Guest rmatalas Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 I have had my beloved calico ryukin (Mr. Bubbles) for a month and a half now. He is convenient in his little 10 gallon tank. I have been observing some strange behavior happening. Mr. Bubbles likes to stay afloat on the top of the tank, gulping air like crazy. I caught him a couple times belly up gulping air for a second or so and then he returns to his upright position. I'm just worried because Mr.Bubbles is usually a "bottom tank" kind of guy. This has been going on for almost a week now. Any suggestions on what's wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member lillypetal Posted July 21, 2005 Regular Member Share Posted July 21, 2005 He has swim bladder disease. This is a common problem facing fancy goldfish. Ii have experience of it with my goldies. Okay heres my advice which works wonders with my fish. Firstly do a water change, make sure your tank is well aerated. Secondly do you soak all the food you are giving your fish. Because if you feed them flakes/pellets which have not been soaked, they expand in your goldies stomach causing problems. So my first piece of advice, whenever you feed them, soak for 1 minute in tank water and squeeze air out, then feed. Secondly fast your fish for one day, then feed them peas the next day. Squeeze the pea pods out of their shell, and mash up into little pieces. Make sure they have been thawed out first. Ffeed them peas once a week, dont overfeed your fish, and your ryukin should be fine goodluck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rmatalas Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 thank you very much for all of your help! are you sure my ryukin will be fine if this has been going on for a couple of days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member lillypetal Posted July 22, 2005 Regular Member Share Posted July 22, 2005 Im sure Just stick to the above plan of action and Im sure everything will be fine. He may be occasionaly slightly floaty now and again if you dont keep up with water changes e.t.c... but all should be fine goodluck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Marco Posted July 22, 2005 Regular Member Share Posted July 22, 2005 or it could be that your lil calico isnt getting enough oxygen...may be why he goes to the surface to get air..sometimes you shouldnt feed them when they have SBD..causes them to go for more air do you have a air-pump in your 10gallon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest yabbie Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Definitely do what Lillypetal has suggested. High nitrates and lack of oxygen as well as SBD will make Mr Bubbles go to the surface. A qucik water change will ease the situation. Goldfish are messy and oxygen greedy as far as fish go, so make sure your filtration and airation are enough for him as Marco has suggested. Perhaps you need a better filter, perhaps you need an airstone as well. Ryukin are not hardy fish. If you want to keep fancy fish you'll have to meet all their needs to keep them healthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Wynkin Posted July 22, 2005 Regular Member Share Posted July 22, 2005 Hi, You have gotten some good advice about what to do. As Yabbie said, the high nitrates and lack of oxygen contribute to the floating and gulping at the top. My suggestion is to get a larger tank if you can afford it. 10 gallons per goldie is a minimum and in my opinion, when they get big, they need more than that. 15 or 20 gallons for each makes it easier to have high quality water and lower nitrates, etc. My fantail had SBD when she was in a smaller tank (two fancy goldfish in a 20 gallon tank). She would be upside down at the top, gulping like crazy but when she saw me, she would flip back over to beg for food. It went on for over a month till I got a larger tank. In May of 2004, I got a 50 gallon tank and an eheim canister filter--I also have 2 Penquin bio-wheels so there is lots of filtration and plenty of room for my three fancy goldfish. My fantail has not floated upside down since then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member magickzzl Posted July 22, 2005 Regular Member Share Posted July 22, 2005 My guy Sharky floats when he eats bubbles and if the nitrates get high (i have to watch them like a HAWK!) poor Sharky.. the other fish "bump" him when he floats.. like a piniata! lucky he hasnt been hurt yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rmatalas Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 Thank you all for the help! After feeding Mr.Bubbles some peas within 20 minutes he was doing a lot better. The next day I starved him and now today he is back to normal. Now my other fish has Ick!! How exactly do you get rid of nitrates? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member magickzzl Posted July 24, 2005 Regular Member Share Posted July 24, 2005 water changes. I do 40% weekly to keep the nitrates down around 10. for the ick, quICKcure works wonders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member kortniee Posted July 24, 2005 Regular Member Share Posted July 24, 2005 I hear salt does wonders for Ich... there are some good topics around on using salt. Check out the treatment section for those. I've never gotten to use it... the one time I had Ich in my tank, my fish had so many other things too that they died before I could do anything about it. Salt is also good for treating new fish, too, though, so I'm gonna use it here before too long... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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