Dan, and Glowlock, and others writing about swim bladder troubles, I have this to report.

Our little blackmoor, Freddy, was the treasured pet of my 7-year-old grandson. I was the one who took care of him, however.

Freddy lived mostly at the bottom of the tank, on his side, with a hugely swollen belly.

Other than that oddity he seemed quite happy, and we puzzled for two or three years what to do.

Grandson got the idea of finally taking him to a vet for advice. We found one who specialized in "exotic pets," fish especially.

Here is what we found out, for the $95 visit.

1. The vet did not mention ANY of the cures I've read about here, not one.

2. Vet said if he was eating enthusiastically that he was happy and not in pain. Freddy went into frenzies of ecstasy when his pellets hit the water, and he gobbled them eagerly, so yes, he was "enthusiastic."

I wish we had let well-enough alone.

The vet got our permission (grandson was with me) to do a needle stick to try to evacuate the air. That was the only remedy discussed--nothing to do with food, water, etc.

We went home. Eight hours later, Freddy was dead.

I'll leave conclusions up to readers. Mine, however, was that we should have saved our $95 and left Freddy alone. I guess we did learn how to tell if a fish is contented: if he's eating eagerly.

If I'd known that one fact, Freddy would still be alive.

I wish you all well with your fish.

<>lessa<>

Would just like to add my two cents to this thread, for whatever its worth.

My fancytail has suffered with swimbladder all his fishy life, and i've tried multiple types of food and solutions for it.

In the end the best solution I found was giving him peas a few times as week (cooked, shelled and crushed up), along with his normal food.

However.. I recently thought i'd try some new pellet food I saw in the pet shop - called "Love Fish" goldfish pellets.

I tried him on them, and he's been having them twice a day for the last.. 6 months? With not a SINGLE problem from his swim bladder.

Maybe this will help some people looking here :)

My goldfish is just the same Jem - I've tried all sorts of medications, peas, yada yada. They're on I love fish flakes at the moment - I'll swap to the pellets and see if that works. Thanks for the tip!

- H

Hi

Looking at your profile, I think the reason your fish has buoyancy problems is due to the tank size. Your profile says you have had two fantails in a 25L tank for over two years. Unfortunately that's much too small for them and the resulting stunting of the fish and the impact on water quality are the most likely cause of this problem. Do you have test results for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

Have a look at this article which explains the size of accomodation needed for Goldfish - don't be shocked, but your two fantails need not far off 10 times the water volume they currently have.

The 22L tank you mention is also too small for a Molly, and is too small for any fish at all. You'd be better using it for shrimp rather than the proposed Tetras to be honest.

Sorry to say hello by giving you a lot of bad news

My goldfish is 8 years old and he's been living with what I believe to be swimbladder for at least 6 months now. Peas always seemed to do the trick until this week. He cannot swim well, he is on his back and he appears to bleeding from the inside. Sadly I think he's a goner :( He lies upside down practically bent in half but he is not dead.

Is he dying of a slow painful death? Should I just put him out of his misery or is there anyway this can be helped? It makes me sad just watching him there. Is he in pain?

Can you give some details about the size of tank he's in, what filtration is used, how often you do a water change and any other tank mates please? Also readings for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH? He may be on his last fins as you suspect, or he could have a fixable problem so that info will help us to advise

my fantail was in a 20 gallon tank and suffered badly with sbd.
tried every type of food,even homemade gel.
nothing worked.
put in a bigger tank and hey presto,eats anything and doesn't float.

I'd be grateful of some help and advice. I have 2 orandas, bought them on the same day 9 years ago and they have been together ever since, they are in a 60 litre tank.
Razzle has been sick now for approx 13 weeks, it started with erractic swimming, and like a blood blister on her top fin, she also had white spots at the same time. Was advised to treat with white spot treatment. She then started to sink to the bottom of the tank, lay on her side, but still eating but only if hand fed. She was easy to pick up and laid in my hand, did not struggle due to non improvement was advised to treat with Myxazin fin rot & bacteria. Still no improvement, then given bacteria control and most recently swimbladder treatment No13. She is still eating and has a healthy appetite, again only if you hand feed her and she is pooping,maybe not as often but still lays on her side, she does try to get up but is unable, loses her balance. She has a varied diet, jellied bloodworms, pellets, flakes, fresh bloodworm, frozen and freah peas. I have been advised to euthenise her but can't bring myself to do it as she seems to want to live, The other fish Bubbles lays by her side and seems to understand she is not well.......is there any hope, can I save her? Please help any information greatfully received.....thank you.

Hi

Welcome to FK although under stressful circumstances but I hope we can help.

Some water quality readings would be really helpful, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH?

More often than not 99% of fish problems can be water quality related so best to rule the common problems out first.

TBH, the tank is rather wee for 2 fancies. Given these fish should grow to circa 6-8 inches (and most of that in the first year or two) you would be looking at 180 litres to avoid any potential stunting.

Good linky here: http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles ... -size-life-expectancy.htm

Given the fish are now 9 years old, how big are they excluding tail? Stunting *could* be causing the issues you see now.

Fancies can be prone to floatyness issues simply due to genetic issues thanks to us breeding them like this, but often here we find water quality (high nitrate for example) and food choice (floating flake - nasty stuff as fish gulp - sinking pellets and lot's of blanched veggies far better) can trigger this.

May also help but what filter do you run on the tank, how do you clean the media/how often and when/how much do you do water changes?

Hi Violet
Thanks for your response. Both Orandas are 10.5cm long excluding tail.
I do a 25% partial water change weekly, I don't have the facilities to do water quality checks but take a water sample to the local pet shop and they test for me, according to them there are no water issues.
I currently run an Elite Stingray 15 on the tank, I wash the media weekly using the tank water removed. I also usually change the media every 6 months.
I must admit Razzle was a top feeder and very greedy too
I was told to consider feeding other fresh fruits and veggies but when I pushed the person to say what they were a little evasive, so I haven't tried anything else, do you have any suggestions?
I also don't have any live plants in the tank, is this something I should change do you think, would it help or have helped if I had done?
It's just so sad to see her like this Thanks again for all your help, if she does recover, looks like i'll be buying a bigger tank!