well… it was too late. the poor guy died… so did his tankmate.
Next time i will buy fish from a different pet shop, the one i bought mine from was HORRIBLE to their fish, they were all crowded into a tiny tank, and i’m pretty sure there was a dead fish lying on th bottom too.
well, at least he won’t be suffering any more…. he was only about 5 months old, and was sick for most of his life.

Hi Jennifer,

I’m so sorry to hear about poor Tiger. From what you posted, you’ve been maintaining water quality and keeping the water healthy. This leads me to believe that maybe Tiger had some kind of internal parasite problem (or maybe even a lingering bacterial infection?).

I’m really sorry to hear about your loss. It sounds like Tiger had rough time, but you did everything you could. And even though Tiger didn’t make it, I’m glad that he has finally found peace.

Hi Eva! from which country are you?

Hi Jennifer,

You’re sure your goldfish doesn’t have dropsy (do his scales stick up)?

It sounds like your goldfish might have a permanent swim bladder disorder (and is struggling to maintain buoyancy). Did you also test for ammonia and nitrite? These both should be at 0ppm (parts per million).

If the water is healthy and there’s actually something wrong with the swim bladder (a bacterial or parasite infection isn’t causing it), there’s really nothing more that you can do for him but keep him happy and well-fed (maintaining water quality). Some goldfish are born with swim bladder defects.

If your goldfish didn’t always have swim bladder problems and there was a period of time that your goldfish was under a good deal of stress, there might be a chance that he could be suffering from a bacterial infection. If your goldfish was recently injured the months previously, he might just need time to heal.

I hope your goldfish can get better! You can try calling the vet and ask if you can bring him in. Some vets do take fish patients.

Hi Eva,

What size aquarium do you keep (with how many goldfish?) and how were your water readings (water parameters)? Chances are, it was the addition of fresh water that made the difference (and not the river water per se). You should always change at least 25% of your aquarium water per week (treated with a water conditioner if you’re using tap water). Since goldfish are very messy fish, you should also check the ammonia in the tank. Your goldfish might have been sick from ammonia or nitrite poisoning.

Hi guys my goldfish was kind of sick so I went to the river and got a bucket of river the nutrients and stuff made my fish better almost instantly

Hi Alannah, sorry it took so long for me to respond, I haven’t been on the site in some time. My fish is still having the same problem. I’m not sure now that he has “bloat” since he is a the bottom of the tank now. He’s been like this for 6 months or so maybe longer, I’ve kind of lost the time frame, but it’s been a while. When I went to the pet store, they recommended the peas, then to try blood worms. He eats them like crazy when he can get to them. He still poops and everything, which I guess is good. But I feel I’m at the end of my ropes here. I keep the tank clean, PH balanced, and all that good stuff. He gets his stress coat when I change his water as well. Really not sure what else to do. I just keep doing research but it all says the same thing, clean water, test water, peas, blood worms. I’m kind of (hands up) at this point. I don’t want my little fishy to die. I hate seeing him like that. My poor fishy baby.

hi Alannah,
I hope your fish is better by now. Tyrone just kind of got better on his own. I cleaned the tank, changed the water & filter, and he pepped back up.