# goldfish sitting on bottom of tank



## rae3988

1. Size of aquarium (# of gallons) 10
2. Is your aquarium setup freshwater or brackish water? freshwater
3. How long the aquarium has been set up? Since May 18th
4. What fish and how many are in the aquarium (species are important to know) 1 goldfish
5. Are there live plants in the aquarium? No
6. What temperature is the tank water currently? 72
7. What make/model filter are you using? Tetra Whisper Filter, Medium
8. Are you using a CO2 unit? No
9. Does your aquarium receive natural sunlight at any given part of the day? Not really
10. When did you perform your last water exchange, and how much water was changed? 25%, ten minutes ago
11. How often do you perform water changes? 3 days
12. How often and what foods do you feed your fish? 2x a day, flakes
13. What type of lighting are you using and how long is it kept on? No lighting
14. What specific concerns bring you here at this time? read below
15. What are your water parameters? Test your pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
pH: 7.4
ammonia: 0ppm
nitrite: 0 ppm
nitrate: no higher than 10 ppm
16. What test kit are you using and is it liquid or test strips? API Liquid
17. When was the last time you bought a fish and how did they behave while in the pet store tank? Bought him Jan 17-don't remember how he behaved in tank 


Alright, this summer I've had a slew of water problems--ranging from high ammonia levels to high pH levels to high nitrite and nitrate levels. Somehow, miraculously, all of them seemed to have vanished.
But this is a constant thing-I frequently find Odie sitting at the bottom of the tank. Most times I go over to him and he starts swimming normally, but last night I went over and it seemed like he was struggling to keep himself swimming (instead of on the bottom). Then, today, he spends most of the night sitting on the bottom, swimming a little then sitting again, despite my being right there.
Normal fish behavior? Overfeeding? I only fed once today and I'm worried


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## onefish2fish

it could very well be over feeding (id personally do a pinch of flakes once a day and fast one day once a week) 

gold fish are good hardy fish but the only problem is they will eat themselves to death, so resist the temptation of over feeding - its just going to cause more problems in the long run as well as cloudy water and a dirty tank.


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## girlofgod

rae3988 said:


> 12. How often and what foods do you feed your fish? 2x a day, flakes


i'm not conviced that overfeeding is the reason that your fish is acting weird. you only feed twice a day? unless you're feeding him half a bottle twice a day, i don't think would be enough to harm him. 

you said that he only does this at NIGHT? or during the day too? because fish have sleep cycles just like other animals. they will "rest" on the bottom of the tank. normally at night, when it's darkest. 

have you noticed any other oddities? is he eating? are the water parameters you posted up to date? has he pooped?


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## rae3988

no, he does it during the day now, too. this is new. he's doing it now, even when I walk over. I'm so worried. he swims for a little then stays at the bottom opening and closing his mouth frequently, almost looks like he's panting (like a dog type thing)


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## rae3988

Water params are perfect except for Nitrates which are 10ppm.


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## girlofgod

do a water change. 10 ppm for nitrates is high, and he could be feeling the effects. i would pay attention and see if he is pooping. he could be constipated. you can feed him a shelled pea for that, if that's the case...


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## rae3988

I just did a water change...I haven't seen him poop yet. I have, however, seen him cough up food? And then eat it again. I'll ltry the shelled pea. 


---edit--
we have no peas right now.


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## rae3988

Got some peas, added half of one into the tank. He ignored it for a bit but is eating it on and off alternating with just resting on the bottom.


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## girlofgod

make sure its shelled...and i hope that he improves. keep us posted!


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## rae3988

Yep, I shelled it and smushed it a little so it would be easier for him to get at. He's swimming around a bit more and seems to be better but I'm hoping I didn't speak too soon.


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## girlofgod

i know that waiting to see what happens is the hardest part.


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## Flashygrrl

girlofgod said:


> 10 ppm for nitrates is high


Usually anything under 20 is considered ideal...unless your running a saltwater tank.


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## rae3988

Alright so, watched him for the day...has been swimming around much more since I gave him the pea. Now it's nighttime and I think he's going to resume resting on the bottom (I look over and behold, he is). Whats strange is that he never really rested on the bottom at night much until recently...still perplexed and worried.


