Help!!! Fish floating on his side.

[Treehugger1972]

I'm a rookie. I have what I call "ponds" in my yard. They are nothing more than various sized wine barrels. One is a rainwater catch from the roof water and the other 3 make up a fun rustic fountain deal. I keep goldfish in them for my kids and to eat mosquito larvae. The pond in question is a full wine barrel (no idea how many gallons it holds, but it's a lot maybe 60 gallons) rainwater catch. I have had one goldfish in it for many years. He's a beauty! I do not feed the fish in my ponds, they eat the algae and bugs. But leaves and the occasional bird fall in it over the years and create this mucky funky sludge on the bottom. Well I went out the check on it tonight as I do about once a month and to my horror there was my goldfish laying on its side in the mucky sludge with about a centimeter of water. It's been really hot here and sometimes when these barrels get too low in water they stop holding water as well and almost shrink and that's how you lose so much that you kill your fish. Believe it or not this has happened before and by some miracle I managed to save that fish. But this time I'm worried. The Fish in question began quickly swimming around in circles in the bucket I scooped him up in. I happened to have some water that sat overnight and I quickly added that to his bucket. I don't typically keep water conditioner around. Now the fish is on the surface on his side not swimming around but alive. I'm assuming he's been affected by nitrogen or ammonia. Or his swim bladder is messed up. How, if at all, can I heal him? I feel terrible for him!!!! Had I just gone out a day before he would have probably been fine Thanks!

 

[Delapool]

Hi, tricky one. I don't know how often the rain fall was or if you did water changes but I'd try to put him back in similar water that he had been in. Or a 50: 50 mix.

Since it is over summer, I assume little rain so water has been evaporated but all the dissolved solids have been getting more concentrated. He's probably actually adjusted to that so going to fresh, clean water (possibly different ph and temp) may have shocked him. As well as having no water.

Edit - the water that sat overnight - is that tap water which will need water conditioner?

 

[PB_Smith]

Are you in northern or southern Ca.?
Considering So. California is experiencing it's worst drought in a very long time, and the temps this summer have been consistently high, it wasn't a good idea to leave them unattended and just relying on rain water when there really hasn't been any rain to speak of in over a year.

 

[Treehugger1972]

Are you in northern or southern Ca.?
Considering So. California is experiencing it's worst drought in a very long time, and the temps this summer have been consistently high, it wasn't a good idea to leave them unattended and just relying on rain water when there really hasn't been any rain to speak of in over a year.

It's really irrelevant where I am located and I'm perfectly aware of the drought. But if you must know I'm in northern so cal. My rainwater catches fill up and over flow in one rain and hold 60+ gallons that usually lasts all year, even with me pulling out water for my garden. We get a lot of fog as I'm near the ocean so even without rain I can get an inch in my catch just from a foggy morning. I've only once had this problem, where the catch doesn't hold the water for whatever reason and the fishes either died or I caught them in time. Sometimes the bung pops out and you can lose 1/2 a barrell quickly. Then due to the quick drop in moisture the slats dry out and leak. Anyhow, in all the years I've been doing this it's been relatively problem free. So I think it's a fine idea thank you very much. This fishes sole job is to eat mosquito larvae. I feel terrible for him however, and want to try and save him.
So back to my poor fish... I have been adding fresh water that has sat for 24 hrs to his bucket each morning and he is no longer floating on the surface or on his side anymore. He is swimming--quite quickly tho. I did add some aquarium salt too. He ate a few small pieces of defrosted pea last night! Hopefully that's a good sign. Keeping fingers crossed!

 

[Patty1980]

Sounds like you're on the right track!

 

[Treehugger1972]

Hi, tricky one. I don't know how often the rain fall was or if you did water changes but I'd try to put him back in similar water that he had been in. Or a 50: 50 mix.

Since it is over summer, I assume little rain so water has been evaporated but all the dissolved solids have been getting more concentrated. He's probably actually adjusted to that so going to fresh, clean water (possibly different ph and temp) may have shocked him. As well as having no water.

Edit - the water that sat overnight - is that tap water which will need water conditioner?

I agree. Yes, i never do water changes so he's used to his environment. I did use water from my other "pond" to give him something to swim in, as there was literally nothing for me to scoop up in his home. Then the next morning i added water that had sat out. I did that again today. So he is in a 50/50 guesstimate mix. No water conditioner. I should probably have some on hand, I have in the past but never replaced it when I ran out last. Since i use the water for my vegetable garden i kind of hesitate to use it.

 

[Brookster123]

If you don't do water changes than it just concentrates the tds, nitrates. If you're draining the barrel to water stuff and things and topping off? That's technically a water change. If this fish is merely a janitor why don't you just bop him and get a new one? Suffering is kind of sad..

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[Treehugger1972]

If you don't do water changes than it just concentrates the tds, nitrates. If you're draining the barrel to water stuff and things and topping off? That's technically a water change. If this fish is merely a janitor why don't you just bop him and get a new one? Suffering is kind of sad..

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Yes it does get topped off occasionally so I guess that's a kind of water change. But he was literally in muck and about a cm of water. So he was screwed! I don't want to bop him on the head or flush him or in anyway KILL him, I came on here asking how to save him! Yes he's a janitor, but I'd like him to live. I had done it once before by chance--saving a belly up fish that is, I was hoping to get some tips from all the experts here. Since he was so bad off. He is about 5" long and many years old. I'm not interested in just replacing him. There's something about watching them grow and having them for 5 years or more that's kinda cool. He's doing much better tho. So we'll see what today after work brings.

 

[Delapool]

I agree. Yes, i never do water changes so he's used to his environment. I did use water from my other "pond" to give him something to swim in, as there was literally nothing for me to scoop up in his home. Then the next morning i added water that had sat out. I did that again today. So he is in a 50/50 guesstimate mix. No water conditioner. I should probably have some on hand, I have in the past but never replaced it when I ran out last. Since i use the water for my vegetable garden i kind of hesitate to use it.

Ok, was just checking tap water wasn't used without water conditioner or such. Something like API stress coat may help protect the scales if they were damaged and re-growing.

It's a little confusing from my end. Normally I'd ask what your nitrate readings were and water change schedule and then go from there, usually just suggesting lots of pwc's as it isn't an infection but should hopefully be just a matter of keeping him infection free while he recovers.

I can't think of much more to add unfortunately.

 

[Noviceafter2yea]

Yes it does get topped off occasionally so I guess that's a kind of water change. But he was literally in muck and about a cm of water. So he was screwed! I don't want to bop him on the head or flush him or in anyway KILL him, I came on here asking how to save him! Yes he's a janitor, but I'd like him to live. I had done it once before by chance--saving a belly up fish that is, I was hoping to get some tips from all the experts here. Since he was so bad off. He is about 5" long and many years old. I'm not interested in just replacing him. There's something about watching them grow and having them for 5 years or more that's kinda cool. He's doing much better tho. So we'll see what today after work brings.

I am not an expert, but I think it is okay to use water conditioner without harming your vegetables. I understand your attachment to your fish. I am like that too. Also, I heard some areas in CA are making people put fish in their outdoor ponds and fountains to contain mosquito populations because of west Nile cases in California (not sure if true) but thought interesting.

I'm guessing you are in SB area-ish. I'm in LA county and did research about our water and they do add stuff that is harmful to fish and they advise you to treat the water accordingly. Go to your water department's website and see if they add anything that you would need to be aware of.

Hope he gets better.

 

[brennae]

I water my garden with treated water that I get when I do pwc's. I use Prime and the garden does wonderfully and no one has ever been sick from eating the veggies.

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