Help! I don't want my fish to die

[TypeSDragoon]

I posted a thread in the Fish Disease and Health section but there is not enough traffic there

Fantail Goldfish has floating problem

for over a week now, my 4 year old fantail goldfish has some weird floating problem, as if he has helium inside of him.

he struggles to swim down and when he stops he immediatly shoots upward to the water level. he just can't stay below the water level

for the first few days he was upright and just floating at the top with his top fin kinda sticking out of the water, but the last couple days he is completely upside down and cannot correct himself.

no matter what he does, he floats instantly to the top upside down.

since his underbelly has been above the water level for a couple days it has turned very blood red.

the petsmart people told me to feed him chopped up frozen peas, but that did nothing.
he looks perfectly fine except for the redness now on the bottom because of it being out of water when upside down.

he won't eat the peas because he's too busy floating upside down and struggling to go under water

thanks for any advice

 

[ewurm]

Sounds like swim bladder disease.

http://www.netpets.com/fish/reference/freshref/swimbldr.html

 

[RadleyMiller]

Does his food float, sink, or suspend? If it is #1, then you have swim bladder disease. It should go away eventually.

 

[TypeSDragoon]

his food floats. I use small pellets

he is freaking out tonight and it seems that he cannot even swim down now.

no matter how hard he struggles he cannot even get 1" below the surface

it's really sad watching him since i've had him so long. My son is very sad right now

 

[TypeSDragoon]

he is still alive floating upside down and cannot swim below the surface of the water

it says to feed him pea's but that is impossible since they SINK to the bottom and he is at the top unable to swim..

please help. i do not want him to die

there must be some chemical that i can use in the water instead of pea's

 

[dprUsh83]

I know a lot of people that have had success with peas....is there a way for you to hold the pea at the top of the water and have him eat?

 

[TypeSDragoon]

i've tried but the pea's cut into little chunks are difficult to hold in two fingers in a way that he can get to it, and if the pea touches the water it qickly leaves my finger and goes right to the bottom

 

[TypeSDragoon]

i don't know how pea's is a solution

feeding a fish that can only float to the top a food that only sinks to the bottom
they are complete opposites

 

[DeLgAdO]

Does his food float, sink, or suspend?

depends on what i eat