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## girlofgod

Flashygrrl said:


> girlofgod said:
> 
> 
> 
> 10 ppm for nitrates is high
> 
> 
> 
> Usually anything under 20 is considered ideal...unless your running a saltwater tank.
Click to expand...

well, the fish is already sick, so i figured 10 is probably plenty high. he doesnt need high nitrates adding stress, ya know?


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## rae3988

I'm starting to wonder if this is a swim bladder issue...he's been "head standing" while resting every so often now, and when he eats the pea he's practically completely vertical. The only reason I ruled it out in the first place is because the main issue was he was resting at the bottom. Now, if he's not resting on the bottom I'll frequently find him floating towards the top--either with only the nose touching the surface (not necessarily gulping for air) or the very base of the tail. SO strange.


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## rae3988

I'm almost positive he's suffering from swim bladder right now, because everything seems to add up to that. THe headstanding is new, as of yesterday. What else can I do???[/code]


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## JouteiMike

Very well could be a swim bladder problem. I have 2 fancies and one of mine has similar traits to yours - headstands, rests on the bottom, floats up to the top. The only thing that really make me think my scenario points to a swim bladder issue is that mine tends to swim sideways a lot for a brief amount of time, and even occasionally does a back-flip. He seems to only do it when he is trying to turn around. Fancy goldfish tend to be very awkward swimmers due to their body shape, and the fact that they are more suceptable to swim-bladder related problems. 

Other than my goldfish's tendancy to be an awkward swimmer, all signs point to him being healthy. Very active, good appetite, good coloration, healthy gills, clear eyes, free of any obvious physical illness/injury. Is this the same case with yours?

I would just make sure you are varying his diet, and not just feed him flakes. I would buy sinking pellets instead of flakes, and soak them for a 1 minute or 2 before feeding your fish. This will ensure that the pellet is water-logged and that no excess air will be ingested. Also, flakes tend to float on the surface, and your goldfish will most definitely gulp in some air trying to eat the flake, which would interfere with their swim-bladder, and cause other problems. In addition to sinking pellets, like I said before, it is important to make sure you are varying your golfish's diet. Shrimp pellets, brine shrimp, bloodworms, algae discs, Spirulina, plant matter, blanched vegetables, blanched fresh-greens other than iceburg, deshelled peas (my two love these). It is important to feed them a good amount of food that is low in protein, like vegetables and fruits. Just make sure it's all softened up by either soaking in water, or boiling.

In the near future I hope you get a much bigger tank for your goldfish. 10 gallons is much too small, and your fish will quickly outgrow the tank if it hasn't already. He will be a much happier fish, and live a longer life.


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## rae3988

Believe me, I've been looking at bigger tanks. Where could I find an inexpensive, say, 20 gallon??? Or am I doomed to have to pay upwards of $50?

I've done the sinking pellets before, I'll do that again. Sometimes he does swim sideways but only when he's turning a corner or something...


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## JouteiMike

I've had incredible luck with Craigslist.com at finding inexpensive fish tanks and accessories. You could also look in other classified ads like in your paper. And hey, there's always a birthday, christmas, hanukkah, or anniversary with a mate - even putting a little aside every couple weeks or every month, you'd be surprised how fast money could build up. All of those could contribute to you getting a new, larger tank and more efficient filter, which would be the best for the fish.

So long as the the fishes condition doesn't inhibit him from eating, or getting around. If you see him struggling to stay right-side-up, having trouble to swim period, getting bloated with raised scales, then you know it's getting to be a serious problem. Best of luck, hope your fish stays healthy.


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## rae3988

Thanks, a close friend and moderator just recommended craigslist to me as well. I"m going to check it out. I'd found a 20gal for $30 but I'll see if I can do better. He seems to be doing a little better this afternoon so I"ll keep watching him.


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## okiemavis

I've heard of people lowering the water level so it's just deep enough for the fish. This decreases the water pressure on their swim bladder, which potentially allows them to more easily expand their swim bladder (which is what makes them rise to the top of the tank).


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