Do goldfish get gas?

[fluffycow333]

My poor little Abe has been hanging out at the top of the tank today (and kind of leaning to one side). I was wondering if goldfish get gas because my aunt had a fish they they thought was dying so they weren't feeding him but in a day or two he was swimming around the tank normally so they think he had gas...

 

[Tinijocaro]

When they swim upside down or sideways, they can have swim bladder disease. They can live a full life that way.

 

[Magpie]

There are unfortunately lots of diseases that will cause goldfish to float at the top of the tank, and they're generally not good.

There may be a problem with the swim bladder, or with the intestinal tract, or any of the nearby organs. It can even be caused by tumors or cysts.

Since vets won't generally treat pet goldfish (generally they're only interested in the very expensive ones that people show), I'd say about the only thing you can do is make sure the water is very clean and well oxygenated and that the nitrate levels aren't too high, and that you're feeding your fish a high quality food.

I hope he gets better!

 

[Handbag Lady]

Cook a pea and then take the skin off and make him / try to get him to eat it. It helps with swim bladder issues and might help.

 

[fluffycow333]

I might try the pea. He was fine last night but this morning he was floating. He is an old fish but I don't really want him to die

 

[Nomi]

Lot's of great info here! Absolutely try the pea, since constipation is the most common culprit of swim bladder disorders, and the pea will help clear that up. After feeding him the pea, don't feed him for the next day so it has a chance to work through his system. In fact, a cooked pea makes a nice weekly treat for goldfish!

Hopefully that works for you, but just in case, try to rule out any water quality problems that could cause an ulcer or other problems that show in floating. Check your Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates (pet stores often will test water for free) to make sure a spike didn't sneak up on you. It happens, even to the best fish keeper.

Best of luck!

 

[Magpie]

OP - how is your fish today?

Did the pea work??

 

[Abbie]

I thought at first this question was meant to be on the thread asking questions that have never been asked before!

Poor fishy. When ours get that way, we often sprinkle in a little salt to the tank. Don't know why it works but it often does. Hope the little guy is swimming upright today!

 

[WriteDisney]

Lot's of great info here! Absolutely try the pea, since constipation is the most common culprit of swim bladder disorders, and the pea will help clear that up. After feeding him the pea, don't feed him for the next day so it has a chance to work through his system. In fact, a cooked pea makes a nice weekly treat for goldfish!

Hopefully that works for you, but just in case, try to rule out any water quality problems that could cause an ulcer or other problems that show in floating. Check your Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates (pet stores often will test water for free) to make sure a spike didn't sneak up on you. It happens, even to the best fish keeper.

Best of luck!

We have a goldfish at home and he has gotten constipated more then once! At first we saw him at the top of the tank swimming sideways and thought he was on the way out. We googled it and saw that he could be constipated! The article we saw said to put some salt (I think some kind of rock salt, I'm not sure exactly) into his tank and not to feed him for one day. That cleared it up! Who would have thought, right? He's now going on five years, and DH won him for me at a fair!

 

[Magpie]

I'm amazed! When my goldfish started doing this, years ago, I called every vet in town and they all said there was nothing I could do other than clean the tank and change the food. They weren't very interested, to be honest. The books I found weren't helpful either - all along the lines of "Your fish is sick? Oh, well."

My fish died. Well, one of my fish died like that. The other got a bad case of ick and then also died. I really wish I'd had the Internet, back in those days!