What All Causes A Fish Being Floaty?

[number20121]

With my new little Vanille tending to get slightly floaty occasionally I'd like to know what all causes a fish to get floaty.

And what have you personally experienced that makes your fish more floaty?

That way I have a mental list of things to try to avoid. Thanks in advance!

[blackteles]

There are many causes of swimbladder problems, and most are difficult to consistently treat, in part because it?s difficult to tell exactly what?s wrong with your fish.

Common causes of swimbladder problems include:

* Intake of excessive air when eating from the surface

* Build-up of gas within the swim bladder

* Bacterial infection leading to an accumulation of fluid in the swimbladder

* Physical damage

* Incorrect internal growth, or even a tumor

Last are the compressed organs in the Ryukin type bodied fish.

[amynmitchell]

Nitrates cause my fish to float as well.

[blackteles]

Nitrates cause my fish to float as well.

I didn't know that, Amy!

[number20121]

Thanks! Vanille is floaty again, it's getting a bit worse since I posted the topic. She hasn't been fed for hours though so it can't be from feeding, but I think she was air gulping as I left the tank cover open on the side where they are being fed.

Gonna check water quality on Nitrates now, to see if that is what it is, although I really think it is the search for food at the surface before. I feel so bad for her as a couple times she turned upside down.

Any home remedies to ease a floaty episode a bit?

[blackteles]

Any home remedies to ease a floaty episode a bit?

Fang you are doing the peas and fasting technique?

[number20121]

Quite irregularly. She sure won't get any food tomorrow though and I'll start on a fasting/pea schedule. Does this help a fish on the long run? Like reduce the probability of a fish getting floaty?

I feel so bad for Vanille right now. She is fine until she tries to swim to the bottom. The lower she gets the harder it is for her, and then she stands tail up, does a somersault and then ends up upside down, then turns sideways to get herself into normal position again.

Checked water for nitrates, the color is something between 0 and 5.

I did a 10% water change today, just scooping up poop because I was bored.

Should I put her in the QT tub with banana? Banana looks like the healthiest fish I ever got, never even saw her yawning or so. But the water is only half as deep as the big tank, so there would be less water weight on her and she could keep balance a bit easier.

[blackteles]

Quite irregularly. She sure won't get any food tomorrow though and I'll start on a fasting/pea schedule. Does this help a fish on the long run? Like reduce the probability of a fish getting floaty?

Fang...Snow had increasing SBD for a period of about 3-4 months. Feeding peas for one day then fasting a full day afterward did make an improvement in her floating.

[number20121]

Sounds good. Maybe they'll get peas then tomorrow. I just hope she stops gobbling air. It's because she sees the teles being hand feed up there, I might have to change that. Maybe I'll get a breeder basket for the teles to eat in and get Vanille to eat with the others lower down.

[Cynders]

Some fish may even be allergic to the food.

[blackteles]

Fang, after seeing Snow with the SBD and I know feeding at the surface had a lot to do with it...I made the decision to switch to a variety of pellets and now all of my teles feed at the bottom. It took Magoo a few days to learn the procedure but I'm comfortable now knowing that they're not at the top gulping air which can further aggravate SBD. Now once in a while I do surface feed freeze dried worms and shrimp but 95% of their food goes to the bottom. Much easier for me and better for the herd.

Edited November 14, 2010 by blackteles

[number20121]

What? You mean as a cause for being floaty? Wow.

I really think it is air gulping when looking for food at the surface Silly fish. I'll get a breeder basket asap.

Dennis: but in my case the teles would be at a disadvantage. I'm not even talking about the single tails, because Spicey is even WORSE. Or I'd have to get a divider

Edited November 14, 2010 by Oerba Yun Fang

[blackteles]

What? You mean as a cause for being floaty? Wow.

Oh sure....you don't want them taking in any excess air especially if they have floating issues. That's why I've become an advocate of bottom feeding with pellets.

[number20121]

What? You mean as a cause for being floaty? Wow.

Oh sure....you don't want them taking in any excess air especially if they have floating issues. That's why I've become an advocate of bottom feeding with pellets.

My question was actually for Tay about the allergic reaction but you posted before I did

I'll have Vanille have a talk with you about the air eating issue then

[number20121]

Is there anything that works in an instant to ease it a bit? Like temperature or something? Probably not I guess.

[blackteles]

I've read where some have actually massaged their fish to relieve SBD but I'm not even going there...I'm not aware of anything for something that would help floatiness issues quickly.

[number20121]

I turned the air bubbler off as its current was making it a lot harder for Vanille. Just temporary, I will turn it back on in an hour. She is starting to poop some now, I hope she'll get rid of all the excess air.

[blackteles]

Fang here's a Koko's link to SBD...if you haven't already seen this.

SBD by Koko

[number20121]

Thank you so much Dennis!

[Captain Findus Goldfish]

Oh, sorry you also have this issue. makes me so nervous! I have Sir Archie and Einstein who are compulsory floaters. It's ridiculous! They even float with peas and frozen foods...

So far I found that spinach and broccoli are very good 'cleansers' that allow them to 'land' quick fast after eating them. But it doesn't help that they are also compulsive gulpers...

I think it really depends much on the fish's genes and how they were cared for before they got into our hands. My jumbo Ryukins who would actually HAVE a reason to be prone to floatiness can eat ANYTHING and it doesn't affect them or their digestion in any way. I literally have thrown in some unsoaked pellets as a test and it doesn't affect them at all.

[number20121]

But doesn't broccoli make them gassy? Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose? Vanille is pooping air-links right now, I hope things are gonna be better soon. I also added one of the heaters that came with the tank to slowly raise the temperature as I saw this suggested. Bubbles are back on too.

[Captain Findus Goldfish]

I also heard the broccoli thing. But that never happened with my fish. They poop VERY large and thick poops with the broccolis. It really seems to relieve them.

I also like the spinach because they are full of vitamins.

[number20121]

Does chopped frozen spinach work? I just microwave it and then put it in a veggie clip? Or just defrost it?

I gave them broccoli before but it made them a bit gassy. Not floaty though. The main problem was the enormous MESS it made.

I THINK Vanille stabilized a bit *knocks on wood* Not 100% back to normal but she manages to get down into the bottom third of the tank without constantly tumbling over. Gassy poopoo helped.

[Captain Findus Goldfish]

I always use fresh veggies. The broccoli I boil them until the fluffy tops are falling off, and the spinach leaves until I can make easy holes with a fork. I find this the best way for the fish to easily eat them.

Yea I also get a mess with the broccoli - but the little ones spend the rest of the day 'cleaning' the tank

[number20121]

I see! I will try the spinach at some point. Do you feed the broccoli including what is left of the dark fluffy parts or do you take them off before feeding? They are what left my tank in a mess, not even the fishies and snails could clean it all up, had to do an extra water change the next day

Also I notice Vanille is yawning a lot the past couple hours or so, since she's so floaty. Is that normal?

Edited November 14, 2010 by Oerba Yun Fang