shih-tzu mom

Hi: all, need some help 1-b/m has died his stomach was just blown out of proportion and they other is on his side and back and his stomach is fine and he seems to be trying to live. i have put in air and a tiny bit of salt need help please to save this little guy. Very small fish.i expected some to die but not this quick. help. bella

pepetj

I raised a trio of babies into big guys in a pond my first time around. They are somewhat delicate fish. I know you care for them, hope he/she can make it. Sorry for the one that didn't.

Pepe
Santo Domingo

shih-tzu mom

Yeah, Pepe i just don't know what is wrong this time lol he seems to be perking up a little he's on his stomach now the way he should be. bella

gremlin

I would start with the salt bath. If the belly is swollen, that sounds like either dropsy or a swim bladder issue. Do the salt bath thing like you did with the other fish and see if that helps. You may also want to treat with melafix as a general help to see if we can't get this little guy back on his fins.

gremlin

Oh - and from what I have read, a lot of the fancies that have the egg shaped bodies have problems with swim bladder issues - just because of the shape of their bodies.

shih-tzu mom

The one that is having problems now has no stomach issues. just was on his side and back and i added a little salt and he seems to have trouble staying afloat. so i guess i'll see in the morning lol poor baby he is 1/2 inch if that. bella

shih-tzu mom

Gremlin, i give him, Hakari sinking pelletts and omeaga one, and spectrum new life formula and i think he was just fed flakes.So should i fast him and give a pea lol.? bella

Dozey

Bella, this post won’t help cure your currently ill fish but I felt compelled to offer my thoughts.

You obviously give all the care in the world to your fish and yet they seem to suffer an unusually high illness rate. So I can’t help but wonder if there isn’t outside influences involved.

I live in a fairly populated city (400,000 people) in SWO. You would think our water quality would be fairly good. But last year news broke of a very large section of our city having lead contamination in the tap water. It wasn’t news until a concerned parent of a school student that attended a particular school in our city that seemed to have an unusually high absentee rate had the water quality tested. Apparently a very large area of our city is still being fed water through deteriorating lead pipes.

I also live close by to Walkerton Ontario that lost over 100 citizens when their city water became infected with e coli.

Have you considered having your tap water tested? And I don’t mean with your API master test kit. But rather having your water tested by a water regulatory agency.

Also, are your ill fish all coming from the same source? A franchise LFS that is not living up to corporate standards perhaps. Or the “ma & pa” store that may in an effort to compete against large franchises be purchasing their stock from less then reputable suppliers.

It’s just in the back of my mind that perhaps it’s time to think outside of the box.

gremlin

Might be a good idea. If he is not used to the new food, it may take him a bit to get used to it.

Emory

Bella,
I was thinking along the same lines as Dozey. It sounds like for all your work you are having no luck and there may be an outside factor. I know our local extension agency checks water samples. It may be worthwhile to phone them and inquire about water testing for potability. Do you use a net soak or does each tank has it's own equipment? Since you have had a variety of issues arise I would also hold off on buying anything else until you can get this figured out. I'm sorry for all your rotten luck lately.

shih-tzu mom

Dozey;yes that has been a thought of mine as well, testing the water some days my dogs won't drink it lol and i won't. It seems to be early in the morning and then later in the day all is ok.But i think i will call them to test-that has been on mind for a long time.The little guy seems fine this morning i think gemlin may be right-a swim bladder issue. He is swimming fine this morning and treated him with a salt dip again. Against my better judgement i did purchase 4-Black-Moores and 3-Red-Caps from Big ales and that is were i got the fish with worms lol.So the saga continues. bella

shih-tzu mom

Emory;- each tank has it's own nets ect; and i also have some Methelane Blue that i use when nets are not in use lol. and i'm pretty careful about that since the worm incident[sp].Any cups or epuipment is rinsed in boiling water and put in the Blue and boiled again lol. so i do use, a safe practise with equipment.Yes, Emory, you ae right about making any more purchase until i can figure this out.But maybe they are just a couple of sick fish-that is my thought's and somehow they have whatever when i purchase them. I know it can't go on forever lol it has to stop sooner or later. and Dozey;- as a little test of my own i think i will start boiling all water that i use for fish and just see if that makes a diff; bella

shih-tzu mom

Dozey; Emorey;and Gremlin; Another thought i had was the water conditioner that i use.I use Big Ale's and Prime -The prime is not used often but the big ales is used every water change and that is daily lol any thoughts on that. bella

fishlips

Just curious, but would you be on well water? My ex mother in law was not able to have successful fish tanks because her source of water came from a well. There was a high content of sulphur and rust in her water. It was also a very hard water. She eventually got a water softener which helped.

capekate

Hi Bella, I was wondering if your new goldies are in the new tanks you just purchased after the other ones broke? Is your tank cycled? and how many fish did you add into the tank at once? Have you tested the water to see if you are showing ammonia? I also forgot what your water change routine was while you are cycling the new tanks? I also wonder if the new fish are being affected by the uncycled tank? if it is actually uncycled that is..
Best of luck to you and your new goldies..

