Recently a friend gave me two large gold fish they didn't want anymore. The one kept swimming belly-up (upside down). I was told it was a sign she was going to die soon. I couldn't take it watching her struggle! What it is, is a sign of infection and it affects their balance and buoyancy. It can't be cured.
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I keep an old turkey baster next to my little fish bowl. Every few days I will use it to suck out some water and the dirts accumulated on the bottom of the tank and feed my plants.
My 2 year old loves fish so we set up a 10 gallon tank that we had found on the street and went to the pet store.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Can anyone enlighten me as to whether there is a cure for dropsy in a pond goldfish, it has not gotten to the stage of the scales lifting as yet.
Oh, this is a sad situation and from experience I know that it is painful to watch these babies going through this ordeal so I hope you can save this one.
There is a lot of information floating around but please be sure when you move the baby to new water that everything is correct before the transfer.
If the new water is tap water be sure it is treated and has no chlorine or other unwanted parts. Many people say to not use tap water but that may be all you have. You may have had to treat the water before.
Be very sure the temperature is correct and this takes several hours if done properly.
Please use ONLY Epsom Salt as regular salt may kill your fish.
The following link has excellent step by step instructions and each one is important.
I sincerely hope your little goldfish survives this ordeal.
www.wikihow.com/
This is very challenging when the fish are in a pond.
Is it a small home made pond that you can drain and clean or is this a real pond (like a natural one)?
Either way the only chance is to get the fish out of the pond and into a controlled water situation and get them into a treatment with an anti parasite medicine and an antibiotic for the possible bacterial infection. You will need either a vet that knows fish or a pet store that where they specialize in fish to give you the correct dose for the size and type of coy/goldfish.
If it is a homemade pond, ask the vet/pet store how to clean it so that someday it could be livable again.
In a natural pond, you most likely are just not going to be able have fish in it again without risk.
Post back with an update. Prayers!
There are several reasons for dropsy and it is possible your pond is not the cause of the dropsy but if goldfish are in a pond they tend to get much larger so if you have a large goldfish I hope you can find a container to place him in as that may be the only way to save the goldfish.
Also, I mentioned about using regular table salt and others are saying it is okay but I had a bad experience with salt but I could have used it incorrectly but I have never had a problem with Epsom Salt.
First off the pond needs to be treated and the water will need to be changed. The fish need to be moved out of the pond that are sick and put in another bowl while they are being treated. I have always used sea salt when teating my gold fish. I raised gold fish for years and once a week I would sprinkle rock salt or sea salt that is in the rock form in the pond.
I won a goldfish today at a fair and bought a little tank there for it to go in when home. I filled half way with tap water then the water it was in in the bag I transferred to the tank with the fish.
Problem is I can't treat water till tomorrow as no where was open but I ordered of Amazon some tap water cleaner and stones. Posted pic and a very interested kitty watching it.
Goldfish are usually very hardy so I hope it will be OK. It's a good idea to allow the water to sit out for awhile before adding the fish, to allow the chorine to dissipate. You could have also used bottled water.
Let us know how the little guy is doing. I'm not surprised your kitty is fascinated. :)
Your fish will do fine until the supplies come. Just remember not to over feed it.
Goldfish are so much fun. Float the bag the goldfish came home in to accumulated the water temperatures. Af5er a few hours pour the water from the bag and your new goldy into the tap water.
Goldfish are very hardy and adapt well, we have two small ponds that we made in our back yard, that have goldfish year around, even in freezing temps. We have had them for years now. Sometimes it helps that they have friends (other goldfish) and a big enough tank or pond for growth.
I hope your goldfish is doing well.
Does it have a name?
Since this is your first goldfish it may help if you do some research on how to take care of the little guy.
You probably have a library at your school and they may have a book on how to take care of a goldfish; if not, then maybe you could check your city library for a beginner's book.
Just go to your library's help desk and tell them what you are looking for.
