Is my goldfish dying?

[FabBakerGirlIsBack]

He must be 5 by now and for the last couple of days I have noticed he has his bottom end in the air with his head looking down, sort of like 5 past 7 on a clock. He is doing it at the top of the tank.

He is still in the same place. [worried]

Probably.

Sometimes they look as if they are definetly on their way out and then are fine a few days later, but sounds like hes been like that for a while?

Mine did that for several months, then swam upside down for a long time. It eventually died about a year later and sank to the bottom . Goldfish are strange creatures.

I think it's a sign of swim bladder problems which can be fatal but might not be.

At least a couple of days.

A while ago I posted on here about a goldfish that looked like he was bent in half so we disposed of him and then someone posted he wasn't dead but had some disease. Will keep an eye but not sure vets can go a lot for goldfish.

Could be near the end.

You can either treat is swim bladder problems with some magic stuff from fish shop

or you can help him on his way...

You can get stuff from pet shops though. They have stuff for swim bladder problems, gill rot and various other things.

I didn't find it helped Peter (my ailing fish) but they must do something...

And now he is swimming normally

and then tipping again

I could go to the pet shop tomorrow with DS2, gets us out, will see what they have and try not to come home with anything else.

sounds like swim bladder

if in early stages you can treat the water, but if not then you will need to help the fish twat him to die quickly

or the other fish will reliese he is weak and will start to fight/attack him

he keeps swimming normally then bending again

he is really big and is the fish we have had the longest.

the other fish haven't grown as big because of him apparently.

how long do I give him?

treat the water for swim bladder,if not got better 3days then ..........

Apparently you can have surgery for it, if you have several thousand pounds to spare and can get your fish airlifted to America

We tried the frozen pea method (as we were a bit poor for surgery), no success here but it might be worth a go.

I agree with the peas,i microwave for just a few seconds in water,then take the outer skin off and chop up then put in tank.Swim bladder is sort of constipation/gas so usually they do a lovely big poo and are alright again.....good luck!

Peas? Eh?

peas [skock]

will mention to dh this solution

though still think easier to go to local pet shop and buy swim ballder treatment

Oh yeah, peas are great for sorting out constipation in fish if that doesn't work then it could either be bacterial in which case your fish will need antibiotics (you'll have to go to a vet for this) or if you have a fancy goldfish it could be genetic, they are inbred to buggery and because of their shape their organs are all squished up.

'Swim bladder' is a symptom rather than a disease on its own so treatments labelled as swim bladder don't tend to work. Does the fish have any other symptoms? Do you have recent water test results?

He looks normal today. [hmm

All the other fish are fine.

DH thinks it serves him right as he bullies the other fish.