Floating Oranda

It does sound like he is suffering form a mild swimbladder problem. High
nitrates have been linked to this so it is important that you test your
water parameters (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) as soon as you can.
STarving the fish for 3 days then feeding nothing but defrosted frozen peas,
shelled and chopped for another 3 days often does the trick for mild cases
so it would be worth a try (it wont hurt your other one to follow the same
regime). It is also a good idea to feed peas twice a week in order to keep
it from happening again.
Flakes aren't that great for goldfish - high protein sinking pellets are
generally best.
Mel.

"MartinOsirus" wrote in message
...
One of my Orandas seems to float at the top of the tank quite a bit,
especially after they eat. I'm wondering if he's gulping in air with
his
food.

Yes he's gulping air if feeding at the water surface. Feed sinking food -
pellets best for the larger fish. Pre-soak the food so it sinks. Gulping
air
can cause floating.

Thanks to all of you for your replies. They were very helpful; and I do
have some frozen peas, so will do that today.

BTW, I had a peek this a.m.(didn't want to wake them up yet), and he was
floating mid-tank with the other one.

I'll keep lurking, and will ask more questions if needed.

Shelagh

http://puregold.aquaria.net/pg/care/...htm#essentials
http://puregold.aquaria.net/pg/disea...ing%20problems

"Shillelagh" wrote:


Thanks to all of you for your replies. They were very helpful; and I do
have some frozen peas, so will do that today.

BTW, I had a peek this a.m.(didn't want to wake them up yet), and he was
floating mid-tank with the other one.
I'll keep lurking, and will ask more questions if needed.

Shelagh




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

wrote in message
...
http://puregold.aquaria.net/pg/care/...htm#essentials

http://puregold.aquaria.net/pg/disea...ing%20problems
BTW, I had a peek this a.m.(didn't want to wake them up yet), and he was
floating mid-tank with the other one.
I'll keep lurking, and will ask more questions if needed.

Shelagh

Thanks for the links - I have put them in my "favourites" (and read them
too). When I said the fish was "floating mid-tank" today, I meant that he
looked okay. He's been swimming fine, and hasn't been floating up at the
top. We're probably going to do some clean up and water exchange tomorrow.

I fed them the peas and they really gobbled them up. How often should I
feed them the peas?

Shelagh

Mel,

Where does it say that high nitrates are connected to swim bladder problem?

Tom L.L.
---------------------------------------
"Mel" wrote in message
...
It does sound like he is suffering form a mild swimbladder problem. High
nitrates have been linked to this so it is important that you test your
water parameters (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) as soon as you can.
STarving the fish for 3 days then feeding nothing but defrosted frozen
peas,
shelled and chopped for another 3 days often does the trick for mild cases
so it would be worth a try (it wont hurt your other one to follow the
same
regime). It is also a good idea to feed peas twice a week in order to keep
it from happening again.
Flakes aren't that great for goldfish - high protein sinking pellets are
generally best.
Mel.

"MartinOsirus" wrote in message
...
One of my Orandas seems to float at the top of the tank quite a bit,
especially after they eat. I'm wondering if he's gulping in air with
his
food.

Yes he's gulping air if feeding at the water surface. Feed sinking
food -
pellets best for the larger fish. Pre-soak the food so it sinks.
Gulping
air
can cause floating.

Do you need a reference for everything written here? g
I haven't got a specific source but from my own experience I have found that
when people have fish with swimbladder problems the nitrates are often
elevated far above the recommended minimum of 20. I have also read of
research being done into this and links being found between the two but
unfortunately it was a while ago and I cant remember where I read it.
However, even if nitrates aren't linked to swimbladder problems, it's well
worth checking them and lowering them if necessary as if they are too high
they will weaken the fish and make it harder for it to overcome any health
problems which might arise/have already arisen.
Mel.


"Tom La Bron" wrote in message
...
Mel,

Where does it say that high nitrates are connected to swim bladder
problem?

