Now I have a second fish showing swim bladder problems.

[Phil B. 215]

Woke up today to find my Moor flipped over on his back on the bottom. I don't know what to do anymore. I think I'm about ready to get out of goldfish keeping.

[DawnMichele 6,045]

So sorry to hear about your Goldfish. Hope he feels better.

[Phil B. 215]

 

 

 

[Phil B. 215]

This is the second time this has happened in the last month. I'm starting to wonder if theres something in the water.

 Or maybe their diet is bad? I give them NLS TheraA pellets, as well as Soilent Green Repashy. With occasional peas and frozen bloodworms.

[mjfromga 1,784]

Oh no. So sorry Phil. I've had some troubles lately, too. Hopefully things get better.

[Arctic Mama 3,625]

You know the drill Phil - fill out the form and we can start assisting. I'm sorry he flipped and it does sometimes happen without any underlying association among cases.

[shakaho 6,312]

Yes, please fill out the form so we can search for reasons for this problem.

[Phil B. 215]

 I have him in the plastic tub I was using for Spot a few weeks ago. He's floatign on his back and not moving. Looking dead apart from his breathing.     


  * Ammonia Level .25
        * Nitrite Level 0
        * Nitrate level  20pm

Tap
        * Ammonia Level  .25
        * Nitrite Level 0
        * Nitrate level 0

        * Ph Level, Tank 7.4
        * Ph Level, Tap  7.4 Water is fairly soft, in the 3-4 range.


        Other Required Info:
           
* Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops? API drops
           
* Water temperature? 73
           
* Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running? 75 gallons been running just over a year.
           
* What is the name and "size of the filter"(s)? Aquaclear 70 and 110
           
* How often do you change the water and how much? 40% twice a week.

    * How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change? Wednesday 40%
    * How many fish in the tank and their size? 3  4 inch fish.
    * What kind of water additives or conditioners? Prime


    * What do you feed your fish and how often? Soilent Green Repashy,  NLS Thera+A, ocassional frozen bloodworms and peas.
   
* Any new fish added to the tank? No

    * Any medications added to the tank? No

    * List entire medication/treatment history for fish and tank. Please include salt, Prazi, PP, etc and the approximate time and duration of treatment.

   Used salt and Prazi as directed several months ago.
   
* Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt," bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? No physical symptoms

    * Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.? He's seemed rather lethargic in the last few days. hanging out ner the corner, hovering in place rather than swimming actively.
 
      He's currently upside down, but sinking rather than floating, and is breathing heavily and only moving ocassionally.

      There was an extra long poop strand the day before yesterday, and last night he was trailing a long, transparent ribbon.
 

Edited August 26, 2016 by Phil B.

[Phil B. 215]

I've gone ahead and set him up in a plastic tub with a couple gallons of water, and a 1/2 tsp of Epsom salt. I guess we'll see what happens.

Edited August 27, 2016 by Phil B.

[kiro 47]

So sorry to hear about this Phil, you seem to have bout of bad luck. I hope speedy recovery and better luck your way!

[Phil B. 215]

Thanks. I honestly can't figure out what happened. Everything was doing fine, then suddenly swim bladders startign giving out left and right. I guess maybe I wasn't giving them enough veggies.

 

 I wonder if breeder fish would be less prone to things like this than ones from the store?

24 hours later and no change. He's just sort of wedged himself in between the bubble bar and the side of the tub. I'll see if I can hand feed him a bit of pea this evening.

[Arctic Mama 3,625]

I've asked the team to help you but they have a lot going on right now with life and school starting up again. I'd recommend the same basic combo of treatment I did for your other fish, with oxy and metro. No Epsom.

Have you been buffering your water at all? I'm noting it is extremely soft, and that can make the fish very prone to disease. We have instructions on here for baking soda buffering and I personally keep wonder shells in my tank at all times because my tank is softer than I'd like (and still significantly harder than yours, if that tells you anything ).

If you want more details on either buffering method let me know and I'll dig them up. Otherwise a two week course of the oxy and metro in a clean unfiltered hospital tank just like what you did before is a good bet. Feed lightly but not peas please (unless your oxy is the flake food and not waterborne, if it is the flake obviously feed that as directed).

[Phil B. 215]

Awww, thank AM, but looks like the little guy didn't make it.

[Arctic Mama 3,625]

I'm sorry he passed Phil!

The good news is you weren't struck with random swim bladder attacks. While the fish could have been sick with the same thing Spot was, it's more likely he had his own immune issue and the flipping over was part of his quick decline than anything hereditary or even husbandry related. I've had perfectly healthy fish up and die out of the blue, it's not necessarily uncommon. And sometimes they just get sick and go so quickly you can't do anything.

I definitely recommend buffering your water still, and Koko's idea of running silver through your tank after a thorough cleaning (and maybe removing some of the ornaments) is a good one. We want to give your remaining pearlscale his best chance and those are good ways to prevent additional illness to some extent.

[Phil B. 215]

Sure, I'd appreciate your notes on buffering.

So at this point I should tear the tank down and scrub it out?

 

I guess I can remove the one piece of wood with the half dead java fern on it. I'm sick and tired of looking at my failures.

[mjfromga 1,784]

Oh, Phil. They aren't your failures. You care so much for your fish. I have very soft water, too. Neither plants nor fish do very well in such water. Don't give up yet. I'm sorry your Moor passed.

[DawnMichele 6,045]

So sorry for your loss.

[Phil B. 215]

I think if it weren't for Spots floatiness, I'd rehome my surviving two fish and switch to Tropicals. But I doubt anyone would want to adopt a broken goldfish.

Edited August 27, 2016 by Phil B.

[Butterfly 485]

Oh no! So sorry for your loss.

[koko 14,340]

Hold your chin up hun we will try to figure this out...

I would get a hold of the Silver 50ppm min more if you can find it... I would like you to run the silver in the main tank. Placing it in the tank every time you do a water change...

Also take out the logs

[Speckles 1,178]

So sorry Phil! I really hope things improve for you soon

[Phil B. 215]

I'll order the silver online if I need to.

 

Lose the driftwood? But what about my plants?

[Arctic Mama 3,625]

I think the mods were thinking you had hollow ornaments in the tank. Did we see things incorrectly from the picture? Those can capture gases and detritus and make it hard to keep the tank clean with worsens the soft water issues with increased decay. If it is just driftwood just make sure to lift it while vacuuming the substrate and call it good

[Phil B. 215]

No, they're definitely real driftwood. One is store bought and has been in there since the tank cycled. The second one I gathered myself and soaked, bleached, and boiled it over the course of a month.

 

 

Oh, and I just remembered something that I forgot to mention. A couple of weeks ago a member here sent me a sample of duckweed, some of which I accidentally got into the tank. I wonder if there could have been something in that?

[koko 14,340]

Well Im thinking if he gets the silver and take the wood out we can start from the basics of the tank... It could be something in the filtration or with the logs... If one is a found one it could be an issue too... Logs can have little holes in them allowing water to go in and get stagnate...

Im just thinking with all the issues lets do the silver and get the tank to almost a QT state:)