Black moor spitting out its food

[ashwina]

Hi. I have 2 black moor and 4 comets.one of theblack moor is always hanging on the top corner of the tank. I hand feed them all. The particular black moor eats its flakes then spits most of it out. I feed him again and he eats the new flake being fed to him. Is it normal or is he sick for spitting his food. This is in a daily basis.


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[Fishfur]

How long has he been doing this, and is he producing the usual amount of poop ?

 

[ashwina]

Thanks for replying. I got him about two weeks ago. I haven't noticed before but since a week he has been spitting out his food then eats again. I haven't noticed his poop. And he stays in the top of the tank most of the day sometimes playing with bubbles. He is very rarely seen with the others


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[henningc]

Sounds like swim batter issues. You may want to investigate the subject.

 

[ashwina]

Thank u. But he is swimming fine


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[Fishfur]

I think at this point, you just have to observe him for awhile. He may simply be a bit of an oddball. If he had swim bladder problems, he would be struggling to swim, possibly on his side, or at the bottom and not able to swim up or stay level.

Some fish can be picky eaters. Goldfish usually don't really fall into this category, but it's possible. You might try some different types of fish food. Or you might try feeding him some fresh veggies. Cooked, shelled peas, broken into small pieces, may be accepted.. if so, they'd be good for his digestion. Or small pieces of lettuce or other leafy veggie.

So long as he IS eating, and swims normally, I don't think there is any need to worry overmuch just yet. But do try to see if he produces, more or less, the same sort and amount of poop as the other fish do. If yes, chances are he's eating enough for his needs. If not, it's possible he's a bit constipated, and the peas are the usual suggestion for that.

If you see any other symptom or strange behaviour, let us know.

 

[ashwina]

Thank you very much. am much relieved. am a pet lover and quite worried about their well being. your answer is a great help. i will observe him. he swims fine and holds himself at the top in the same corner everyday while the other fish keep moving. so i dont think its swim bladder too as he controls his float at the top for hours. thanks


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[Fishfur]

Best of luck. I know it can be worrying when you aren't sure what's normal. Goldfish are pretty tough, though they also grow to be quite large, so at some point, you'll either have to find them a pond to live in or invest in a very large tank for them. They're so cute when they are small, but they are not small fish.

I hope the tank was cycled before you put fish in it ?

 

[ashwina]

Yes it was cycled. ammonia nitrite fine. nitrate is high. got live plants too. still its high. thanks for the help


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[Fishfur]

Hope all goes well.

 

[jlk]

Yes it was cycled. ammonia nitrite fine. nitrate is high. got live plants too. still its high. thanks for the help


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A fancy (or any goldfish) spitting out food is not normal behavior.

Exactly how high are your nitrates? What are your exact numbers for ammonia and nitrite? What type of water change schedule do you have on what size tank? High nitrates will induce issues with normal appetite in fancies and would explain why he spending most of his time at the surface/in the bubbles.

My first suggestion is to increase your water changes to bring your nitrates under 20ppm (preferably under 10ppm) and keep them under 20ppm. High nitrates will also have a much more drastic impact on moors than your common goldfish, inducing buoyancy and behavioral issues as well as potentially affecting their vision.

My other suggestion is to toss the flakes and invest in a quality sinking goldfish pellet as well add daily veggies to everyone's diet. Flakes are honestly not suitable for fancies as they can aggravate buoyancy and digestive issues they are already prone to suffering from.

Please do not hesitate to ask any questions or if you need further help with water changes and possible foods!

 

[ashwina]

Thanks jlk. I do weekly 30 percent changes to my 170 l tank. I went to pets at home for water test. They just told me ammonia is nil nitrite fine and nitrate is a bit high. They told me not to do weekly changes but once in three week. Therefore am confused . The other black moor and fantail are fine. This particular one is at the top stays there for hours and spits his food when another fish gets close to him. Then eats again.


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[mapexmac007]

I've observed one of my Veil Tail goldies "spill" excess food out of its mouth. In other words, he eats like a pig, stuffing his mouth, and as he begins chewing, excess food falls out, almost as if he spit it out. After a few chews, he goes back for that spilled food.

I believe one means to aid us keepers in assessing our fish's health is to observe ALL behaviors - as in a holistic approach: swim behaviors, resting behaviors, casual swimming and tank exploration, sleeping, feeding, and of course deffecation. Casual or intense study of our fish will teach us about their "personalities" for want of a better term.

Such familiarity goes a long way in assessing their health, along with water conditions and visual assessment.


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29 gal, fresh water, fluval 206 with ammo-carb + mech, replacing gravel with sand and live plants

 

[jlk]

Is purchasing a decent liquid test kit a possibility for you? It would be very beneficial to be able to test your tank on a regular basis in order to determine its health. This would allow you to do water changes as needed to keep levels in check.

Unfortunately, it seems the store you mentioned has a vey unseemly reputation in respect to accurate or even remotely knowledgable information on aquatics. Their advice on goldfish in particular leaves much to be desired. Did they advise you on your present stock as well?

With only a 45g tank and quite a number of fish that grow very large, you honestly should be doing water changes in the 50-75% range, twice a week. As nitrates are presently an issue (and likely other toxins as well), I would suggest big wcs daily until you are able to keep your levels well under control. Hope this helps!






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