Goldfish with swollen butt

[Mel09100]

Hi,

My sons beloved goldfish started floating upside down last week. We treated for swim bladders and it has improved but have now noticed that it swelled when we feed anything but peas. Any one have any experience with this? I had koi for 11 years and have never seen this.

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Need clear pictures that are in focus.

If goldfish float when they stop moving, it's usually caused by air in their intestine. When it's passed out the back end, they swim normally again. To test for this, stop feeding dry food for a week and feed live or frozen foods instead. If the problem fixes itself when you stop feeding dry food, it's air in the intestine.

If the problem continues when you stop feeding dry food, then it's a swim bladder problem. Swim bladder problems are actually quite rare.

If a fish sinks to the bottom when it stops swimming, then it probably has a swim bladder problem.

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If the pink area on the fish is its intestine poking out of its butt, then it has major problems. Sometimes it goes back in by itself, other times it doesn't. This problem is usually caused by inbreeding and bad diet (too much dry food). Goldfish need lots of plant matter in their diet and at least 50% of their food should be plant based.

 

[Mel09100]

Thank you for your response! I will definitely try your advice and find some frozen food this weekend. The red part isn’t hanging out (hoping that’s a good thing). I will try for clearer pics as well ��

 

[m.j.gomez]

Hello, just tossing this out there. I lost a 4yr old black moor because he swallowed a piece of gravel which lodged in his intestinal track(2nd pic gravel). He had similar symptoms as yours.
I tried everything like peas, Epsom salts,fasting & meds. Nothing worked. Found out goldies need a sand substrate to prevent this from happening do to constantly foraging(1st pic). Switched to sand & no reoccurrences. If somehow he does pass it I suggest you do the same. Hopefully this helps!!!!!