Oh RubberDuck!

[wigparty]

Hope you don't mind me hunting you out...you always give great advice when it comes to fish!

I'm not having a good time with my pets at the moment. First my dog had a meltdown and now my two goldfish seem to be suffering with swim bladder - one floating at the top of the tank or sitting on the gravel, the other floating virtually vertically, head down.

I bought some swim bladder treatment (Interpret), which I've dosed the tank with about four times, every four days. Together with this I've added some aquarium salt.

Whenever I do (partial) water changes, I add drops of ammo lock and stress zyme to the new water. (I've been doing small water changes with each dose of swim bladder treatment as I need to add more water with the treatment each time).

One fish seems to be doing much better, but now the other (who used to be less affected) seems worse and is vertical a lot of the time. It seems to be a real effort for him to stay straight

I've tried feeding them grapes but that hasn't helped - well it might have helped a bit but they're still not great.

One thing I don't have is any water testing kit. I'm starting to think this might be essential, am I right? I'm really not sure about a) what to get and b) what to do

I'd be so grateful for any advice. I'm very fond of them and want them to get better...

Thanks
Wig

Sounds like you're doing all the right things. Once you've got well fishies again you should be able to go back to a weekly partial water change with no problems. Might be worth looking at switching to Seachem products at some stage though as Prime does have that nitrate detoxifying thing. They're more expensive than API, but you use a TEENY amount so it lasts ages.

I've never seen ANYONE being flamed on the Biorb forums, so don't stress about that They will gently point out that goldfish need a LOT of room though (as will I ) because it is such an important welfare issue.

To give you an idea, it's worth looking at some pictures of some adult fancy goldfish:

scroll down to Bubba - blackmoor goldfish
another fancy goldfish

Now imagine them in your current tank

That said, the biorb forums will always give good advice even if the first thing they say is "really, you need a bigger tank in the near future".

Oh, and my cherry barb is still hanging on. Not really got any better, but not got any worse. Have not given up hope yet

I'm pleased about your Cherry Barb, RD. I am phobic about fish and really thought you just put some dried food in every day and changed the water once it got green but even I am almost converted after reading your strangely fascinating threads.

Hope all the fishies do well

OMG - they are huge!!!

We'll upgrade to 60 soon and then prepare for another upgrade at some point! Will venture onto the bioorb board then, and will just explain I know they will grow and we'll deal with living arrangements as we go along!

Glad to hear your cherry barb is still hanging in there

Thanks for kind fish wishes bella...You'll be a fish expert now

Cherry Barb didn't make it.

Have just removed the corpse. Will continue with water changes and treatment to prevent any more fish coming down with mystery lurgy.

I loved that little fish.

I truly am sorry, RD

Never thought I'd say that about a fish, but you have converted me.

No, seriously, I am sorry - it is awful to lose a beloved pet

Guppies... I have long since come to term with losing guppies - it's the rare one that lasts more than 6 months after purchase as they have so many inbred weaknesses and are so flipping fragile. But that little barb had ... personality. It's an emptier tank without him.

(I'm sorry, allowing myself the luxury of a bit of wallowing)

No, it's okay, honey, wallow away.

Strangely enough, after reading these threads, I do sort of understand

RubberDuck that's so sad, I'm sorry .
I was hoping the power of positive thought and treatment would pull him through.

I hope the treatment for the rest of the tank goes well.

Fish here is still head down so I'm not hugely hopeful either . Will keep treating and water changing... I know exactly what you mean about personalities...I really can see different personalities in our fish and would be so sad to lose either of them after all this.

wig x

Haven't had a very good weekend. Turns out that pencilfish (despite NOTHING on the bottle saying so) are very very sensitive to Melafix.

Have used this stuff for years on my tank with poorly fish with wonderful results. Wiped out all 3 pencilfish within a few hours

Am currently feeling like a murderer.

I'm so sorry...You really mustn't blame yourself though as there weren't any indications on the bottle that it was dangerous to them...how on earth would you have known?

Oh RD, sending you a virtual hug xx

...I wrote a long message but somehow it disappeared? (Just mentioning this in case it reappears and I look mad!).

Sick fishie seems to be on the mend . Have been changing water every 2 days, each time adding more swimbladder treatment and a little bit of melafix.

Whereas sick fish used to float 90% of time I saw him, he now only floats 10% of time

Spurred on my your great advice RubberDuck, I got some live worms from fish shop for them...and boy they loved them!

Fed them at 8 and they are both searching desperately through the tank for any they've missed!

Thank you so much for all your advice RubberDuck.

I hope your fishes are doing okay...[fins and fingers crossed]

wig x