My Oranda Goldfish is bottom sitting, please help.

HI everyone! - I've been having so many problems with my tank recently and among all that is water quality issues, fin rot, etc. I've gotten past those issues and now I'm left with my Oranda who constantly bottom sits but when I come up to the tank to feed it, she springs to life and eats and swims around but when I leave she turns listless vertically and then floats to this same corner of the tank and bottom sits.

This has been happening for weeks and I have no clue what's causing it! The only symptom I've noticed is that she has this weird white spot on her dorsal fin (Picture below) and she also had a little ripped scale it seems (May be visible in pictures below, it's hard to get on camera)

Otherwise, she eats fine and when she's active she swims around fine.

Water Parameters:

Ammonia: 0.25ppm (My results never read 0, this is always the case)
Nitrite: 0ppm (I get the faintest trace of Nitrite)
Nitrate: 80ppm ( A little high but this is where they've been since February.)
pH: 7.4

Please help, I have no idea what to do and I don't want to lose her.

 

I can't view the picture you posted.

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/how-to-attach-pictures-to-posts.169875/

 

Haha I forgot to put it in. I'm smart, I promise.

 

Bottom sitting and a white fin spot sounds like flukes to me - have you ever treated your fish with Prazipro?

 

Bottom sitting and a white fin spot sounds like flukes to me - have you ever treated your fish with Prazipro?

No never, I recently saw this white dot on her as of a few weeks ago, should I buy PraziPro?

 

Yes, flukes are super common in goldfish, so much so that a lot of people treat for them as a part of the quarantine process as soon as they bring them home. Then re-treat periodically. PraziPro is the preferred treatment.

 

Okay I'll research flukes.

I would like a second opinion however so I'll wait for more posts before making a definite diagnosis, thank you for the help!

 

Does the goldfish flash occasionally? Does the fish show no interest in food you offer?

The ragged dorsal fin is kinda also a hint on the flukes.

 

Does the goldfish flash occasionally? Does the fish show no interest in food you offer?

The ragged dorsal fin is kinda also a hint on the flukes.

She eats all the food I give her and I haven't noticed her flashing. As for the ragged dorsal fin, she's had that for a while ever since her first fin rot attack, it was very bad. I thought it hadn't healed up properly..

 

She eats all the food I give her and I haven't noticed her flashing. As for the ragged dorsal fin, she's had that for a while ever since her first fin rot attack, it was very bad. I thought it hadn't healed up properly..

Well that's good the parasite hasn't taken over completely yet. As you go by you might encounter these symptoms. So does lack of being energetic and clamped fins. I suggest research and cure asap,

Its kinda weird though, flukes usually show from newly added fish.

 

Well that's good the parasite hasn't taken over completely yet. As you go by you might encounter these symptoms. So does lack of being energetic and clamped fins. I suggest research and cure asap,

Its kinda weird though, flukes usually show from newly added fish.

I'm going to order PraziPro immediately, I was going to buy API General Cure and dose that but now that I know the medicine I need, I need to get on it ASAP.

 

Is there anything you're doing to decrease the nitrates? They're still pretty high and am wondering if those symptoms aren't the result of constant high nitrate readings as well as the trace of ammonia and nitrites? Have you increased your water change schedule to combat this?

 

Is there anything you're doing to decrease the nitrates? They're still pretty high and am wondering if those symptoms aren't the result of constant high nitrate readings as well as the trace of ammonia and nitrites? Have you increased your water change schedule to combat this?

The fish have been living in these conditions for months and only this one has shown symptoms, there are 5 Goldfish in this tank, there's bound to be high Nitrates and as for the Ammonia and Nitrite, like I said I get a very faint trace of Nitrite (Under 0.25) and my test never registers 0 Ammonia even on bottled water.

 

Yes, there would be high nitrates with goldfish which is why I'm wondering if not doing enough or large enough water changes over those months to keep the nitrates under 40ppm would have caused the fin rot and the health issues that are now present?

I'm not an expert on diseases by any means. But if there were no other changes since Feb and those water parameters were the only issues, that would be my guess as to the cause and I would try more frequent and larger water changes.

 

Yes, there would be high nitrates with goldfish which is why I'm wondering if not doing enough or large enough water changes over those months to keep the nitrates under 40ppm would have caused the fin rot and the health issues that are now present?

I'm not an expert on diseases by any means. But if there were no other changes since Feb and those water parameters were the only issues, that would be my guess as to the cause and I would try more frequent and larger water changes.

I do 90% water changes weekly, it's strange to me it's just this fish that's acting this way and not any of the others.

 

Does it get to 80ppm after your water changes or right before? Maybe you need to break it up to 2 water changes a week of at least 60-75%? Do you have ammonia and nitrates in your tap?

Maybe you could look into API Nitra Zorb? I believe @CindiL had success with it recently in reducing her nitrates.

 

Most likely it is flukes, but I've noticed that my goldfish tend to lie on the bottom exactly as you described whenever they are depressed, like if I've recently rehomed a tank mate, then after a few days they act fine again. Is she being picked on by bigger goldfish or could something be upsetting her?

 

Hi, PraziPro is always a good treatment and preventative. But I am wondering what you meant when you said "she turns listless vertically". I am wondering if this is a swim bladder issue. My goldfish only bottom sat when they were constipated and eventurally developed swim bladder disease (from the pressure on the swim bladder of being constipated which unfortunately many fancies have this issue.

Have you tried fasting for a day and then feeding shelled peas and seeing if her swimming goes back to normal? I would try that also.

I have had a lot of success with API NitraZorb, it should really help and can be re-charged with plain old salt with no additives(4 tbsp) for four hours. I keep two and swap them out every week or two.

 

Hi, PraziPro is always a good treatment and preventative. But I am wondering what you meant when you said "she turns listless vertically". I am wondering if this is a swim bladder issue. My goldfish only bottom sat when they were constipated and eventurally developed swim bladder disease (from the pressure on the swim bladder of being constipated which unfortunately many fancies have this issue.

Have you tried fasting for a day and then feeding shelled peas and seeing if her swimming goes back to normal? I would try that also.

I have had a lot of success with API NitraZorb, it should really help and can be re-charged with plain old salt with no additives(4 tbsp) for four hours. I keep two and swap them out every week or two.

By vertically listing, she just lets herself go vertical and then just floats down.

 

To me, that is a sign of swim bladder disorder.

 

To me, that is a sign of swim bladder disorder.

I've tried feeding de-shelled peas to no avail, still the same behavior though tonight she seems to be in good spirits, swimming around normally and not bottom sitting or anything.

 

To me, that is a sign of swim bladder disorder.

delete this pls, double post.