Help! What could cause this behavior?

[andry6 137]

All fish were acting normal when I fed this morning (soaked shrimp pellets). About an hour ago, one fish is displaying very strange behavior.  I put some red leaf lettuce in the tank but none of the fish seemed interested. (edited to say:  I thought she was choking because she kept "chewing" constantly. Then she would swim upside down, then sit in the plants. But there's nothing in the tank that she could be choking on except the lettuce, but there was no part of the lettuce missing off of the leaf!) Test Results for the Following: * Ammonia Level(Tank) 0 * Nitrite Level(Tank) 0 * Nitrate level(Tank) darker than 0 but lighter than 5 * Ammonia Level(Tap) 0 * Nitrite Level(Tap) 0 * Nitrate level(Tap) 0 * Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) 7.6 * Ph Level, Tap (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) 7.6 Other Required Info: * Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops? API Freshwater Master Test Kit * Water temperature? 68F * Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running? 75 gallon - 2 years * What is the name and "size of the filter"(s)? two Aqueon 75 * How often do you change the water and how much? 100% every 3 weeks or when water quality drops * How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change? 100% 3 days ago * How many fish in the tank and their size? 4 total. Two fancies (both 4" not including tail) and two common/comets (2.5" not including tail) * What kind of water additives or conditioners? Seachem Prime * What do you feed your fish and how often? Frozen blood worms, brine shrimp, red leaf lettuce, peas, shrimp pellets (soaked) rapashy soilent green. Once, sometimes twice a day. (I am not one to overfeed) Sometimes I even skip a day * 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. nothing * Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt," bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? no * Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.? video attached. Normal behavior this morning. Video shows sudden abnormal behavior

Edited January 24, 2017 by andry6

[andry6 137]

Here is another video:

not sure why it's so big!

 

[shakaho 6,312]

Haven't seen you for a while.  Your fish are beautiful.  

The fish appears to have some kind of irritation.  Have you removed the fish from the tank and looked in the mouth for any foreign object?  Is she eating?

Flukes can cause irritation.  You might want to treat the tank with praziquantel.  This won't harm healthy fish so you don't have to isolate her.

 

[andry6 137]

Hi Sharon! Thank you!! I haven't been here for a while because the fish have been doing great!! 

I did remove her from the tank and looked in her mouth.  I didn't see anything.  And, she was completely still when I held her, which kind of scared me, because she normally puts up a fight! (It was almost like she knew I was trying to help her) I kept her in a plastic container for a little while to give her less space to swim and also so I could watch her.  The "chewing" slowed a bit and she just sort of floated in the corner for a while.  She looked tired out to me!  I just treated the tank with Prazi and put her back in.

[shakaho 6,312]

This is odd.

 

When I first read your post I saw a video of your fish.  After I answered, Your post showed this video:

Rather different.

[andry6 137]

Whoa!! What is that?!  I just attached my video link...did I do something wrong??

[DawnMichele 6,045]

Beautiful Goldfish and tank. Hope your Goldfish feels better.

[shakaho 6,312]

You didn't do anything wrong. I see your video in your post now.  I just thought it funny that it changed. I have no idea how YouTube videos work.

[andry6 137]

UPDATE: 

I just went to check on her and there was a 3 inch piece of red leaf lettuce floating in the tank!! She WAS choking!!!  I took the lettuce out earlier because they didn't seem interested and it didn't look like any piece of the lettuce was missing, but apparently there was!! She obviously got it up by herself.  When I looked in her mouth earlier, I couldn't see anything, but it must have been too far back to see. 

She's acting normal now...thank God!

[fantailfan1 26,742]

 Christine!  Nice to see you around and I'm glad she got that lettuce out on her own.

 

She is absolutely gorgeous!   If you're ever looking to rehome that one

 

  Glad your fish have been doing so well!

[DawnMichele 6,045]

31 minutes ago, andry6 said:

UPDATE: 

I just went to check on her and there was a 3 inch piece of red leaf lettuce floating in the tank!! She WAS choking!!!  I took the lettuce out earlier because they didn't seem interested and it didn't look like any piece of the lettuce was missing, but apparently there was!! She obviously got it up by herself.  When I looked in her mouth earlier, I couldn't see anything, but it must have been too far back to see. 

She's acting normal now...thank God!

[koko 14,366]

Im so glad shes okay. I got a question for ya? did you blanch the leaf first?

[andry6 137]

44 minutes ago, koko said:

Im so glad shes okay. I got a question for ya? did you blanch the leaf first?

No, I did not.  I usually just put it in the tank and they munch on it.  They leave everything but the large vein that runs down the leaf.  (although, if I leave it in, they eat that too!)

I'm assuming that I'm supposed to blanch it?  If so, I guess I've been extremely lucky up to this point having never done that before.  I've been feeding them red leaf lettuce for a couple of years with no problems.  Boy do I feel dumb...

[andry6 137]

1 hour ago, fantailfan1 said:

 Christine!  Nice to see you around and I'm glad she got that lettuce out on her own.

 

She is absolutely gorgeous!   If you're ever looking to rehome that one

 

  Glad your fish have been doing so well!

Hi!  I'm glad too!  I thought she was going to be a goner. She literally was limp in my hand when I was trying to look in her mouth. I've worked so hard to learn as much as I can to have healthy fish and a healthy tank.  I was doing great....until today!  Obviously I still have some things to learn!  Blanch your lettuce?!! Who knew?!

[koko 14,366]

38 minutes ago, andry6 said:

No, I did not.  I usually just put it in the tank and they munch on it.  They leave everything but the large vein that runs down the leaf.  (although, if I leave it in, they eat that too!)

I'm assuming that I'm supposed to blanch it?  If so, I guess I've been extremely lucky up to this point having never done that before.  I've been feeding them red leaf lettuce for a couple of years with no problems.  Boy do I feel dumb...

Well it makes easier for them to eat hun. As you can see they get one of those tougher parts of the lettuce they can really chew it up well. So just blanch it for them and it will be easier for them to nibble on.

There teeth are in the back of the throat and they have to suck in air, grab the food, then push the water our of there mouths then shut their gills before the food comes out

 

Here is a slow motion video

 

[andry6 137]

Wow! Cool video! 

I think I'm going to be a nervous fishy momma and probably not feed lettuce for a while. Most of the time, when I feed the lettuce, it's kind of wilted from being in the fridge for a couple of days.  Well, this batch was just bought today and seemed a little thicker and tougher than normal.  Looks like I'll be eating salads for lunch this week and the fishies can eat the gel food and frozen blood worms/brine shrimp for a while

[Arctic Mama 3,641]

I've had fish act that way with mechanical obstruction AND parasites, so it can be very tricky to tell.  I'm glad it was just some lettuce and not flukes or gravel.  Beautiful fish and happy resolution 

[Anorea 144]

Yay! She's okay! I love your fish, they are gorgeous! (Especially your white veiltail)

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

[fantailfan1 26,742]

On 1/24/2017 at 10:37 PM, andry6 said:

No, I did not.  I usually just put it in the tank and they munch on it.  They leave everything but the large vein that runs down the leaf.  (although, if I leave it in, they eat that too!)

I'm assuming that I'm supposed to blanch it?  If so, I guess I've been extremely lucky up to this point having never done that before.  I've been feeding them red leaf lettuce for a couple of years with no problems.  Boy do I feel dumb...

 

Red leaf lettuce is tender enough that I've never blanched it in all the years I've fed it.  Too much work.   If I had to blanch it, I wouldn't feed it.  The other thing you could try that I've fed lately is Nori seaweed.