# i think my fish may be depressed.



## faith_mccravy (Jun 24, 2008)

about 3 weeks ago i bought 2 common goldfish. they were both in a 50gallon tank. one of my fish i had noticed threw up when he ate. i didn't know what to do and i couldn't find how to cure it in time and it died. so the other fish that i have is a young boy. but he is always at the bottom just sitting their(well ever since the other fish died). i felt bad for him since his friend died so i went and got another goldfish. same type of goldfish and same size the only difference was it was a girl. but i had her for a day and she died. now i don't know if the clerk at petco told me i had a healthy fish but he was lying or if my fish may be carrying a disease. either way i just want to know if maybe my fish is depressed because he continues to sit their and not even come up to eat anymore he just waits for it to fall down through the water and then eats.. :!:


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hi
could you tell us more about the tank please.
what filter have you got
how long has the tank been running for.
water test results.
food you feed him.
how much light he gets.
planted/decorations in the tank.


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## faith_mccravy (Jun 24, 2008)

*my reply to the reply! haha*

okay well i don't have a filter but i am getting one tomrow.instead i just clean the tank out myself.
i know the water is fine.
uhh i feed him fish flakes
he gets atleast 8 hours of light daily.
and he has 1 plant in their with him.


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## GeegaFish (May 4, 2008)

I started out my fishkeeping several years back with two 6" comet goldfish. When the male died, the female did get rather lethargic like you described your fish to be. She seemed "depressed" to me too. After a bit, I got her a couple more tank mates and she livened up again. They were all in a 40 gallon.

I recently had a similar experience with my loaches. The pet store never told me they like to be in groups and I didn't research the way I should have. I brought two home and they were best friends always swimming together and doing fishy things near each other. After a year or more passed, I unfortunately lost one loach to a bacterial infection that struck my tank. The other loach seemed so sad after his buddy died. He hardly came out of his hidey hole at all and when he did, he looked like he was moping. Today, my loach is happy again because he has a new friend.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hi
ok well the filter will be a great idea,and will be of great benifit
to your fish.
your tank will ned to cycle,and then once it has(about 6 weeks)
then think about someone to live with him.
please don't think i'm being horrid here because i'm really not,
i just want to help you the best way i can.  and reading peoples typing
can sometimes be misstaken.
the water that he is living in may look clean,however with him going to the#toilet he will be fouling the water which will produce toxins in his tank
that are not being taken care of by a filter,once the filter has a bacterial
colony growing it will eat up most of the waste and your Goldie will be muchmore happy.maybe try adding some more plants,so he can feel a little more privert if he wants to,you may find he perks up a bit.
let me know how you get on.


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## faith_mccravy (Jun 24, 2008)

thanks a lot he looks a little bit happier. but i think a new buddy might help him. he gets along with other goldfish very well, but this time i will make sure i find someone that i trust to help me figure out which one is healthy. (and won't die) :lol:


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

hi
i'm glad he has perked up,good news.
i hope thing continue on the up side.


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## trixi (Jun 29, 2008)

goldfish can be regarded as a shoaling fish in many respects, and enjoy a community, even if that community is just another one.
There has to be another reason to the deaths than just grieving, and from what you have said, it has to be the lack of a filter. Think of a filter as an exhaust of a car, taking away all the impurities that the engine produces. You wouldn't buy a car without an exhaust, and the same must be for the tank

Trixi


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