FLOATING UPSIDE DOWN BLOATED FISH!! He is ALIVE !!

[chimbica]

So I went away for three days, got back wednesday night to this.
I have two fancy goldfish in a 55 gallon tank and 60gallon filter, they are fed every three to two days normally so I thought leaving them would be okay. Until I came home and saw my guy (ARI) upside down floating at the top---at first I thought he was dead! But he is NOT. He is breathing ( heavy )

I moved him to warmer hospital tank, but 1tsp of Epsom salt and tried giving him deshelled frozen peas--hand feeding him. I have to hold him and turn him right side up--he sucked in food but then spit it right out. The temp increase, so I put a airator to give some oxygen ..

He is very bloated so I thought swimmers bladder???

What to do!!! He is 3 1/2 years old

 

[fort384]

Posting some stats and parameters on your tank will help folks come to a diagnose:

Tank size?
Tank age?
NH4?
NO2?
NO3?
Temp?
pH?
Maintenance schedule (i.e. water changes, how often, how much, how do you do it?)

 

[jlk]

Answering Fort's questions will help us to help you better! Can you also include what their normal diet is (brand, type food, other foods)? Are his scales raised at all or sticking out if you look at him from top down?

 

[chimbica]

I don't have any ph strips left and my thermometer broke couple of weeks ago...the local store is closed today...there is a petsmart but it's per hour away---we might go this afternoon... I do have the ammonia and nh4,3 tests

I believe temp is between 50-60
Tank is 4 years old
I change water 25% ever other month and 50% every 6 months. I use conditioner and I also use the handheld battery gravel cleaner. I only clean gravel every other week and do 25% of floor bottom at a time.

The NO2 shows 0ppm
The NH3&NH4 shows between 0 and .50ppm

I feed them all natural goldfish granules from aqueon, ever three days. About 5-7 granules per fish (they tend to eat on separate sides of tank)

 

[chimbica]

His scales are not sticking up or out---he just very very bloated and now on his side, not upside down

 

[chimbica]

Pic of him staying near aerator.

 

[jlk]

If you go to petsmart/lfs, please pick up a good liquid test kit such as the API fw master kit. I suspect your nitrate levels are likely at very toxic levels right now and this likely the main issue in your fish's symptoms. Even with only two goldies in a 55g, you still need to do regular, weekly water changes of atleast 50%. Once every 2 or 6 months simply is not sufficient to keep toxin levels under control and keep a tank healthy. An ammonia reading of .50ppm on strips indicates it may actually be much higher- strips are inaccurate at best. This as well will affect your fish and his health.

Once we have a better idea of what your tank numbers and his bowl's numbers are, we can make further suggestions to get your tank healthy.

 

[chimbica]

It's not strips--sorry it's liquid tester

 

[fort384]

I agree, water quality is an issue here. Goldfish have a pretty high bioload, and your water change schedule sounds insufficient. That fact that you have detectable ammonia concerns me, and I would want to know what the nitrate level is as well.

For now, large water changes are in order.

 

[chimbica]

I did a 50% water change 17 days ago

 

[fort384]

You should probably be doing 50% water changes every 7 days.

 

[chimbica]

So since store is 1hr away--want to make sure I get all I need...so other than more liquid testers--any meds?

 

[fort384]

I wouldn't recommend any meds at this point. You might get some peas. Feeding shelled peas can help with bloat, if that is the issue.

 

[chimbica]

Also---he is in 4g mini tank -- leave him there for now ? It's 3 gallons new treated water & one gallon of his old water plus salt

 

[chimbica]

Yeah---got the peas---de shelled them and had to hold him right side up & feed him---he spat them out...

 

[fort384]

I would do a 50% change in the main tank and put him back in. Ammonia in 4 gallons wouldn't take but several hours to become a problem.

 

[jlk]

The most important thing you can offer your fish right now is healthy water. He is sick from the water and I can not guarentee meds will do anything. Generally, metromeds would be recommended if a fish is eating but this is not something petsmart (or any other lfs) will carry and your fish is not eating. What petsmart does typically carry is API General Cure (same active ingredient metronidazole as metromeds) and Maracyn Plus. Let us know what you find there & we can make more/other recommendations.

 

[chimbica]

Just did 50-60% water change and put him back in.

 

[chimbica]

3 hours later...

 

[fort384]

Is it dead or just the same?