I've inherited a Goldfish - Help!!! (Long)

[Lady Samsara]

I recently moved back in with my family (my Father is ailing) and have
been given responsibility for my Dad's very fat Oranda Goldfish. The
abridged version is: He has had it for 6 months in a gallon tank
powered by an UGF and a power filter (which is for a 5 gallon tank).
He has been feeding it Numerous! amounts of food 3X daily (Tropical
flakes, Shrimp Pellets and as a treat, freeze dried Bloodworms). I
noticed right off he feeds her so much she has trouble maintaining her
equilibrium. I tested water parameters and to my surprise her ammonia
was 0ppm. After I got settled I tested for everything and her
nitrAtes were 160ppms!! I tried to explain to Dad that he was feeding
her too much, and that he should not be breaking her tank down every
few weeks and washing everything out, but you know how that goes. He
finally agreed that I would take over feeding and after doing a water
change I fed her lightly for a day or so. She then started floating
belly up (I did some Googling and think she got too much air at
feeding time due to the reduced rations) and what does Dad do when he
notices this? Feed her some more because she must be "starving to
death". I immediately got the "I've had her for 6 months and she's
been fine and you get here and shake things up and she gets sick" look
so I step back. He did finally call the LFS and got the "Swim Bladder
Do Not Feed for a few days" lecture so now I am the hero. She seems
better after a few days fast but still not herself. Her water (even
during not eating) is reading very high for nitrates even after
several water changes...I changed water 2 days ago and again I am back
at 160 today! I need help!

Here is what I can do...hoping it will help. I have Googled and
learned some about Goldfish, but would appreciate any help here. She
is a really sweet girl and I would like to give her any chance at a
happy and healthy life.

Why is the nitrate climbing so high even on a reduced diet and regular
water changes? Granted, there was lots of debris in the gravel but I
am wondering if I am missing something. Should I change carbon/filter
media? He is using distilled water and I am not sure if that factors
into the problem. I know her tank is too small and surmise that the
waste is just too much for the 1 gallon to handle. I have a spare 2
1/2 gallon I can use immediately and have gotten permission to put her
in a 5 gallon but need to find one that is compatible with the current
filter (I do not want to put her through a cycle in her weakened
state). Shall I put her in the 2 1/2 in the meantime?

I have purchased Wardley "Goldfish Crumbles" and have been soaking
them until I can find sinking food. After 2 days fast I fed her
lightly this afternoon...how much/how often should she be fed? Should
she still be getting the Shrimp Pellets and the freeze dried
Bloodworms or are they contributing to the problem? Am I correct in
soaking the food?

Those are my 2 main questions...any advise or input that can be added
I would greatly appreciate. I want to do whatever I can...this Goldie
is a sweetie!

Thanks so much!!

[luminos]

Since you tested for water conditions, you must know that breaking the tank
down likely broke the cycle, if there ever was any.

I think you have no chance in a one gallon with this fish and the treatment.

[Toni]

"Lady Samsara" > wrote in message
om...
> Here is what I can do...hoping it will help. I have Googled and
> learned some about Goldfish, but would appreciate any help here. She
> is a really sweet girl and I would like to give her any chance at a
> happy and healthy life.
>


Here is an excellent page on the basics needed to adequately care for
goldfish.
http://puregold.aquaria.net/pg/care/care1.htm#essentials

As you are finding out they produce way too much waste to even consider
keeping them in a container as small as yours. No matter how often you
change water you will not be able to keep up.

I strongly urge you to pick up something larger. Even a rubbermaid garbage
can would be a VAST improvement and would only set you back $5.
Upgrading the container is non-negotiable if you really want to "give her
any chance at a happy and healthy life.".