shih-tzu mom

To- All, the fish seems fine this morning swimming normal.He is not in the tank yet as i have to set it up. He is in a 5-gallon cycled tank for now until the other one is ready.Fishlips i am on city water as far as i know lol.Maybe it had something to do with the food, as they are very small babies lol. He seems as if nothing was ever wrong with him. But i am going to keep with the salt bath just incase. At first i thought the same as Gemlin, but he ate this morning and usually if it is swim bladder they react with in a short time after eating -which he did not.So, i'm guessing like Dozey-and Fishlips that it has something to do with the water or conditioner lol bella

shih-tzu mom

Capekate- they are in a 5-gallon cycled-as i have them in quarteen[sp] when i purchased they were 3-4-to a bag lol so they went in the QT from the bag.Now that fish is as right as rain this morning which leads me to believe it is something i am using; like water conditioner, or water, or something. *I just can't figure out what. The fish was as good as dead last night ans nothing wrong this morning? That would make one ask some question-like was i deaminf lol.But he was as good as dead last night and 1-did die and his stomach was huge- the only signs of being ill. bella

shih-tzu mom

Capekate; sorry i change water daily and no ammonia showing at all nitrate-0 and nitrite-20 so i am guessing it is something that i am overlooking-food maybe water, conditioner, or just a sick fish when i purchased all othe fish from same batch are fine and dandy lol so far.But to see this little one last night i didn't think he would be here this morning. Sorry, Capekate the pH is a steady 7.5 from the tap or from the qt all the time and no ammonia showing in tap water as i test it at least 2-week lol.bella

shih-tzu mom

Capekate: sorry for back to back post's but at my age you are inclined to forget somewhat and i'm just thinking that i did give them a drop of garlic-gard and API-Stress coat when i first brought them home, but i always do that,Could that have hurt him? and these fish are all little babies are 1/2 inch in length, that is small for goldies lol. maybe to small. and 4-black moores i bought from big ales and 3-red-caps against my better judgement as that is the anchor worm that i encountered was from big ales.Maybe they need some babie food aka-smaller pellets? i will pick up some today. any way my brains are fried from thinking lol bella

capekate

Hi Bella,
thanks for clearing that up for me, sometimes with so many threads, its easy to forget what is what..
Well that is good news that he is in a cycled tank and you are showing zero ammonia.
I was reading the above replies from you and one thing stuck in my mind. I am also feeding my fish New Life Spectrum, as it a very good quality food. On their site I have read that its important not to feed them as many pellets as you would use other wise with other products. That the New Life Spectrum seems to be much more filling and you should not take the chance of over feeding the fish. Just wanted to add this in case over feeding by accident could cause the stomach bloat or inactivity and even the swim bladder problem.

capekate

along with my post above and something else I thought off, if you do have the New Life Spectrum brand available they do sell a baby fish pellet that is smaller and may work out for your little teeny babies?
edit: sorry for the back to back posts as well! Wanted to answer another of your questions tho, I do not think the garlic guard would bother your new fishes.

gremlin

I'm beginning to wonder if it is actually "colic" or "bloat". I put it in quotes because I am not sure what the condition is called in fishie terms. Especially with large breed dogs, if they eat too fast or too much, their intestines can twist and cause a temporary blockage. That is why, with large breed dogs, they suggest several small meals a day. I would say, with your tiny little fish, put in one regular size pellet in the morning and let them all nibble at it. As it soaks up, they will be able to nibble a little off at a time and not be able to gorge themselves. The fact that the belly was swollen leads me to believe intestinal blockage which would cause the belly to swell. The other one that is fine this morning may not have had as bad of a case of bloat, and was able to work it out on its own. The fancy goldfish that have the egg shaped bodies - because of the way their bodies are shaped - have a more cramped abdomen. That means that it is easier for them to get their innards twisted around if they eat too much too fast. I would go ahead and stay with the larger pellets as that may force them to eat it slower since they can't swallow the pellet whole and will have to nibble at it a little at a time.

shih-tzu mom

Gremlin: i just got back from the store and bought him some baby pelletts just to try but it's looking like worms lol and his waste is showing signs of worms so i'll go with the salt for a while as long as he doesn't float.Gremlin;his waste is long and white and stringey just like the other Oranda that just got better, boy by the time this finishes i'll be a pro on worms lol. bella

shih-tzu mom

Capekate yes, i too read that about the life spectrum and i did purchase the baby pelletts. and he was diff; fed flakes at the store lol. bella

gremlin

I don't think I'd buy anymore fish from that store - and I would tell them that every fish you bought there had parasites. They may want to treat their current stock and let their supplier know - or switch suppliers.

shih-tzu mom

Gremlin,- i was there today and told them in a nice clear loud voice as the place was filled today-so believe me i got their attention lol regarding parisites lol.But very nicely.And i will never buy a fish from there again if i have to put plastic fish in the tank- It's just to stressful and it's suppose to be a pleasure lol bella

gremlin

Good for you ! ! ! ! !

shih-tzu mom

Gemlin; as a point of interest-Did you know the Goldies has no stomach? i know what you are referring to as bloat as i am a groomer-p/t and the Goldies don't have a stomach so i guess that would not apply. But the little one is fine this morning ate well and swimming the right way. i have him in the little betta bowls as i picked up one yesterday-so i could treat him easier.The little bowls are just the right size for treating and keeping his water super clean and a little easier on me lol.bella

gremlin

Yeah I knew that their food basically goes in the mouth, through the intestine and out the back end. That is why they are always hungry! The bloat in goldies is when their intestines get twisted and cramped because of their body shape. If you look at the fancies, their back are arched and the spines are almost bent to a 45 - 90 degree angle. This is what cramps their innards and can cause problems with their swim bladder and their intestines (and other internal organs).

fishlover78

I am sorry for all your losses Bella, I am lead to believe that it's not your water supply, mainly because all your bettas aren't sick and dying. hmm, this is a real mystery! -fishlover78