Hi all! I have a few questions. I have posted previously regarding my fantail goldfish being upside down. I posted several times last weekend and I also posted an update yesterday. Everything I have done so far is posted there. I also had the water tested yesterday and I also posted that. The posts are titled "help my fish is floating upside down. My question is, is that she is still floating upside down. I did manage to hand feed her a pea as recommended. She is not eating off the bottom. I don't know if the medicated food will be good for her or if she will even eat it. I think she needs an antibiotic. I'm still not for sure. She still has a swollen belly and her belly looks like there are red streaks on it. She will attempt to swim when I stimulate her but she will go back up to the top upside down. I also have maracyn 2 I can give. What do you all think??? How long can a fish stay upside down like that?? She has been like that since Friday. Any help would be appreciated.

Kim - in Florida

Hi Kim,

I'm in a no way an expert but I've recently had just the same problem and I've managed to solve it. My fish was floating for days just like yours - and it was just the same - whenever I tried to get him to move he would burst back into life again but not for long.

The best thing I think you can do is not to feed him anything at all apart from the peas - not loads and loads, just a few. Keep at it. Make sure you push them out of the skin first, then press down on them so they go a bit mushy. Then gently push them into the fish's mouth. This should help get the air out of her and stop her floating. I've also heard that gently moving the fish around the tank might help - but check with an expert!! Mine's on Medigold now which is also helping.

I just wanted to give you some support! Hope you see some improvements soon.

:goldfish

I would treat her with a combination of maracyn and maracyn II. If you can not find maracyn then treat her with a broad spectrum antibiotic. I used nitrofura-G before with good results. Press her belly. If it's hard than she's constipated. I would also force feed a pea into her that contained one grain of aquarium salt. Then I would continue to try to feed her peas for the next three days.

Hello Mrsmiawallace, where do you get Medigold from in the UK?

Hi jeanie,

I was lucky enough that a very kind fellow fish owner in the US mailed me some over.

I would be interested to know whether there is anywhere we can get it over here though <_<

Search out Emmaj....she is from UK and quite the fish expert! She seems extremely knowledgeable about fish!!!! Hiya Mia!

Hi Mia, there is a posting in International Forum, the UK bit from someone who said that antibiotics were banned due to abuse by large fish owners but I don't know if this is official. I have posted the question in that Forum to see if Emahj knows or is going to put that on her list of medications which she is compiling.

That sounds interesting, thankyou Jeanie I'll have a look.