Ciao - I am new to this forum. I think my black bigEye [here they're called telescoop eyes] fish I think has a swim bladder problem.... or maybe is worst and I really don't know what to do.... He's first flowating, so I changed the food from flakes to the little balls that go to the bottom, then he was ok for a while. Since some weeks, he started turning around in the tank, now is really floating upside down. Since 2 days I noticed he has to struggle to swim to the bottom, so he lays on the top most of the times, like if he was death. I am not sure if this is curable or not, and if it is the same type of problem. I don't know what to do. If change the water and try not to add the Nitrivec (is a liquid to pur in the water that eliminates nitritis and ammonium) or if I should. Also should I boil the water and let it rest 24hs before changing it, or just let it rest? I have just a big fish-bowl. I am desperate for some advices, I don't want him to die... I would like to try helping him.
PS I have 2 fishes in the same tank, some time ago 1 of the 2 laied eggs.. they were not fertilized I noticed [placed them a part for some time as advised]. I don't know if Cosmo is a female or male.

Many thanks in advance.
Kina.

Kina - how big is your fish bowl?
If it is small, it is likely too small for both your fish.

Either way, sounds like you could be dealing with a swim bladder issue. Don't feed for a couple of days and then feed a couple of boiled and deshelled peas.

If you have fresh, great. If not, frozen ones are fine - just run them under very hot water for a bit to thaw them. Take them out of the little shell and then break/smoosh the pea into bite sized pieces.

Do you have any way to test the water? If so, post the results. If you pop into the disease forum, there is a red box at the top with a bunch of questions. Answer as many of those as you can as well and others will be able to give you better ideas of what you are dealing with

Thank you so much, I will go there and fillt it in so I can better understand. The tank has a diameter of about 25cms and water level is 11 cms. Contains more than 3lts and the shop said it was ok for two little telescopes. I have them since december 2004 and the black one always floated a bit. But just now I see he's suffering, tries to move and he can't. I will not feed them and try the peas. I was wondering... shell I put him separate in another tank - I could put him in the backet I used to move them with.. is blue though. I don't have anything to test the water, what do I need? If you let me know I'll try find it asap. Many many thanks again, they were a present, never had this type of fish before and I would like to help... cheers.

Test Results for the Following: I can't provide those...
Tank size (How many Gals) and How long has it been running? water was changed 4 days ago, approximately 3 liters or more..
What is the name and size of the filter/s? no filters but water plants
How often do you change the water and how much? once a week / 10 days
How many fish in the tank and their size? 2 fishes, both 5cms body excl. tail
What kind of water additives or conditioners? tap water added Nitrivec
Any medications added to the tank? Nitrivec
Add any new fish to the tank? no
What do you feed your fish? Sera, goldycolor. Granulated food.
Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt",
bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? no
Any unusual behavior like staying
at the bottom, not eating, ect..? Floating on the top costantly, before used to float, this passed with the granular food. Now lately he started turning around sometimes, but it seemed swimming fine. Last 2 days he's costantly floating having trouble in swimming. I can see he tends to float even if he tries to stay down. I did put Nitrivec in the water.. I am worried maybe it was too much. I am letting some water get to room temp, I was thinking of transfer him there to see results. Not sure if it is wise to stress him moving him though. He is really struggling since yesterday. I am worried, and I don't know what to do. Any advice could be appreciated. I already posted my help topic here.
Thanking you in advance, please help me help Cosmo.
Kina

Test Results for the Following: I can't provide those...
Tank size (How many Gals) and How long has it been running? water was changed 4 days ago, approximately 3 liters or more..
What is the name and size of the filter/s? no filters but water plants
How often do you change the water and how much? once a week / 10 days
How many fish in the tank and their size? 2 fishes, both 5cms body excl. tail
What kind of water additives or conditioners? tap water added Nitrivec
Any medications added to the tank? Nitrivec
Add any new fish to the tank? no
What do you feed your fish? Sera, goldycolor. Granulated food.
Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt",
bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? no
Any unusual behavior like staying
at the bottom, not eating, ect..? Floating on the top costantly, before used to float, this passed with the granular food. Now lately he started turning around sometimes, but it seemed swimming fine. Last 2 days he's costantly floating having trouble in swimming. I can see he tends to float even if he tries to stay down. I did put Nitrivec in the water.. I am worried maybe it was too much. I am letting some water get to room temp, I was thinking of transfer him there to see results.

Thanks.

PS I have been observing him now, it looks like the right-bottom part of his belly is a bit swallen, and that is what it makes him float as that part is also touching the water top. He lays with that part up, head down a bit. It looks like he cannot move properly one of the two 'middle' fins. Looks like the bottom right, he keeps it in line with his body. while the other one moves around. Also I noticed a frayed fin on his tail. Please any idea anybody? I ran to buy peas, and will try feed them those. Should I isolate him? Many many many thanks.

