Ryukin swimming butt up??

[RiahFox]

So I started this account to ask for some advice for my new fish...

I just dove nose first into goldfish when I fell in love with an Oranda. So, here's the set up:
90 gallon tank: 1 pleco, 1 6" white oranda, 1 5" Comet, 1 black moor and 1 funky swimming veiltail calico ryukin. I got him from a slightly ghetto hole in the wall store during my hunt for a calico oranda (which I finally found).

Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
PH: 7.0
KH *Carbonate*: 40
GH: 30

Decor: Some plastic plants, smooth rocks mixed lightly with white gravel, 3 underwater filters (they're small, in the process of getting 1 larger one), and air stone.... thingys buried in two different sides of the tank. I used to have turtles in the tank, but before starting this set up scrubbed and cleaned the tank for 8 hours according to instructions I found online with a bleach mixture and LOTS of rinsing.

Anyways, he will be swimming around the tank fine one second and the next he... tumbles(?), spinning upside down for a second, corrects himself and then starts floating "butt up". Now I've scoured the internet and I've read about swim bladder but being so new to this, I'm just not sure. One place I read says "butt up" wouldn't be swim bladder, and everywhere else is telling me to treat for swim bladder... So I thought I'd come to the professionals. I don't want Herald to die

(P.s. I know the video isn't the best...)

 

[RiahFox]

Or the video won't even show, whatever -_-

 

[anteatergoanna]

What is the ammonia reading? Did you cycle the tank?

 

[jlk]

What is the ammonia reading? Did you cycle the tank?

+1

Can you please post your ammonia reading? Your numbers indicate you are testing with strips which are quite inaccurate. Zero nitrite and nitrate point to a possibly uncycled tank. I would start by investing in a decent liquid test kit such as an API fw master test kit. I would also invest in liquid tests for gh and kh as the strip levels that were posted are extremely low. Possible high ammonia levels combined with soft,acidic water may be more than enough to upset your ryukins sense of balance.

Can you possibly post a picture of him or her? Is he eating at all? What exactly are you feeding everyone (brand, types of food)? Some more information will help us to help you better!

 

[RiahFox]

It is probably still cycling... There was an emergency.. So, before these guys in the tank, I had a turtle. I re-homed the turtles and my goldfish were in a smaller tank for a couple weeks while I found a place for them. Well... While they were in that tank and thanks to my negligence/newby-ism the nitrate/nitrite spiraled out of control and ended up killing a couple of my fish. In a panic I set this tank up as soon as the turtles were out because my black moor had pretty bad nitrate poisoning and I read that deep, clean water would possibly help him recover. He did, and now he's swimming and eating fine.

Well, then my [moderator edit] picked the ryukin because I saw him all sad in an overcrowded tank but my tank is not cycled so... I am probably a huge[moderator edit] I'll go out today and look for those water testers and at least get one for ammonia and will post as soon as I can and post a picture of Herald.

They eat Omega One medium sinking goldfish pellets and blood worms. I've been occasionally feeding peas as well since all I've gotten so far was an idea it might be swim bladder TT_TT

 

[RiahFox]

Also, Herald the Ryukin eats fine and dives after food when he sees it. Other then his funky swimming he acts pretty normal, I'll try and get a picture of him though as soon as my phone has some charge. One thing the boyfriend and I noticed is his tail is slightly... deformed or something. I'll try and post a picture soon.

 

[RiahFox]

Oh, and I've been doing %10-%15 percent water changes every day for the last 5 days except one day I missed. Also the water conditioner I use is Prime and I used a solution that's supposed to help with the good bacteria when starting a new tank.

 

[MaffooJ]

I have a ryukin who does this sometimes. Try feeding him peas, it will help him a lot. Just boil the peas, take the skin off of them, and feed it to your fish. Try making a lot because I find my comet out competes the ryukin for food sometimes. If that doesn't help, it must be your water quality. I went on vacation one time and the water had not been changed for about a week and a half, and the poor ryukin was almost swimming upside down. Does it do headstands when bottom feeding and then almost flip over?

 

[RiahFox]

Yeah, that's exactly what happens. Most of the time he does flips is when he's digging in the rocks. It's a new tank in the process of cycling, I probably shouldn't have gotten him until it finished cycling... There are no nitrates/nitrites at all and I re-checked my strips-
Ph is about 7.5
KH is around 80
and GH is about 60. I'm going to get liquid water testers today that will be more accurate or if the petstore doesn't have them I'll at least get something to test for ammonia.. I couldn't imagine there would be much since I've been cleaning their gravel every day to at least every other day but[moderator edit].

 

[RiahFox]

Also I've been doing the peas the last couple of days and watching to make sure he gets his share. I did give them some blood worms the other night but from what I've read I won't be doing that again until I figure out the problem because blood worms are high in protein and might further the problem if his issue is swim bladder. He's done this since the first day I got him, I'm not sure if the pet store used flakes for feeding. I got him 4 days ago.

 

[MaffooJ]

How big is he? I found my ryukin only did it when he was in the middle of growing, then the effect weakened over time. Does it only happen when you feed him? When your in the room? Footsteps? That is when it happens most of the time for mine, almost like it has an excitement overload. I would't recommend buying any chemicals in an attempt to fix the problem, as it didn't help me.

 

[RiahFox]

I'd say he's about 3", not tiny but kind of small. As far as I've seen he at least does it whenever I'm in the room, I'll try spying on him. My fatty oranda I know only flashes when I'm near the tank so I'll see if he's doing it to get my attention. He'll swim straight sometimes, but when he spins out of control it's definitely not normal. Also the temperature is 71° Fahrenheit and only fluctuates a little through out the day, I regulate with a fan. I think my other gold fish may be picking on him as well? My oranda head butts him on occasion and my comet bit at his fins last time I was by the tank. Could there be an issue with too many males?

Sent from my LG-LG730 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[MaffooJ]

Did it look something like this? Gaaah, I can't get a video to play.

 

[RiahFox]

Yeah I can't see the video. Try posting the link?

 

[MaffooJ]

Anyway, the only solutions I have found to the problem is a water change, less dried food, and peas. Try not to feed flakes as it makes him go to the top and breath in air, which is what made my blackmoor have bad swim bladder.