Good luck and be sure to respond back with how your goldie is doing.
here is one site:
www.petmd.com/
There's a lot of good information right here:
www.thriftyfun.com/
A goldfish can definitely survive in without a filter during the day.
As far as I remember, a fish live without a filter for 3-7 days.
Goldfish can live just fine without an air pump as long as there is enough surface movement that translates to oxygen. So, goldfish do not always require an air pump to survive. Remember, that to aerate the water in your aquarium without a pump is to use a pitcher or cup: fill a pitcher or cup with the aquarium water, lift it up nice and high, and pour the water back in.
Goldfish are hardy fish, they can live for decades with proper care.
Science tells that mostly goldfish will only grow to the size of their environment. Goldfish release some types of growth-inhibiting hormones, which build up in the water and, essentially, tell your goldfishs body to stop growing. Therefore, if you want your goldfish to grow, then choose a larger aquarium.
Maintaining water quality is the top priority for goldfish keeping. Goldfish produce a high bioload, which means their waste products build up rapidly, even in large tanks. A filter that is rated for tanks larger than the tank your goldfish lives in is going to be your best bet for proper filtration. Invest in an accurate water testing kit that allows you to monitor your tanks parameters, like ammonia and nitrates, to ensure the water quality is staying in tip-top shape.
Goldfishes are very social fish, they need entertainment and enrichment, which can be achieved with air stones, plants, and various types of décor. But goldfish enjoy swimming long lengths. Therefore, try to make sure that you do not eliminate essentially all of the swimming space in your fishs environment.
I bought my grandson "a" as in one, goldfish from Walmart the day before Easter (as in end of April). Now it has had its 2nd load of babies. 4wks ago it had 10 and now on July 4th we found 16 new ones. My grandson is now in love with his 26 babies. How is she doing this on her own? Will she keep doing it? The fish's name is Easter Fish. Thanks.
By Barb
She apparently came pregnant; and has since enjoyed some "hanky panky" with one of her offspring. She looks more like some sort of guppy to me, and they're prolific breeders. She will continue to produce babies as long as she potentially has contact with male fish.
By the way, she looks more like a molly than a goldfish; she is pretty! Their life span is about 2 years.
Well, if they keep having babies, and you decide you don't want them all you should donate them to an animal fundraiser for prizes or even a locally owned pet store.
This looks like a Sunset Platy to me. Both Platies and Mollie are live bearers and are often pregnant when you get them from the pet store. Females can hold sperm for 6-8 months before giving birth. They tend to have them in several small litters to increase the chances of the babies surviving.
Mollies and paties are both great fish, but they will eat their own young. If you want any of the babies to survive (and keep your grandson happy), you'll need to move the mother to a different home or provide a lot of plants and such for the babies to hide in. Mollies should also really be in a larger tank (1 gallon per inch of fish) and have a filter and have heat and air sources. You can usually buy a basic 10 gallon setup fairly cheap, or even better, ask around. A lot of people have the basics sitting around in their garage or attic.
Here's a good link with more information: www.tetra-fish.com/
The photograph you posted is of a swordtail or molly, and not a goldfish. Both of these give birth to young ones directly. Goldfish lay eggs which may or may not mature into young ones in an aquarium. But this only if the fish is already pregnant.
It's hard to tell in the photo because you can't see the details of the tail fin but if that is a goldfish it's a Comet Goldfish. If the tail fin is shaped more like a fan (slightly round out) it's probably a platy but if the tail fin looks like an indented V it's a comet. In any event, if it keeps having babies you can also talk to the pet store to see if they will take them and possibly for a little cash or in exchange for some fish food. ;-)
Just make sure this is a goldfish because this picture does not look like a goldfish it looks like a molly check it out! Then look for a new aquarium for the big family.....
How did u know the fish was Pregnant ?
I just won five fish at a carnival yesterday. They are all kinds of different sizes and colours of gold fish. I don't know what to feed them because I don't have the time or the money to go out and get fish food. I also don't know what I'm going to do because I'm worried that some of the bigger fish will get aggressive and take the smaller fishes' food and then the smaller fish won't get any food.
