Ranchu having buoyancy issues

[Kate89 1,315]

Hi guys,

 

I've noticed that my ranchu, Crumpet, has been having buoyancy issues for the past few days. It seems to be a real effort for him to be upright and not float, I've seen him relax and float upside down a few times before swimming his way upright again. He's very active so doesn't allow himself to just float, if that makes sense.

My ryukin, Jeremy, has also been doing strange somersault things and seems a bit front-heavy recently. The other two fish, Matcha the oranda and Stephen the fry, seem fine apart from the fluid rings around Matchas eyes which I started a thread about a few weeks back, but they don't have any buoyancy problems.

As some of you know I moved house about three months ago so the fish have gone through some changes. The pH is slightly higher here and my heater broke a couple of months ago so the water has been slightly cooler, but I didn't think that would be an issue so haven't bought another one. The only things that have changed very recently is the fact that I ran out of gel food so the fish have been being fed just pellets (hikari lionhead and saki hikari), when they usually have gel food every evening as well. I've also been very busy with starting a new job recently so haven't been as on top of my tank maintenance as I usually am, I've still been doing weekly w/cs but I've not been scrubbing and cleaning the tank like I usually do, it looked really dirty today so I've just given it a good scrub and done a 150% w/c. Despite this water parameters are still perfect. I'm hoping this is just a bit of constipation but I just have a suspicion that something more is going on, none of my fish have ever been floaty or had any real health issues before. I didn't feed them yesterday and today I've only fed peas and plan to only feed peas for a few days more.

 

Here's the form, thank you so much in advance for any advice given, it's much appreciated

 

• Test Results for the Following:
  • * Ammonia Level(Tank) 0
  • * Nitrite Level(Tank) 0
  • * Nitrate level(Tank) 0
  • * Ammonia Level(Tap) 0
  • * Nitrite Level(Tap) 0
  • * Nitrate level(Tap) 0
  • * Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) 8.2
  • * Ph Level, Tap (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) 8.2
  • Other Required Info:
    • * Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops? API master kit, drops
    • * Water temperature? 21 degrees C
    • * Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running? 50 UK or 60 US gallons
    • * What is the name and "size of the filter"(s)? Fluval FX6 canister
    • * How often do you change the water and how much? 80% once a week
    • * How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change? Today, 150%
    • * How many fish in the tank and their size? ​4. One large oranda and ryukin, one medium size ranchu and a fry
    • * What kind of water additives or conditioners? API Stress Coat
    • * What do you feed your fish and how often? Usually fed three times daily. Hiker lion head pellets in morning (soaked) and saki hiker pellets at lunch (soaked), and then soilent green gel food in evening. However they haven't been having their gel food for past couple of weeks as I ran out. 
    • * Any new fish added to the tank? Fry back in Summer
    • * Any medications added to the tank? None
    • * List entire medication/treatment history for fish and tank. Please include salt, Prazi, PP, etc and the approximate time and duration of treatment. Last maintanence flubendazole treatment was in August
    • * Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt," bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? Fluid rings around orandas eyes, but other fish appear completely normal 
    • * Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.?  Ranchu has been having buoyancy issues for the past few days. It seems to be a real effort for him to be upright and not float, I've seen him relax and float upside down a few times before swimming his way upright again. He's very active so doesn't allow himself to just float, if that makes sense.

      My ryukin has also been doing strange somersault things and seems a bit front-heavy recently. Other two fish (oranda and fry) not having buoyancy issues. 

       

[Kate89 1,315]

Video to follow I'm just waiting for it to upload

[Kate89 1,315]

Sorry not the greatest video, you can see he's having problems at the beginning of the video but seems fine afterwards

[shakaho 6,312]

First question.  How do you do a 150% water change?

[DawnMichele 6,045]

Hope Crumpet feels better.

[Kate89 1,315]

First question.  How do you do a 150% water change?

Empty it then fill it half way then empty it again. Was still looking merky when I started filling it which is why I decided to drain it again.

[Kate89 1,315]

Hope Crumpet feels better.

Thanks Dawn

[Kate89 1,315]

He seems to be doing a bit better today after having another day of just peas. Will do the same tomorrow and see how he goes unless anyone has any other suggestions. I might just be worrying about nothing. 

[fancyblackgold 721]

Keeping fish that has byouance problems in shallow water is often a good thing.

[koko 14,341]

I would do peas and if you can duckweed seems to really help them when they start to float like this

[Kate89 1,315]

Keeping fish that has byouance problems in shallow water is often a good thing.

