Pearlscale with a problem

[_Sushi_]

I just took in a pearlscale goldfish with a slight problem. According to her previous owner, this poor fish floats sideways and upside down after each feeding, and ONLY after feedings.

She's tried peas, and they alleviate the problem, but she still has some difficulty swimming after that.

I don't know what conditions they (an orange fantail came with her) were kept in. I know the fantail is fine. But they are currently in with my shoal of golds.

I fed some peas, waited 5 minutes, and then offered the regular flake food that came with them (I ran out of my good stuff a day ago) She's eating fine, and doesn't seem to be having any problems with that.

I think her main problem is her big belly, shich gets in the way of her swimming. I took a picture of her, and I'll post it here to see what you guys think.

And her pic

 

[ewurm]

A lot of those shortbodied fantail goldfish develop swim bladder problems, because they are back bred to bring out physical malformities. The organs are packed into a small space. I recommend avoiding these types of goldfish. They have high mortality rates.

 

[rjmtx]

Try sinking food. sometimes they gulp air, and can't release it because their swimbladders aren't attached to their esophagus. This can throw off the balance.

 

[_Sushi_]

Well, it's been a couple of hours since I fed her. And she hasn't had a single problem!!

Ewurm, I'll keep that in mind if I ever see them in the stores. USUALLY I just buy comets and the standard fantails. The pearlscale was posted on freecycle, the woman was getting rid of her because of her problem. I figured if I couldn't help her, I wouldn't prolong her suffering.

My sister said that they were in a BiOrb!! >.< So her swimming ability can't be very strong, the other one doesn't move very quickly either.

They've gotten better since they got here. So hopefully the improvements will continue....she does look a little "over bloated"....

I know the pearlscales are supposed to look that way to a certain extent, and I think she passed it a while ago!! So maybe if I can get her physical condition back to where it's supposed to be, then we won't have any more problems!! ^^

 

[ShadowBass]

My sister said that they were in a BiOrb!! >.< So her swimming ability can't be very strong, the other one doesn't move very quickly either.

That could be a huge part of it. Fancy goldfish have issues in the first place and she especially can't be very healthy or strong having been kept in something like that. Also, who knows how much the previous owner was feeding her or if it was even decent food.

Good luck. At least she seems to be recovering.

 

[_Sushi_]

it looks like regular goldfish flakes. She said that she had tried the peas with no success.....Peas worked well for me.

She said that the problem with her was that after she'd eat she'd float sideways, in obvious pain....which led me to believe constipation. Like I said though, she's doing fine now!! Must be all the extra space she has!!

 

[guppy]

I agree that sinking foods would be better, not tropical food though, they need lower fatand protien with more roughage than tropicals do. You can also try epsom salts in the water to relieve constipation and attendant gas problems. Use it as a bath, 1 tablespoon per gallon in dechlored water for 15-30 minutes.

 

[_Sushi_]

I usually feed my goldfish a combination of gammarus, blood shrimp, and flakes, with peas on occasion just to prevent digestive problems.

She ate just fine again today. So I don't know what was going wrong with her before.