--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/goldfish.htm

[NetMax]

"Lady Samsara" > wrote in message
om...
> I recently moved back in with my family (my Father is ailing) and have
> been given responsibility for my Dad's very fat Oranda Goldfish. The
> abridged version is: He has had it for 6 months in a gallon tank
> powered by an UGF and a power filter (which is for a 5 gallon tank).
> He has been feeding it Numerous! amounts of food 3X daily (Tropical
> flakes, Shrimp Pellets and as a treat, freeze dried Bloodworms). I
> noticed right off he feeds her so much she has trouble maintaining her
> equilibrium. I tested water parameters and to my surprise her ammonia
> was 0ppm. After I got settled I tested for everything and her
> nitrAtes were 160ppms!! I tried to explain to Dad that he was feeding
> her too much, and that he should not be breaking her tank down every
> few weeks and washing everything out, but you know how that goes. He
> finally agreed that I would take over feeding and after doing a water
> change I fed her lightly for a day or so. She then started floating
> belly up (I did some Googling and think she got too much air at
> feeding time due to the reduced rations) and what does Dad do when he
> notices this? Feed her some more because she must be "starving to
> death". I immediately got the "I've had her for 6 months and she's
> been fine and you get here and shake things up and she gets sick" look
> so I step back. He did finally call the LFS and got the "Swim Bladder
> Do Not Feed for a few days" lecture so now I am the hero. She seems
> better after a few days fast but still not herself. Her water (even
> during not eating) is reading very high for nitrates even after
> several water changes...I changed water 2 days ago and again I am back
> at 160 today! I need help!
>
> Here is what I can do...hoping it will help. I have Googled and
> learned some about Goldfish, but would appreciate any help here. She
> is a really sweet girl and I would like to give her any chance at a
> happy and healthy life.
>
> Why is the nitrate climbing so high even on a reduced diet and regular
> water changes? Granted, there was lots of debris in the gravel but I
> am wondering if I am missing something. Should I change carbon/filter
> media? He is using distilled water and I am not sure if that factors
> into the problem. I know her tank is too small and surmise that the
> waste is just too much for the 1 gallon to handle. I have a spare 2
> 1/2 gallon I can use immediately and have gotten permission to put her
> in a 5 gallon but need to find one that is compatible with the current
> filter (I do not want to put her through a cycle in her weakened
> state). Shall I put her in the 2 1/2 in the meantime?
>
> I have purchased Wardley "Goldfish Crumbles" and have been soaking
> them until I can find sinking food. After 2 days fast I fed her
> lightly this afternoon...how much/how often should she be fed? Should
> she still be getting the Shrimp Pellets and the freeze dried
> Bloodworms or are they contributing to the problem? Am I correct in
> soaking the food?
>
> Those are my 2 main questions...any advise or input that can be added
> I would greatly appreciate. I want to do whatever I can...this Goldie
> is a sweetie!
>
> Thanks so much!!

The powerfilter will have a lot of the needed bacteria. Temporarily
moving the fish into a 5g with the old powerfilter, then only feeding
once every 2nd day and monitoring the water parameters might get things
on track again, but a 10 or 15g would probably be more appropriate,
easier to manage and easier on the fish (we don't know the size of this
fish... Orandas get quite large... for your reference: 8 inches). Once
the situation is stable, return to a daily feeding.

The 2-1/2g might be a worthwhile step if the water doesn't cycle again
(moving the powerfilter with the fish, feeding less, keeping fingers
crossed and ready to do water changes). If the problem is air intake,
then sinking foods or pre-soaking is a good idea (I'd discontinue the
freeze-dried stuff for a while, and stick to size appropriate pellets).
It might also be genetic (they can be pre-disposed to this as the
swimbladder is too low in their body) and it could be illness. If
genetic, then the fish would be in otherwise good health (I've seen very
healthy upside-down fancy goldfish).
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Lady Samsara]

