Regular Member rai-nbow Posted October 22, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 22, 2010 So my little Reila's always been really sensitive to swim bladder issues and I've always been really careful with her. Every now and then she'd start having swim bladder problems, like listing sideways, and I'd not feed her and give her a pea and she'd be fine within 24 hours. I started soaking her food and she hasn't had a single problem 'til now. She's been having problems for a week now and I don't know what to do anymore. She's had 3 separate days of peas and has barely been fed. She was flipping over, than after peas she just sat near the top. A day or two went by, I gave her peas and she started swimming fairly normal so I was relieved. But now she's flipped over again. I don't know what else to do. I'm worried she's egg bound and that I'll lose her. I don't know if there's anything I CAN do. -cries everywhere- [*]Test Results for the Following: [*]Ammonia Level? N/A [*]Nitrite Level? O [*]Nitrate level? low, don't know exact but I just did a water change [*]Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines)? 7.4ish [*]Ph Level, Tap (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines)? 6.5 ish [*]Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops? api [*]Water temperature? 78 [*]Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running? 55, 4 months??? [*]What is the name and size of the filter(s)? emperor 400 [*]How often do you change the water and how much? Once a week, 60%+ [*]How many fish in the tank and their size? 5, you know [*]What kind of water additives or conditioners? None [*]What do you feed your fish and how often? Reila hasn't really been fed except peas [*]Any new fish added to the tank? No. [*]Any medications added to the tank? No. [*]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.? upside down, obv This has been going on too long. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Sakura Posted October 23, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 (edited) Oh poor Reila, and I'm sorry you have to deal with this stress What are the nitrate levels normally at? Do you test those weekly? Anything above 20ppm can make a sensitive fish floaty. I kind of doubt that's the problem here, but I just want to get that checked off the list of possibilities. I know you have tried feeding her peas, but did you try fasting her for a few days before feeding peas? I have also heard that feeding broccoli helps some fish with their floaty problems. If you did all that, then I think the next thing to try would be a grain of epsom salt inside of a pea. If that doesn't help "flush her out", then I would separate her to a QT tank where you can keep the water shallow (5 inches or so) and use sponge filters. See if the shallow water eventually helps her floaty issue. This is something Lionchu suggested to me before, and he said he's saved many floaty fish with this method. Basically he keeps the floaty fish confined to 5 inches of water (at .1% salt) until they can easily reach the bottom of the tank. Then he gradually raises the water level as the fish can swim deeper and deeper. Maybe this would help Reila. p.s. keep a close watch on her scales to make sure they don't begin to raise. Also, does her vent area look swollen or red at all? Edited October 23, 2010 by Sakura 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member rai-nbow Posted October 23, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 Yup, I test my tank weekly and keep my params low because I know the nitrates affect her. Yeah, she's been fasted and the whole chizaz with peas. I'm hoping the fasting this past 2 days and peas tonight will help. I haven't tried them with salt though. I read online a little bit ago about the water leveling technique!! If the peas don't help this time I'll definitely try that. Nope, her scales are fine and no redness at her vent. Thank you so much for responding. I'm so worried about her. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member caitie Posted October 23, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 I'm really sorry about the troubles poor Reila is having. What Sakura suggested is all really good advice. But I was wondering about a few other things. Is she still active, eating with appetite and is her poop normal? Have you ever fed her gel food? I ask because my blackmoor was having a terrible time with floating and also floating, and when I stopped all commercial food and just gave him gel food he stopped having problems. It took about a week of eating only gel food before he stopped having issues tho. Now he reacts even if I try to put a little bit of commercial food in the gel. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member rai-nbow Posted October 23, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 (edited) Yeah, she's active~ If I come up to the tank, she'll swim to the front. Albeit, badly. But she asks for food and will eat if I let her. I haven't tried gel food on her. Maybe I should. Edit: I don't think I've noticed her poop. >.> Edited October 23, 2010 by Rai 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member caitie Posted October 23, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 If you do give her gel food do a very simple recipe first, just to make sure she doesn't react to any of the foods. What I did was start with one jar of baby food, just peas, 1 sardine (not the whole can just one fish) a capsule of acidophilus (which is really good for floaty fish) and one envelop of gelatin. If she does well with this then you can add 1 different kind of food at a time to the gel. This way you can discover what her trigger foods are. With my blackmoor he will float with carrots; green beans; brocoli; and for some odd reason he loves bananas but he floats for days if he has any. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member shellbell4ever Posted October 23, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 aww poor baby i do hope she feels better soon 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member rai-nbow Posted October 23, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 Thank you so much for the recipe!!!!! I'll try it out. Thank you, Shell~ 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member rai-nbow Posted October 23, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 AHHH!!!! This may sound weird, but Reila's pooping!!!! If it's constipation, then yay!! Oooooh I hope she feels better and gets better soon~ 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member caitie Posted October 23, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 (edited) Oh good! That is a good sign, sometimes they get so blocked up it just takes longer to flush out their system. I hope she'll soon be back to normal, don't forget to keep us posted. Edited October 23, 2010 by caitie 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member shellbell4ever Posted October 23, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 Isn't it funny how us goldfish lovers get excited about our babies pooping Hopefully that means she's on the mend keep us posted 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Captain Findus Goldfish Posted October 23, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 Have you tried adding a large Java Fern for the Nitrates? Mine eat all up. As for the floatiness I have 3 floaters who also do not do good on peas. I have found that broccoli and spinach are somehow better to clear their systems (especially broccoli-they poop LIKE MANIACS with them ). Just make sure you boil both very long almost to the point the veggies are falling apart by themselves 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member rai-nbow Posted October 23, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 Isn't it funny how us goldfish lovers get excited about our babies pooping Hopefully that means she's on the mend keep us posted AHahahaha~ Yup. Reila's still upside down today.... I want to try broccoli on her. Should I wait and see for today, or just go ahead and give her some? Her tummy is a little red from being out of the water. I read on another page that Vaseline or something similar would help so I put a little on her. I hope it helps. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member number20121 Posted October 23, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 Yeah, the vaseline will keep her skin/scales from drying out. I wonder if giving her nothing will help getting rid of what's insider faster than feeding her broccoli, but I never had a floaty fish, so I don't know. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member blackteles Posted October 23, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 Sure hoping that Reila pulls through this, Rai. It's very frustrating to say the least especially when it's one of yours. I also posted an article on SBD in goldfish that had some good facts as well as everybody's good advice here. Best of luck, Rai! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member rai-nbow Posted October 23, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 (edited) Sure hoping that Reila pulls through this, Rai. It's very frustrating to say the least especially when it's one of yours. I also posted an article on SBD in goldfish that had some good facts as well as everybody's good advice here. Best of luck, Rai! Aw, thank you. Oooh, where's the article? Fang, I think I'm gonna give her some time before I start stuffing broccoli down her throat. Edit: I found the official SBD article on Koko's. I donno if that's the one you're talking about though. Edited October 23, 2010 by Rai 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member rai-nbow Posted October 23, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 Have you tried adding a large Java Fern for the Nitrates? Mine eat all up. As for the floatiness I have 3 floaters who also do not do good on peas. I have found that broccoli and spinach are somehow better to clear their systems (especially broccoli-they poop LIKE MANIACS with them ). Just make sure you boil both very long almost to the point the veggies are falling apart by themselves Ah! I forgot to answer you. I'm sorry. I used to have Java Ferns when I first got them, Karyu trashed 'em though. I'm going to go cook her some broccoli right now! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member rai-nbow Posted October 23, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 (edited) I fed my goldie's broccoli!!! Even the new guy enjoyed it!! There was no questions asked. Iva particularly liked it. She loves her greens. I held Reila and hand fed her. She eagerly ate it so I'm very happy. I have a plastic container in the water that she is under so her tummy isn't exposed. She doesn't seem to be all concerned that she's in it so I'm relieved. I'll check on her every now and then to make sure she hasn't flipped out of it. I've had to put her back a couple times because Karyu's curiosity knocked the thing and she flipped out. I'm a little more hopeful now. Reila isn't giving up!! Edited October 23, 2010 by Rai 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member blackteles Posted October 23, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 Hey Rai...here's the link to the article. Hope it may be of some help as well. Koko's- SBD Article 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member dogsbykat Posted October 23, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 Hugs to you, Rai. Hope Reila starts feeling better soon 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member rai-nbow Posted October 23, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 Thank you, Blackteles!! I'm sorry. I don't know your name. It was interesting and it's really cool that NCSU came up with the pea thing!! I live near the school. Thank you, Buggy!!! -hugs- 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Cynders Posted October 23, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 His name is Batman. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member rai-nbow Posted October 24, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 24, 2010 Ahahahaha, mmkay. xDDD My poor baby girl... But she's doing okay. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member dogsbykat Posted October 24, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 24, 2010 Poor girl but I would think the container should really help to keep her belly healthy 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member rai-nbow Posted October 24, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 24, 2010 Mhmm! Definitely~ She hasn't tried to leave it anymore, so I think she understands it's helping. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.