Goldfishes sitting at the bottom of the tank! Sleeping or diseased?

[Ridwaan98]

Hello everyone. I just wanted to ask you guys something. I have had my goldfish for a good 6-7 months now and recently this fantail goldfish (the pure gold one) keeps on sitting at the bottom of the tank only at night. I just wanted to know if it is normal (due to it sleeping) or due to a disease? The other 7-8 goldfish in the tank are perfectly healthy (touch wood). I also have an issue with my red cap oranda goldfish, it keeps on sitting at the bottom of the filter since I transferred all of them today. This is really weird. Help please thank you.

 

[JackBinimbul]

Stress. You say you just moved them all. Goldfish will often sit in one place barely moving when they are stressed out. Test your water for quality issues that may be stressing them. Otherwise, give them some time and space.

 

[Autumnsky]

Transferred them? From what/where?

Did you acclimate the fish being brought into the new tank?

What are the water parameters?

Is the tank cycled?

Did you change the media and replace it?

I would say it looks NOT really normal.

Maybe an overload of BB if cycled.

What size tank and what kind of and size of filter?

 

[Ridwaan98]

Transferred them? From what/where?

Did you acclimate the fish being brought into the new tank?

What are the water parameters?

Is the tank cycled?

Did you change the media and replace it?

I would say it looks NOT really normal.

Maybe an overload of BB if cycled.

What size tank and what kind of and size of filter?

Hey, Thank you. The readings are as follows:

pH - 7.6
Ammonia - 0.5ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 5ppm

I know that the ammonia level is high a bit but I was thinking of doing a 50% water change until the tank has fully gone through the nitrogen cycle?

Also I have a 365L aquarium upgraded from a 120L, I have a internal filter which I think is NOT doing a good job as my previous one as the poop of the goldfish stays on the surface of the aquarium. To improve I have bought a new Fluval FX6 1500Lph External canister filter which should hopefully do the job (this will arrive tomorrow). I have used x5 suggested dosage of seachem prime to lock the ammonia.

As the tank and filter are all brand new the filter is also new and also media. Fish tank has been cycled for a week now (I used Dr. Tims fishless cycling product). The fish were not acclimatised as the water temperatures were roughly the same. The other fish look perfectly healthy.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Rid...

Moving fish is stressful for them. Toward evening when the tank lights go out, the fish active slows, so that's to be expected. If you're concerned about their general health, do you use any standard aquarium salt in the tank water? What is your water change routine? It's a fact of life for any fish, that large, frequent water changes are essential for good fish health. Especially, heavy waste producers like Goldfish. As for parasites or other infections, a little aquarium salt works wonders for scaled fish like your Goldies. I swear by a little in my Goldfish tanks. A rounded teaspoon in every 5 gallons of new, treated tap water will ease the stress of moving the fish and discourage the growth and reproduction of parasites.

B

 

[Autumnsky]

Change of water / tanks will often cause some issues of stress as new tank might have had a lower TDS and older tank with less frequent or large pwc, lots of top offs, will increase TDS, as all the minerals stay in the tank in evaporation and not removing much water and adding more in will indeed increase TDS.

Ammonia needs to be lowered should not be above .25 and ideally 0. Not likely with many GF. Your tank is a large size but doubling the number will effect the load and tax the BB until it grows more to catch up.

Still GF are heavy polluters. FX-6 is reported to be a great filter. I have 2 fX-5 and like them very much. Dr. Tims, (I talked with him at a convention and he told me it was great stuff ) is said to be good as well but not a miracle, should help if the bottle was fresh.

+++ for Prime conditioner.

Pwc will be your friend and see if they don't perk up some.