Tom L.L.
---------------------------------------
"Mel" wrote in message
...
It does sound like he is suffering form a mild swimbladder problem. High
nitrates have been linked to this so it is important that you test your
water parameters (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) as soon as you can.
STarving the fish for 3 days then feeding nothing but defrosted frozen
peas,
shelled and chopped for another 3 days often does the trick for mild
cases
so it would be worth a try (it wont hurt your other one to follow the
same
regime). It is also a good idea to feed peas twice a week in order to
keep
it from happening again.
Flakes aren't that great for goldfish - high protein sinking pellets are
generally best.
Mel.

"MartinOsirus" wrote in message
...
One of my Orandas seems to float at the top of the tank quite a
bit,
especially after they eat. I'm wondering if he's gulping in air
with
his
food.

Yes he's gulping air if feeding at the water surface. Feed sinking
food -
pellets best for the larger fish. Pre-soak the food so it sinks.
Gulping
air
can cause floating.

Mel,

Yes, in this case I think you do need collateral resource material. The
reason I ask is that I do have research that shows that Goldfish are fine
with high nitrates. Personally, I try to keep mine at or below 50ppm by
using philodendrons in my tanks and tubs, but I very seldom even worry about
it. Woo and Bruno have probably done the most research around swim bladder
problems and never once have they ever mentioned a coorelation with nitrates
and they has three books to his credit. Also if nitrates are a probability
in affecting goldfish and swim bladder problems (and goldfish are tolerant
of nitrates) you would think that Noga and Stoskopf would mention it in
their books about this correlation and they don't because many other fish
are a lot less tolerant of nitrates than Goldfish. So that is the reason I
asked for reference, because what you said does not agree with established
research.

Tom L.L.
--------------------------------------
"Mel" wrote in message
news
Do you need a reference for everything written here? g
I haven't got a specific source but from my own experience I have found
that
when people have fish with swimbladder problems the nitrates are often
elevated far above the recommended minimum of 20. I have also read of
research being done into this and links being found between the two but
unfortunately it was a while ago and I cant remember where I read it.
However, even if nitrates aren't linked to swimbladder problems, it's well
worth checking them and lowering them if necessary as if they are too high
they will weaken the fish and make it harder for it to overcome any health
problems which might arise/have already arisen.
Mel.


"Tom La Bron" wrote in message
...
Mel,

Where does it say that high nitrates are connected to swim bladder
problem?

Tom L.L.
---------------------------------------
"Mel" wrote in message
...
It does sound like he is suffering form a mild swimbladder problem.
High
nitrates have been linked to this so it is important that you test
your
water parameters (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) as soon as you can.
STarving the fish for 3 days then feeding nothing but defrosted frozen
peas,
shelled and chopped for another 3 days often does the trick for mild
cases
so it would be worth a try (it wont hurt your other one to follow the
same
regime). It is also a good idea to feed peas twice a week in order to
keep
it from happening again.
Flakes aren't that great for goldfish - high protein sinking pellets
are
generally best.
Mel.

"MartinOsirus" wrote in message
...
One of my Orandas seems to float at the top of the tank quite a
bit,
especially after they eat. I'm wondering if he's gulping in air
with
his
food.

Yes he's gulping air if feeding at the water surface. Feed sinking
food -
pellets best for the larger fish. Pre-soak the food so it sinks.
Gulping
air
can cause floating.

Yes, in this case I think you do need collateral resource material



Well sorry but I come here in my spare time and spend enough time providing
references in the assignments which I write for my MA and in my work. It is
common knowledge that high nitrates aren't good for fish, especially fancy
goldfish, and if there is already an inherent problem such as swimbladder
then lowering the nitrates or keeping them low can do nothing but help an
already ill/stressed fish.
Mel.

"Tom La Bron" wrote in message
...
Mel,

Yes, in this case I think you do need collateral resource material. The
reason I ask is that I do have research that shows that Goldfish are fine
with high nitrates. Personally, I try to keep mine at or below 50ppm by
using philodendrons in my tanks and tubs, but I very seldom even worry
about
it. Woo and Bruno have probably done the most research around swim
bladder
problems and never once have they ever mentioned a coorelation with
nitrates
and they has three books to his credit. Also if nitrates are a
probability
in affecting goldfish and swim bladder problems (and goldfish are tolerant
of nitrates) you would think that Noga and Stoskopf would mention it in
their books about this correlation and they don't because many other fish
are a lot less tolerant of nitrates than Goldfish. So that is the reason
I
asked for reference, because what you said does not agree with established
research.