Yes I agree. However my chu has very recently developed this problem having had no problems like this before, he is not a 'floaty fish', he has been in the same tank and depth for the past 18 months. I'm very suspicious that the reduced temp has given him digestive problems as I've now got him in qt and he hasn't pooed properly for 3 days.

 

 

I would do peas and if you can duckweed seems to really help them when they start to float like this

 

I've now got him qt as he was really struggling, he's now been in qt since Friday evening and hasn't had a proper poo yet. I really think the reduced temp has messed with his digestion. I've now got a heater in his qt (I've also ordered a replacement for the main tank) and am slowly increasing the temp, I'm feeding him peas only and have covered the surface of the water with elodea so that when he does float he isn't exposed. Any other suggestions? Would feeding epsom and peas help? I know this might not seem like a big deal but he is my fave fish (don't tell the others!) and it's just very unusual for any of these fish to be not right, they've never had any health problems before   

[koko 14,341]

 

Keeping fish that has byouance problems in shallow water is often a good thing.

Yes I agree. However my chu has very recently developed this problem having had no problems like this before, he is not a 'floaty fish', he has been in the same tank and depth for the past 18 months. I'm very suspicious that the reduced temp has given him digestive problems as I've now got him in qt and he hasn't pooed properly for 3 days.

 

 

I would do peas and if you can duckweed seems to really help them when they start to float like this

 

I've now got him qt as he was really struggling, he's now been in qt since Friday evening and hasn't had a proper poo yet. I really think the reduced temp has messed with his digestion. I've now got a heater in his qt (I've also ordered a replacement for the main tank) and am slowly increasing the temp, I'm feeding him peas only and have covered the surface of the water with elodea so that when he does float he isn't exposed. Any other suggestions? Would feeding epsom and peas help? I know this might not seem like a big deal but he is my fave fish (don't tell the others!) and it's just very unusual for any of these fish to be not right, they've never had any health problems before   

 

 

 

That might work but Duckweed is a wonder plant for floating fish.. I would highly suggest getting some when you can.. Let the little one munch on it... It could have been the temp, or maybe he got a bacterial infection inside... we dont really know why some fish do this... but We have found that lowering the water level and using duckweed does goldfish miracles

[shakaho 6,312]

 Feeding three times a day makes it difficult not to overfeed at any temperature.  Even without any "digestive problems" over feeding fancy goldfish leads to fat deposits in the abdomen which puts pressure on an already crowded swim bladder.  

 

When the temperature drops, you have to feed less.  How much has the temperature dropped?  In the summer, my pond temperature averages ~85^oF ( 29^oC) and in winter perhaps 65^oF (18^oC)  I feed half as much food in the winter as in the summer and stop feeding completely if the water drops to 55^oF ( 13^oC).

[Kate89 1,315]

Guys I'm worried.

 

Crumpet has been in a qt tub for the past week as his floatiness got worse. I have been feeding him peas only but he still hasn't done a proper poo. There's a heater in qt with him and the increased temp seems to have increased his activity but he's still floaty when resting, so no improvement there. I've ordered some duckweed but it hasn't arrived yet.

 

I'm worried he may have an internal infection, and I'm also worried that he hasn't pooed. Is there anything else I should be doing? Would epsom help? Should I start antibiotics? I have metro meds but worry about feeding him pellets when he's so constipated. 

[Kate89 1,315]

 Feeding three times a day makes it difficult not to overfeed at any temperature.  Even without any "digestive problems" over feeding fancy goldfish leads to fat deposits in the abdomen which puts pressure on an already crowded swim bladder.  

 

When the temperature drops, you have to feed less.  How much has the temperature dropped?  In the summer, my pond temperature averages ~85^oF ( 29^oC) and in winter perhaps 65^oF (18^oC)  I feed half as much food in the winter as in the summer and stop feeding completely if the water drops to 55^oF ( 13^oC).

Temperature has dropped from about 23-24 to 18-19 degrees C. Maybe I have been overfeeding, I've now much reduced it. 

[mj23dream 4]

My 2 fishes have buoyancy issues as well. Where can I get duckweed?

 

Is it like this? 

http://www.amazon.com/CUP-LIVE-DUCKWEED-LEMNA-MINOR/dp/B00CQVL2O4/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1451334315&sr=8-5&keywords=duckweed+live+plant

 

• Great for Shade
• Koi love it
• Duck Weed is a hardy free floating plant that is found around the planet, with low to moderate lighting requirements
• It is a floating freshwater aquatic plant, with one, two or three leaves each with a single root hanging in the water; as more leaves grow, the plants divide and become separate individual

[shakaho 6,312]

Yes, that's what you want.  Grow your duckweed in a tub of used fish water