swollen fish stomach after food

[hana 1]

Hi

I have 2 goldies - 1 inch each - in 30 liters tank, filter, oxogen motor, there are gravels and i put bacteria for reducing ammonia weekly, changing 12 liters weekly.

but unfortionatelu i do not have strips to test water and could not get them this period

feeding them once aday about 6 pellets each (after putting them for 5 minuter in water from the tank)

one of the 2 goldies after food stands at the top of the tank with swollen stomach , trying to move but leaned to one of the sides when i come near the tan it try to swim well. it stands like that for about 8 hours, today i saw the feaces including a bubble. the other fish is good

please tell me what to do, thanks a lot

[dnalex 13,633]

Well, here are some suggestions, not all having to do with your current problem:

1. 30L for two fish is 90L short of what it needs to be, at least. Two fish will need about 120L.

2. 6 pellets at one time might be too many.

[GoldenSpoiledRotten 6,786]

Are you saying your fish is floating? That could be an issue with a lot of things, most likely food and water quality are the culprit. I would suggest that until you get a larger tank with proper filtration (at least 10 times what your filter puts out: a 90 L tank needs about 870 L per hour filtration) you do two 50% water changes weekly to keep the water clean. What type of water conditioner do you use?

[hana 1]

i use tape water left for 48 hours in open bottles

i add bionitrivic to water weekly after changing 12 litres

Edited November 18, 2012 by hana123

[hana 1]

the fish is floating after feeding only for about 6 or 8 hours not all the time

[tithra 4,917]

the fish is floating after feeding only for about 6 or 8 hours not all the time

This sounds as though your fish is sensitive to the food you are feeding. You may want to try a homemade gel food, there are lots of recipes around the forum. Some fish are sensitive to the products in commercial foods.

However, as others have already said, it is imperative that you fix the issue of tank size/filtration. Ultimately, your fish will not be healthy in a tank this size and you will have ongoing issues. Goldfish grow quite large (8-14 inches) and produce a lot of waste, so they require a minimum of 120 liters for two fish and a filter or filters that run 1,200 liters per hour.

If your tank is new (under 3 months) you likely do not yet have a cycle to keep the water safe for your fish. Cycling/bacteria in a bottle products can *sometimes* help a cycle along but absolutely will not cycle a tank instantly. A full cycle takes anywhere from 1-3 months typically, plus with the tank size you have you will likely not be able to get a good cycle simply because of size of tank and filtration.

Until you are able to get a new tank, you can get a large storage tub/bin to keep the fish in temporarily. If your tank is new you need to do daily 50-100% water changes to keep the water safe for your fish. Once your tank is cycled you need to do a minimum of a 50-80% water change weekly, assuming you have the fish in a 120 liter tank.

If you want/need more thorough advice/recommendations regarding your fish's floating please make a thread in the diagnosis/discussion section of the forum, but please be advised that you will need to make the necessary changes regarding tank size

[cmclien 655]

I would cut back on how many pellets you are giving at a time, maybe divide those 6 pellets into 3 meals or for sure 2 meals. How big are the pellets? 1 inch fish will need very little food, people tend to accidentally over feed then under feed fish. I find mine float if I give them too big of a meal at once and kinda like yours they will do it for many hours then will stop and be "normal" till I feed again.

[hana 1]

the tank is new : only from 6 weeks

when i feed the fish dried worms it is also floating but not difficult swimming and leaned to one side as using pellets,

can i feed them dried worms everyday?

also the fish after feeding keep grasping the surface of water (i think searching for food) does this form the problem?

[tithra 4,917]

the tank is new : only from 6 weeks

when i feed the fish dried worms it is also floating but not difficult swimming and leaned to one side as using pellets,

can i feed them dried worms everyday?

also the fish after feeding keep grasping the surface of water (i think searching for food) does this form the problem?

Freeze dried worms can actually cause digestive issues for fish. I would recommend that you stop feeding these. Frozen is preferable. The gasping is typically a symptom of the digestive issue as opposed to the cause. Gasping can also be due to poor water quality, so it is important to rule this out as a cause first.

[hana 1]

Thanks a lot for your replies

today i fed my fish cooked peas, it is much better

can i feed them peas everyday, is this good?

[cmclien 655]

Peas are good for constipation for a few days and then 1 or 2x a week, but can make them kinda gassy too. Other veggies like zuchini, spinach, lettuce, kale, cucumber are very good too and you can feed them with less pellets but they need the nutrition in those too. A lot of people will make gel food for them too.

With the lettuce etc you want to just blanch in dechlorinated water. For the zuchini, cucumber, green beans etc just boil for a min or two until soft, cut the skin off for the little guys as it would be hard to chew.

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Edited November 19, 2012 by cmclien