I have a goldfish which I won at the fair about a year and a half ago. It is in its own tank with a filter and is changed probably about once a month. I use tap water conditioner before putting him in of course. Recently, not related to a water changing, the fish we call Monty started banging himself around the tank, he bangs himself into one side of the tank repeatedly. Again and Again. He does it whenever I walk into the room or make a noise in the room. Before this started if I walked into the room near his tank he would swim to the top and make little fish lips at the top to ask for food but now he just swims to the one side and hits the side again and again. I don't know what to do. Anyone have any ideas? He is eating. He will come to the top and take food but then returns to the side of the tank. He has done this so much that the gravel is missing from that side of the tank and you can hear him slam into the wall if you are on another side of the room.

Hi there sblendell and a big

I have a couple of questions for you:

- how big is the tank?
- do you have any water readings for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and ph?

If he's a comet, it could be due to lack of space but will wait for you to post the size or - it could have something to do with water quality, ph for example.

For now, I'd do a 50% waterchange using your dechlorinator and see if this helps because no, it's not normal behaviour. Something may be bothering him and your answers to the questions above will hold a big clue.

Also, if you can, try to do weekly waterchanges as it refreshes the water for them. What kind of filter do you have?

Please post back soon

I'm not sure what kind of goldfish he is because we won him at the fair and until yesterday when I found this website I never new there were so many. Its about a 2.5 gallon tank that came as a set with a filter and light its called an Explorer II and takes a Rite Size filter size Z. I have never tested the water because I thought it wasn't necessary with one fish with no heater etc. He has grown quite a bit since we won him and he went from looking very unhealthy with torn fins to being really pretty. He is prob 3-4 inches long. He only seem to act crazy when we go near the tank or enter the room otherwise he just stares at the one wall of the tank. Thanks so much for helping.
Shelby

Shelby hi and welcome. I am going to move your thread to the diagnosis area, there is a red box at the top. We need you to answer all those questions as they are very important.

I will go ahead and tell you that his tank is not big enough. GF (a common which you have) needs 20 gals of water each. Fancys need 10 gals. They produce alot of waste that makes them sick and can even kill them. You are lucky that he has made it this far, but with him now acting sick you may lose him without upgrading the tank.

I will go into further detail when you post back. Until then do a 50% water change. Make sure to match the temp and use a water conditioner.