Tom L.L.
--------------------------------------
"Mel" wrote in message
news
Do you need a reference for everything written here? g
I haven't got a specific source but from my own experience I have found
that
when people have fish with swimbladder problems the nitrates are often
elevated far above the recommended minimum of 20. I have also read of
research being done into this and links being found between the two but
unfortunately it was a while ago and I cant remember where I read it.
However, even if nitrates aren't linked to swimbladder problems, it's
well
worth checking them and lowering them if necessary as if they are too
high
they will weaken the fish and make it harder for it to overcome any
health
problems which might arise/have already arisen.
Mel.


"Tom La Bron" wrote in message
...
Mel,

Where does it say that high nitrates are connected to swim bladder
problem?

Tom L.L.
---------------------------------------
"Mel" wrote in message
...
It does sound like he is suffering form a mild swimbladder problem.
High
nitrates have been linked to this so it is important that you test
your
water parameters (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) as soon as you can.
STarving the fish for 3 days then feeding nothing but defrosted
frozen
peas,
shelled and chopped for another 3 days often does the trick for mild
cases
so it would be worth a try (it wont hurt your other one to follow
the
same
regime). It is also a good idea to feed peas twice a week in order
to
keep
it from happening again.
Flakes aren't that great for goldfish - high protein sinking pellets
are
generally best.
Mel.

"MartinOsirus" wrote in message
...
One of my Orandas seems to float at the top of the tank quite a
bit,
especially after they eat. I'm wondering if he's gulping in
air
with
his
food.

Yes he's gulping air if feeding at the water surface. Feed sinking
food -
pellets best for the larger fish. Pre-soak the food so it sinks.
Gulping
air
can cause floating.

I agree. Many of us are absolutely amazed by people keep a GF in absolutely
horrendous conditions and the GF thrives. But our gorgeous, expensive fancy with
long fins gets sulky and ragged finnage the minute the nitrates go over 20 ppm. High
nitrates are also just an indicator of other untested waste products in the tank as
well. As Jo Ann says "tanks are controlled sewers". Our GF deserve regular water
changes. Ingrid

"Mel" wrote:
Well sorry but I come here in my spare time and spend enough time providing
references in the assignments which I write for my MA and in my work. It is
common knowledge that high nitrates aren't good for fish, especially fancy
goldfish, and if there is already an inherent problem such as swimbladder
then lowering the nitrates or keeping them low can do nothing but help an
already ill/stressed fish.
Mel.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

Just out of curiosity...

Is it possible that the fish have just gotten used to, or adjusted, to these
conditions? If the fish is used to clean water, then obviously a rise in
ammonia, or nitrates, or whatever would stress it. On the same token, could
a gf not get used to living in higher nitrate levels? I basically look
after my tanks as close "to the book" as possible in my circumstances, but
we always hear stories of fish surviving conditions we feel are horrible.
The fish has probably just adjusted and would deteriorate in what we would
call "better" conditions, wouldn't it?

Tammy {


wrote in message
...
I agree. Many of us are absolutely amazed by people keep a GF in
absolutely
horrendous conditions and the GF thrives. But our gorgeous, expensive
fancy with
long fins gets sulky and ragged finnage the minute the nitrates go over 20
ppm. High
nitrates are also just an indicator of other untested waste products in
the tank as
well. As Jo Ann says "tanks are controlled sewers". Our GF deserve
regular water
changes. Ingrid

"Mel" wrote:
Well sorry but I come here in my spare time and spend enough time
providing
references in the assignments which I write for my MA and in my work. It
is
common knowledge that high nitrates aren't good for fish, especially
fancy
goldfish, and if there is already an inherent problem such as swimbladder
then lowering the nitrates or keeping them low can do nothing but help an
already ill/stressed fish.
Mel.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.