the fishy chap into at all? I know a lot of dedicated fish chaps would blow a fuse with tanks like that especially as goldfish need quite a lot of water to swim about as well producing a lot of waste

budgie smuggler

5,359 posts

158 months

Friday 19th January 2018
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JBR Kiwi said:
Have you got another bigger tank to pop the fishy chap into at all? I know a lot of dedicated fish chaps would blow a fuse with tanks like that especially as goldfish need quite a lot of water to swim about as well producing a lot of waste
I had been biting my tongue on that hehe TBH he's already stunted though, and that could well be the cause of his swimbladder problem (the internal organs get squashed)

BoRED S2upid

Original Poster:

19,644 posts

239 months

Friday 19th January 2018
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I have tried frozen peas before will try them again. It’s a 50l biorb they don’t come much bigger. He’s not that big it’s an optical illusion he used to have a mate in there with him. Thanks though he will be having peas for tea.

Boosted LS1

21,167 posts

259 months

Friday 19th January 2018
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Maybe he's bored and being the other way up is about all he can do in a tank like that. Have you tried turning the tank up the other way? silly

Dominic H

3,274 posts

231 months

Monday 12th February 2018
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We have had a similar problem with one of our fish (A molly goldfish). About six months ago he was inverted at towards the top of the tank, and looking quite bloated. We fed him a couple of cooked/peeled peas, and then didn't feed for a couple of days. This worked perfectly.

About 2 weeks ago, he was inverted and at the bottom of the tank. We tried the peas again, but this didn't work. We tried fasting too, and this didn't improve the situation. We tried a 'Swim bladder control' treatment and this didn't work either. I had a look online on a few fish forums and a couple suggested raising the water temperature to 80f. As the cold water causes the fish's metabolism to slow down leaving it constipated, with construction on the swim bladder and the resultant inversion. We bought a warmer for our bio orb, and within a couple of hours the fish was swimming the right way up, and able to control ascent/descent. Since the weekend, he's back to normal.

This leaves me with a question; do I leave the heater in? Or do I slowly reduce the temperature and withdraw? It was a surprise to me that you could/should warm goldfish.

Hope this helps the OP and if anyone can advise on my ongoing temp that would be great.


Boosted LS1

21,167 posts

259 months

Monday 12th February 2018
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I suppose in the wild they may have warm summers. Did you heat to mid 70 'ies or go warmer?

Dominic H

3,274 posts

231 months

Monday 12th February 2018
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Boosted LS1 said:
I suppose in the wild they may have warm summers. Did you heat to mid 70 'ies or go warmer?
Heated to 25c, so about mid/upper 70's. Curious, as on one hand it sorted out our inverted, lethargic fish in a matter of hours. On the other hand, we've had the fish a couple of years and never had to warm them before. Would this be a seasonal thing do you think?

Ta

Dom H

G0ldfysh

3,304 posts

256 months

Monday 12th February 2018
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Peas are a good solution for all swim bladder issues.
Over feeding is often a trigger for fan tails, some of mine have tails that appear to start almost from the top of the body.
Also check the water quality.

Dominic H

3,274 posts

231 months

Monday 12th February 2018
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G0ldfysh said:
Peas are a good solution for all swim bladder issues.
Over feeding is often a trigger for fan tails, some of mine have tails that appear to start almost from the top of the body.
Also check the water quality.
Agree with the peas, a popular treat for ours. We used to use the ordinary flakes, but have now swapped to sinking pellets in order to avoiding 'gulping' at the surface.

The water is filtered, aerated and changed regularly. Spoiled rotten!

BoRED S2upid

Original Poster:

19,644 posts

239 months

Monday 12th February 2018
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I fixed him! Put him on a diet of peas and he’s right as rain no floating on the top but if I go back to normal fish food even very small amounts he’s back to floating on the top. Do peas it is.

Einion Yrth

19,575 posts

243 months

Monday 12th February 2018
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Does it make him fart?

Boosted LS1

21,167 posts

259 months

Monday 12th February 2018
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You have to listen very carefully.