What should I do?Goldfish take a lot of care if you do this one right. I had them for years here. Some of them get sick from time to time and they need drops put in the water.
I had to get a bowl where I could put in a filter and air for them. Some people keep them in bowls and just change the water daily. Goldfish are dirty and they water gets dirty fast.
You will need to buy some goldfish food from the market for them to eat. You add just a bit to the bowl once a day. You can keep them in separate bowls if you want or leave them all together. They will all do fine and find enough to eat. Don't overfeed them otherwise your water will be dirty quicker.
You need to get a product for your water that needs to be added each time you change the water in the bowl. When I had my goldfish I spent a lot of money on the aquarium, filters, pumps, and cleaners. You can do it cheaper than I did. I just didn't want to change the water in the bowl all the time.
If this is a problem I would suggest that you find a good home for them. Many people love having goldfish in their homes. Ask around and see if one of your friends would like a few of them. You can keep one for yourself and put it in a medium size bowl. Goldfish do grow fast and they can get rather large.
Goldfish need food formulated for them. They need clean water at a certain temperature and ph. You need to introduce just a few goldfish into the tank at once. Here is an excellent article on the subject:hubpages.com/
Honestly, if I didn't have the time or money to care for a goldfish. I would have not accepted the prize and ask if there was a different prize available, or give the goldfishes a home where they can grow and be well taken care of.
Here's a great tutorial: www.wikihow.com/
For a low maintenance fish, I would recommend a beta fish!
I'm happy you asked because I've not done well with many a goldfish in my past. Here is a fantastic guide of how to take care of goldfish including how to feed, cycle their water, and quarantining them:
Vegetables are great for goldfish. Goldfish owners can boil or microwave leafy vegetables like lettuce and spinach, and even peas and garlic for a few seconds, softening the cellulose in the cell walls of the plants. After the veggies cool, they can be fed to the goldfish.
Tips for caring for goldfish. Post your tips.
Caring for Goldfish
We found an old plastic organizer drawer that we keep a 24 cent goldfish in. We vacuum out the tank with an old pancake syrup bottle by squeezing it while it is empty and making it vacuum up all the debris and waste that accumulates in the tank.
We change the water about 40 percent each day and vaccuum all the time with the syrup bottle.
We feed the little fish squash, the bugs that fall in the "pond" at night, and vegetables we have cooked that evening.
They dont need to be overfed. Ours eats a lot of bugs judging by the waste it creates in the water.
The fish recognizes me when I come to vacuum out the little pond he lives in, he darts back and forth with glee. It is so cute.
I won't feed the fish commercial flakes because it seems to constipate the fish and make them ill.
By Racer
you don't need to clean every day. do it once a week or less. You must be over feeding to need to clean that much. just a pinch once a day. goldfish are piggie little fish and will eat whenever you offer food. they do not need to eat so much and most goes to the bottom. I have never heard of feeding like you do, but "if it ain't broke don't fix it" as they say. I like the idea you use for a tank vacuum. I never have a problem with my bigger tank but the bowl I keep my betta in is a pain to clean, even with a filter. I will try your idea with the small syrup bottle or something like it to vacuum.
Hey i have a goldfish and his tail is stuck together causing his balance to be off. both partsof his tail are there they are just next to each other instead of one on top and onw on bottom. i have never seen this happen before. Does anyone know what i should do?
Do goldfish eat their young? How long do they stay pregnant?
It rained and our new black mulch leaked into our goldfish pond and turned the water black. How do we fix it to make it clear again?
Please help!
You did not mention how the water gets into you pond. I think you should put your goldfish in a bucket of fresh water and drain the pond and then put fresh water in it.
This is a page about what can I feed a goldfish other than fish food? Regular goldfish food is best for a fish in a bowl or tank.
This is a page about keeping track of fish feeding. Fish will often eat as much as you feed them so it is important for the fish, and the health of your tank, to not overfeed them.
