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Original poster

Any GOLDFISH experts out there?

22 replies

Gillian76 · 22/06/2006 09:17

I got a text at work last night to say one of our goldfish had died. However when I got back (to discover Dh had left it for me to deal with!) I realised it was still alive. It seemed to be "hiding" beside the filter and only moved when I shook the tank gently. It swam about quite happily but didn't feed much.

This morning it's doing it again. Seems to gravitate to the filter and putting its nose in the gap between the back of the filter and the tank. If I coax it, it will come out but next time I check it is back there.

What's going on???

OP posts:

Kelly1978 · 22/06/2006 09:22

Not a goldfish expert, more into tropical fish, but it's prob looking for food, if it is otherwise swimming fine. Or it could like it as a hiding place to 'sleep'. Else, it is being carried by the current and on it's way out. Could be any reason really, but if it is swimming fine otherwise I wouldn't worry too much.

Anchovy · 22/06/2006 09:26

Erm, I'm pretty sure its dying - sorry. We have had four goldfish die on us in the last 8 months (2x2 IYSWIM). The hiding behaviour has been exhibited by all of them before the died (other than the one that just floated upside down with no preamble).

Original poster

Gillian76 · 22/06/2006 09:28

Oh dear...

It does seem to be swimming OK otherwise.

I was thinking about taking the filter out and see if it "hides" somewhere else?

OP posts:

Kelly1978 · 22/06/2006 09:30

I wouldn't, you will jsut stress it out more. It might be worth sticking some stress coat in the tank, frequent small water changes and keeping your fingers crossed. Is it very big?
I've managed to salvage large ill fish (over 8 inches or so) but not so much luck with smaller ones.

essbee · 22/06/2006 09:42

Message withdrawn

Original poster

Gillian76 · 22/06/2006 09:55

No it's a bit of a tiddler. About 2.5 ins.

What's stress coat?

OP posts:

Kelly1978 · 22/06/2006 09:58

here stress coat, you can buy far smaller bottles in a pet shop.

Original poster

Gillian76 · 22/06/2006 10:05

Oh god, I hope it doesn't die.

I will be more upset than the children

Will investigate stress coat this afternoon

OP posts:

Kelly1978 · 22/06/2006 10:08

lol. My kids don't care about the fish dying, they are used to them eating each other. We've lost two in the past fortnight. One was an adoptee, and the other I have no idea why. My tank is overstocked due to taking fish on from a relative who sold their tank, so I'm expecting likely more fishy deaths.

Original poster

Gillian76 · 22/06/2006 10:18

We only have 2 in a reasonably sized tank. I would miss it!

OP posts:

stleger · 22/06/2006 10:55

A teacher friend put me on to Interpet gold, like calpol for goldfish.

Original poster

Gillian76 · 22/06/2006 15:14

Alas, poor fish is dead

OP posts:

Original poster

Gillian76 · 22/06/2006 15:19

Oh god, at least I thought it was. It's now alternating between swimming in a sort of corkscrew fashion and lying on its side. Still not floating to the top however.

It's awful to watch!

OP posts:

JanH · 22/06/2006 16:01

I think one of ours is on the way out too

Its fins are vanishing and it spends most of its time sitting on the bottom - a couple of weeks ago it had terrible swim bladder probs and spent most of its time desperately swimming downwards to stop itself floating...

We got a bigger tank and some new accessories and gravel plus one new fish about a month ago...hope it's not because of that...

JanH · 22/06/2006 16:02

If you're sure it's not going to make it, Gillian, you can put it in a plastic bag with some water from the tank and put it in the freezer - it's supposed to be the kindest way

Kelly1978 · 22/06/2006 16:03

if you want to put it out of its misery you are suppose to freeze them. Apparently it's the most humane way of doing it. I made a fish popsical once, one tht had an incurable scale disease which threatened the rest of the tank.

Original poster

Gillian76 · 22/06/2006 16:30

Definitely dead now.

RIP

OP posts:

JanH · 23/06/2006 09:24

Ours has gone too.

It sank. I thought dead ones always floated.

Original poster

Gillian76 · 23/06/2006 12:09

Must have been the day for sinking dead fish. This one did too.

OP posts:

KBear · 23/06/2006 20:27

We lost one of ours this morning - another sinker.

We've only had them a week and lost one after 24 hours and another day. Is it us doing something wrong? Got fair size tank, only four small fish, weed, filter, small amounts of food - anyone got any ideas?

Original poster

Gillian76 · 24/06/2006 23:58

Wondering if we should get another. The remaining one has seen off 2 "tank mates" thus far. Is it just coincidence?

OP posts:

PinkTulips · 25/06/2006 00:10

some fish like to live alone, had 2, they killed each other, got another 2 big one killed little one and is still here 4 years on! he's survived all sorts of abuse and terrible fish sitting by some friends of mine who let all, and i really do mean all, the water drain away, plus two cross counrty moves where his tank was 3/4 drained and stuck in the boot for entire days!not to mention the aforementioned friends fed him drugs on more than one occasion . oh, and cats, 4 differant cats have tried to eat him now by toppling his tank and all have failed.

starting to think he's unkillable!

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