View Full Version : suffering fish
Maureen McCoy
January 23rd 04, 04:12 AM
Hello, I have a 55 gallon goldfish tank that has 6 goldfish in it. I have
had the same fish for 3 years, with no problems. About 5 months ago, off and
on my one Ryukin would be hanging out in the plants, like he was stuck. If I
attempted to free him, he would swim off. About 4 weeks ago, I came home and
thought that he was dead, he was floating on the top of the water, upside
down. When I went to get him out, he swam off. I noticed that he had a large
bruise like, almost like a large blood pool on his stomach. I thought I
would just let him die in his home, since the other fish were not bothering
him. But, the thing is, he is still alive, and the stomach thing does not
seem so bad, and although he is still at the top of the water, he seems to
be able to eat ok. Is there any hope for him? Or should I put him out of his
misery? I am really attached to all of my fish and the thought of
euthanizing one is not appealing. Thanks!
Geezer From Freezer
January 23rd 04, 09:43 AM
Maureen McCoy wrote:
>
> Hello, I have a 55 gallon goldfish tank that has 6 goldfish in it. I have
> had the same fish for 3 years, with no problems. About 5 months ago, off and
> on my one Ryukin would be hanging out in the plants, like he was stuck. If I
> attempted to free him, he would swim off. About 4 weeks ago, I came home and
> thought that he was dead, he was floating on the top of the water, upside
> down. When I went to get him out, he swam off. I noticed that he had a large
> bruise like, almost like a large blood pool on his stomach. I thought I
> would just let him die in his home, since the other fish were not bothering
> him. But, the thing is, he is still alive, and the stomach thing does not
> seem so bad, and although he is still at the top of the water, he seems to
> be able to eat ok. Is there any hope for him? Or should I put him out of his
> misery? I am really attached to all of my fish and the thought of
> euthanizing one is not appealing. Thanks!
You say it looks internal and has got better? Have you tried feeding medicated
food
(medigold) to see if that helps? What are your water parameters? Have you
checked them
recently? If your fish is swimming around now, I would leave him be.
Mel
January 23rd 04, 02:50 PM
Has he still got blood visible in his abdomen?
If he's hung on this long then it's worth a shot to try and save him. I'd
try medicated food for a while to see if he improves with that.
Mel.
"Geezer From Freezer" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Maureen McCoy wrote:
> >
> > Hello, I have a 55 gallon goldfish tank that has 6 goldfish in it. I
have
> > had the same fish for 3 years, with no problems. About 5 months ago, off
and
> > on my one Ryukin would be hanging out in the plants, like he was stuck.
If I
> > attempted to free him, he would swim off. About 4 weeks ago, I came home
and
> > thought that he was dead, he was floating on the top of the water,
upside
> > down. When I went to get him out, he swam off. I noticed that he had a
large
> > bruise like, almost like a large blood pool on his stomach. I thought I
> > would just let him die in his home, since the other fish were not
bothering
> > him. But, the thing is, he is still alive, and the stomach thing does
not
> > seem so bad, and although he is still at the top of the water, he seems
to
> > be able to eat ok. Is there any hope for him? Or should I put him out of
his
> > misery? I am really attached to all of my fish and the thought of
> > euthanizing one is not appealing. Thanks!
>
> You say it looks internal and has got better? Have you tried feeding
medicated
> food
> (medigold) to see if that helps? What are your water parameters? Have you
> checked them
> recently? If your fish is swimming around now, I would leave him be.
Vissy Dartae
January 23rd 04, 04:18 PM
I lost a redcap oranda last summer to something similar. She had been
a floater, and despite the best advice and care, eventually she lived
upside down by the filter intake.
The big red patch is irritation from exposure to air, and can become a
serious infection, if it's not already.
Even then, and with that poor red belly, my fish could still control
her swimming enough to come to me for hand feeding for a couple of
weeks, but when she could no longer do that I had to make the hard
decision to put her down. They deteriorate when they have to be
upside down all the time. I used oil of cloves.
Did you already try all the floating remedies, like feeding peas,
epsom salts in peas or as a bath, heating the tank to 80F, keeping the
water REALLY CLEAN and the nitrates REALLY REALLY LOW? Your fish load
is just a bit on the heavy side for a 55, especially if they've grown.
High nitrate levels have been thought to be a factor in the
development of floating problems.
One guy I know said that his floaters have sometimes responded to
Metro-Med, but it didn't work for my redcap. Your ryu may be too far
gone, but it could be worth a try.
Good luck.
"Maureen McCoy" > wrote in message . net>...
> Hello, I have a 55 gallon goldfish tank that has 6 goldfish in it. I have
> had the same fish for 3 years, with no problems. About 5 months ago, off and
> on my one Ryukin would be hanging out in the plants, like he was stuck. If I
> attempted to free him, he would swim off. About 4 weeks ago, I came home and
> thought that he was dead, he was floating on the top of the water, upside
> down. When I went to get him out, he swam off. I noticed that he had a large
> bruise like, almost like a large blood pool on his stomach. I thought I
> would just let him die in his home, since the other fish were not bothering
> him. But, the thing is, he is still alive, and the stomach thing does not
> seem so bad, and although he is still at the top of the water, he seems to
> be able to eat ok. Is there any hope for him? Or should I put him out of his
> misery? I am really attached to all of my fish and the thought of
> euthanizing one is not appealing. Thanks!
January 24th 04, 06:35 PM
what she says and
http://puregold.aquaria.net/pg/disease/symptom/symptom.htm#floating%20problems
Ingrid
(Vissy Dartae) wrote:
>I lost a redcap oranda last summer to something similar. She had been
>a floater, and despite the best advice and care, eventually she lived
>upside down by the filter intake.
>
>The big red patch is irritation from exposure to air, and can become a
>serious infection, if it's not already.
>
>Even then, and with that poor red belly, my fish could still control
>her swimming enough to come to me for hand feeding for a couple of
>weeks, but when she could no longer do that I had to make the hard
>decision to put her down. They deteriorate when they have to be
>upside down all the time. I used oil of cloves.
>
>Did you already try all the floating remedies, like feeding peas,
>epsom salts in peas or as a bath, heating the tank to 80F, keeping the
>water REALLY CLEAN and the nitrates REALLY REALLY LOW? Your fish load
>is just a bit on the heavy side for a 55, especially if they've grown.
>High nitrate levels have been thought to be a factor in the
>development of floating problems.
>
>One guy I know said that his floaters have sometimes responded to
>Metro-Med, but it didn't work for my redcap. Your ryu may be too far
>gone, but it could be worth a try.
>
>Good luck.
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