Goldfish floating upside down

[veggievettech]

Hi, I have a 20 gal tank containing 2 ryukin goldfish. One has begun floating upside down at the top of the tank. He seems to be doing this during the time when he is normally inactive, and the other goldfish is inactive as well. I have read that this can be a swim bladder problem or constipation, but he seems to do this purposely. He swims to the corner of the tank when the light is off and rolls over. Always in the same spot, where the current does not push him around. At first, I thought he was dead, but i've gotten used to the behavior. When i walk up to the glass, he rolls back over and begins to swim around. When the light is on, he is very active and he is eating normally. I was under the impression that if it was a swim bladder problem, it would be difficult to flip him back over; and i am still seeing bowel movements from this fish. Is this a real problem, or is it possible that he just likes to rest that way?
I appreciate any input.

 

[mfdrookie516]

hmmm... could just be asleep? im sure jsoong will catch this and give some experienced info, but i do know that one of my yellow labs sleeps straight up and down against the filter intake, sounds similar... honestly, imo, if it swims normal and is eating good with no other visible signs of sickness, its probably just sleeping

 

[Markstanfill]

Take some frozen peas, unsalted, skin them, and feed them that for a couple days and it should clear up. Ive had some black moors that had intermitent swim bladder problems that were just mildly irritating for the fish and it does the trick.

 

[dkpate]

Boil the peas first though lol.

 

[jsoong]

I don't think goldfish would want to purposefully sleep upside down. If the fish is upside down at rest, something is wrong.

With early/mild cases of buoyancy problems, the fish can maintain orientation using energy, so you see him upright. But he can't do that asleep. This is not a good thing, as the fish is expanding so much energy that eventually it gets weak.

Certainly treating with peas is a good first step. Often this is a case of gas in the gut flipping the fish over. Increasing the temp (to 75-78 ) may also help. Fancy golds are sub-tropical, & the higher temp increases metabolism & gut mobility & often cures constipation. Also, make sure youa re feeding the right kind of food. <Sinking pellets - or if floating, soak it till it sinks, so the fish isn't gulping air. Make sure food had not spoiled & fermented. And feed lots of veggies & natural food. Chopped up shrimps is their fav.>

If all the simple measures don't work, there are other treatments for swimbladder disorder. <All the way to surgery -- see koivet.com> But we will leave those for another day.

 

[nanferrell]

I too had fish floating/swimming upside down and had one die several months ago. I do think it was a feeding at the top of that tank issue.
I have a big goldfish starting to have the same problem. He will appear to
be swimming harder to stay upright so I would net him in a tight net and hold him against the side of the tank so he could rest and upon release
would go 2-3 days with a normal swimming pattern then back to struggeling to stay upright then over on to his back.

A few days ago I started feeding them by taking a pinch (the normal amount
that I had been feeding) of flake food and putting my hand down to mid level of the tank...squeezing the flakes hard....you will see bubbles released
and then let the flakes go. The food will stay around mid level and then sink. This gold fish has not fed at the surface for 5 days and appears to
being soo much better. no hard swimming to stay upright and certainly no upside down floating.

Anyway thats my two cents ...hope it helps somebody

Nancy