29 Gallon Tank Dojo has bulge? and a light spot?

Hello! This post is about my first, and only, dojo - Slinky. I’ve had him (or her - I don’t know how to tell) for about 3 months now but I’m not sure how old he was when I got him. I noticed about a week ago that Slinky was acting very different than he normally does. He would normally swim all around the tank or rest between the filter and the glass. He was very interactive with my 6 goldfish as well. But about a week ago, he just stopped swimming and has been laying on the floor of the tank. I think he’s only swam off the floor about 3-4 times since (that I could see). I’m constantly checking to make sure he’s still breathing because he almost looks dead. When I first noticed, he was mostly on his side or even on his back. Recently he’s been upright so I’m hoping that’s a good sign. But there’s something else - he has like a slight bulge behind his head and then kind of a dip before returning to his normal size down the rest of his body. He also has a lighter spot, almost white, where the dip is. I’ve attached pictures to show what I’m trying to explain. This wasn’t there before - just once he stopped swimming. And I’ve also noticed that the couple of times he’s tried to swim it’s like his neck gets kinked in that spot and he swims all crazy. He still wiggles towards the food and manages to eat when I feed the tank - I give goldfish flakes in the morning and at night and bloodworms once every evening.

I’ve tried googling and searching through bunches of threads to find something that could tell me what this is or how I can help him, but no luck. So I thought I’d try just asking myself.

Thank you in advance!

 

I can see that you don’t k ow about the nitrogen cycle as stated in your profile so please please please read about it. Also what size tank is this? For 6 goldfish you need a huge tank so please tell me the 29 gallon label is incorrect as that’s the size minimum for one goldfish. And these fish don’t have the same temp needs as goldfish so what’s your tanks temperature? I think that because you didn’t cycle your tank and it could be very overstocked he might have ammonia poisoning. Also loaches need groups of atleast three but I don’t think you can fit anymore in there

 

I can see that you don’t k ow about the nitrogen cycle as stated in your profile so please please please read about it. Also what size tank is this? For 6 goldfish you need a huge tank so please tell me the 29 gallon label is incorrect as that’s the size minimum for one goldfish. And these fish don’t have the same temp needs as goldfish so what’s your tanks temperature? I think that because you didn’t cycle your tank and it could be very overstocked he might have ammonia poisoning. Also loaches need groups of atleast three but I don’t think you can fit anymore in there

Unfortunately, it is only a 29gallon tank. I took in the fish and the tank from a family member who had the 6 goldfish in it for over a year and didn’t want them anymore. I was unaware that the tank was too small. I had always wanted a dojo and got Slinky as soon as I found him. I definitely would not have if I had known the tank was already crowded!

I do know about the nitrogen cycle, but I am still learning.

If it looks like ammonia poisoning, what do you recommend I do?? I’ve already cleaned the filters and filter pads, and performed three water changes (about 30%) in the past week.

 

Unfortunately, it is only a 29gallon tank. I took in the fish and the tank from a family member who had the 6 goldfish in it for over a year and didn’t want them anymore. I was unaware that the tank was too small. I had always wanted a dojo and got Slinky as soon as I found him. I definitely would not have if I had known the tank was already crowded!

I do know about the nitrogen cycle, but I am still learning.

If it looks like ammonia poisoning, what do you recommend I do?? I’ve already cleaned the filters and filter pads, and performed three water changes (about 30%) in the past week.

How are you cleaning the filter pads? Just a rinse or replacing them? Those have some of the most beneficial bacteria on it so when cycling a tank especially a fish in cycle you don’t want to be getting rid of any beneficial bacteria

 

How are you cleaning the filter pads? Just a rinse or replacing them? Those have some of the most beneficial bacteria on it so when cycling a tank especially a fish in cycle you don’t want to be getting rid of any beneficial bacteria

Just rinsing them and removing the bulk of the algae. I have ceramic filter rings in them as well.