"NetMax" > wrote in message >...
> "Lady Samsara" > wrote in message
> om...
> > I recently moved back in with my family (my Father is ailing) and have
> > been given responsibility for my Dad's very fat Oranda Goldfish. The
> > abridged version is: He has had it for 6 months in a gallon tank
> > powered by an UGF and a power filter (which is for a 5 gallon tank).
> > He has been feeding it Numerous! amounts of food 3X daily (Tropical
> > flakes, Shrimp Pellets and as a treat, freeze dried Bloodworms). I
> > noticed right off he feeds her so much she has trouble maintaining her
> > equilibrium. I tested water parameters and to my surprise her ammonia
> > was 0ppm. After I got settled I tested for everything and her
> > nitrAtes were 160ppms!! I tried to explain to Dad that he was feeding
> > her too much, and that he should not be breaking her tank down every
> > few weeks and washing everything out, but you know how that goes. He
> > finally agreed that I would take over feeding and after doing a water
> > change I fed her lightly for a day or so. She then started floating
> > belly up (I did some Googling and think she got too much air at
> > feeding time due to the reduced rations) and what does Dad do when he
> > notices this? Feed her some more because she must be "starving to
> > death". I immediately got the "I've had her for 6 months and she's
> > been fine and you get here and shake things up and she gets sick" look
> > so I step back. He did finally call the LFS and got the "Swim Bladder
> > Do Not Feed for a few days" lecture so now I am the hero. She seems
> > better after a few days fast but still not herself. Her water (even
> > during not eating) is reading very high for nitrates even after
> > several water changes...I changed water 2 days ago and again I am back
> > at 160 today! I need help!
> >
> > Here is what I can do...hoping it will help. I have Googled and
> > learned some about Goldfish, but would appreciate any help here. She
> > is a really sweet girl and I would like to give her any chance at a
> > happy and healthy life.
> >
> > Why is the nitrate climbing so high even on a reduced diet and regular
> > water changes? Granted, there was lots of debris in the gravel but I
> > am wondering if I am missing something. Should I change carbon/filter
> > media? He is using distilled water and I am not sure if that factors
> > into the problem. I know her tank is too small and surmise that the
> > waste is just too much for the 1 gallon to handle. I have a spare 2
> > 1/2 gallon I can use immediately and have gotten permission to put her
> > in a 5 gallon but need to find one that is compatible with the current
> > filter (I do not want to put her through a cycle in her weakened
> > state). Shall I put her in the 2 1/2 in the meantime?
> >
> > I have purchased Wardley "Goldfish Crumbles" and have been soaking
> > them until I can find sinking food. After 2 days fast I fed her
> > lightly this afternoon...how much/how often should she be fed? Should
> > she still be getting the Shrimp Pellets and the freeze dried
> > Bloodworms or are they contributing to the problem? Am I correct in
> > soaking the food?
> >
> > Those are my 2 main questions...any advise or input that can be added
> > I would greatly appreciate. I want to do whatever I can...this Goldie
> > is a sweetie!
> >
> > Thanks so much!!
>
> The powerfilter will have a lot of the needed bacteria. Temporarily
> moving the fish into a 5g with the old powerfilter, then only feeding
> once every 2nd day and monitoring the water parameters might get things
> on track again, but a 10 or 15g would probably be more appropriate,
> easier to manage and easier on the fish (we don't know the size of this
> fish... Orandas get quite large... for your reference: 8 inches). Once
> the situation is stable, return to a daily feeding.
>
> The 2-1/2g might be a worthwhile step if the water doesn't cycle again
> (moving the powerfilter with the fish, feeding less, keeping fingers
> crossed and ready to do water changes). If the problem is air intake,
> then sinking foods or pre-soaking is a good idea (I'd discontinue the
> freeze-dried stuff for a while, and stick to size appropriate pellets).
> It might also be genetic (they can be pre-disposed to this as the
> swimbladder is too low in their body) and it could be illness. If
> genetic, then the fish would be in otherwise good health (I've seen very
> healthy upside-down fancy goldfish).

Hello all...I do appreciate the input. This is a classic case of bad
information from the LFS and my Father's inexperience with fish.

The Oranda is about 2 inches long but very fat...a little over an inch
at her rear. The LFS told my Father he could feed her as much as she
wanted as long as she ate it, so he fed her and fed her and fed her.
Sad.

I'll try the 2 1/2 gallon until I can find a 5 gallon for her. I have
reduced her to one meal a day but will go to every other day for a
few. She is more in control of her balance but is very
inactive...maybe she knows there's no food to scrounge around for. It
seems as if she always in one corner and doesn't move very much.

Thanks again to all! I do appreciate the assistance!