why is my goldfish so buoyant?

[mle421]

ok, so last night i'm watching my tank, and i notice that my goldfish is acting a bit odd. he keeps swimming in the middle of the tank, but then he seems to stop and he just floats up to the top as if he cant help it. i watched him for a half hour or so and he never once made it to the bottom of the tank. it reminded me of a little kid with swimmies on their arms desperately trying to touch the bottom of the pool but giving up and being pulled back up to the top from the air attached to their arms.

so i was worried. but this morning he's all over the bottom again like always, and he's seems to be fine.

maybe he just swallowed too much air when he was eating? i really dont know if that's even possible.

so if anyone could give some advice it'd be appreciated.

my peremiters are normal,
ammonia 0
nitrate 0
nitrite 20

ph 7.6

he's in a 10 gallon tank that's been set up for a month or so.
nothing else in the tank except a small snail.

he's been eating normal too.

Thanks in advance!

Oh and he's a oranda goldfish whose 2inches, 3 if you include his tail. if that matters at all.
thanks again!

 

[TankGirl]

Do a google on swim bladder disease, is yours by any chance a fancy variety? Probably Lance will pop in and offer some suggestions.

For your water params may I assume nitrIte and nitrAte are switched? Was the tank cycled or are you in the middle of a cycle?

 

[mle421]

yeah i meant nitrite 0 nitrate 20
yeah he's a fancy goldfish.
if he has swim bladder, which seems to be cleared up..
should i just feed him some peas?

 

[mle421]

ok, i fed him some peas and he seems fine now, it must have just been a one night thing. thanks for the help though!

 

[lyquidphyre]

You did take the skins off the peas right??

My fancy goldie (my avatar) had swim bladder and I could never cure it. He did fine in my tank until one day my pleco thought he was dead and started to suck off his fins

So if you have other fish in there, keep an eye on them when/if your goldie becomes less active

 

[mle421]

he's seems fine now, just as active as before. oh and i did take the skins off the peas, but thanks anyways

 

[Menagerie]

I was just reading that goldies will become more buoyant after eating. Something with the food in the intestine. If I run across that article, I will post the link.

 

[mle421]

thanks!