Welcome to Koko's Kina! Goldfish can make a lot of waste quickly and with no filter on your tank there could be problems with your water quality. Can you make a guess as to the size of the tank you have? Also, is it tall or long in shape? Do you have a bubble wand for additional oxygen in the tank? How long have you had the tank and the fish? It is important that we know this information to better help you and Cosmo! Thanks.

when my fish had swim bladder problems, i discovered that if i fed him cooked peas that were peeled, and added some aquarium salt to the tank (half a teaspoon per gallon).

your fish bowl is not big enough to house the two telescopes. for now, you could go to a department store like wwwwwwww. you could pick up a 10 gallon tank for about 8 dollars. this tank could only be used as a grow out tank.

also, you should get a test kit. the strip test kit usually runs about 8 dollars. if you cannot afford this at this time, you could go to your fish store and politely ask them to test it for you, come back and reply the results here.

most people on here will demand that a 10 gallon tank is cruel for 2 goldfish. but because yours arent that big yet it will be fine, and a lot better than your fish bowl. you might also want to get a filter for it. you could get a whisper filter for about 10 dollars. so if you invested 20 dollars for your fish, they would be a lot better off.

if you do decide that you cant afford a bigger tank later in the future (after already getting the 10 gallon) i would suggest that you donate one of the fish to a pet store or give one to a friend.

I think the biggest problem is the amount of waste they are producing. In a bowl the ammount of ammonia would reach critical levels within a day or less, especially with 2 fish in it!

I reckon if you gave them a better tank + filter some of these problems may dissappear, although swim bladder problems can occur in any tank, having 2 fish in a bowl dosent help things at all..

But dont worry We all started off like this, and were all here to help. JFriend33 said that tanks are pretty cheap in the US, they arent so cheap here (Aus) but we dont know where you are. If you are really strapped for cash a big 20gallon tub will be great until you can afford a 20gallon tank. They cost what.. $10? would be less if your in the US. That would create a MUCH better temporary home until you can get a bigger tank. You can even buy your filters and stick them on the new tub before you get the tank, so that when you do get a tank you'll have your filter all cycled and ready!

Edit: Oh and pet shop employees generally know NOTHING about goldfish or many other fish for that matter..

Hi there, I wanted to thank you both for the advices, I'll be changing the water tomorrow and put Cosmo in an "hospital" tank, where I can add some salt, and where he's going to have 5lts on his own. And will get a bigger tank and a filter.. I will be able to afford it I think. It depends on the space more than the price. But I understand the risk. I love living creatures and I freed some red runner fishes before when they were too big for my tank, but that was in Italy, where I am now is not possible to release them in nature, so I'll do my best. I live in the Netherlands, shops are closed till tuesday, so I furtherly ask you if you have any www that is good - that you know- to purchase fish supplies from. I will check that for Holland as well. Again thanks, svendenhowser you gave me hope there.. I was already feeling guilty for Cosmo. I will let you know the results, I see he's trying to move more now that he has not eaten. Still, the belly pushes him up so sad... Not sure if the other fish is trying to helping him or eat him. But sometimes she [I think she is the female, she is bigger in dimensions and Cosmo sometimes losses this white stripe and the other didn't, thenone blew eggs] goes to bother him at the top. Pushing him with his head. What do u think?
On the eggs matter instead: can it also be that a female fish looses her eggs when there's another female in the tank, or doe it only happen with a couple? I found everything about breeding but couldn't understand how it happened, as one minute they were clean, the other the tank was full of eggs........ Thank you again! Grazie.

Hello and thanks for the reply. I had the 2 of them since december 2004, the tank is a glass tank. The bowl has a diameter of approx. 28cms and water level is up to 11/12cms. The shape is circular, but the bottom is smaller and more like a 'cup', then it becomes quite wide. It does not close up to the top, it remais wide. The bottom[smaller] part is filled with small aquarium stones that keep the waste down. It also has a lplant. It is still green, I bought it 2/3 weeks ago. I appreciate your help, please ask me if I a missing to say something as this is the frst time that I have telescopes. ^^ Thank you. Cosmo, Grissom & I appreciate it a lot.

Here, maybe it gives an idea... from what I have been reading I think really the tank is too small, I'll get a bigger one and a filter. Any further help is appreciated! Thanks a lot.

PS: Cosmo is the black one, here he was still fine....

Here, an idea of the tank, when Cosmo [the black one] was still fine....
I am getting worried it was really too small for both, will try to get them a new one asap.

Thanks again.

Hi Kina and welcome. I think that for now that the best thing to do for your fish until you can get them a bigger home,is to do daily water changes for them.Once a week to 10 days is just way too long for Ammonia etc. to build up and cause problems. Is that Nitrivec a conditioner to make water safe for the fish? If so,then use that along with water that matches the temps of the water that's allready in the fish bowl.
If you get a chance,you may want to read this. It will help you to understand the Goldie's needs more.
http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/tensteps.html

Hang in there,and we'll work with you as much as we can to help you with your fish.
Oh,and with the food that you are feeding your fish-whether it be flakes or pellets.If you presoak them for a minute in a little bit of clean fish water,that may help the swim bladder floaties too.

Hello, many thanks for the advice. I will do so. Would you reckon get rid of the plant as it is not fresh as well? Maybe better... and what about the stones? These are all things the fish-shop said they needed no change... I will get a look the link, and let you know about him. Many thanks again.

Hi there: a little update. I measured the liters of my tank and it contains 7 1/2 liters [ca 2 gallons]. So more than I thought but still too little apparently. But I will still get a bigger house for them. I have removed plant and stones, and I will clean them daily till I get a bigger tank and a filter. Cheers.

Hi and

Devs has given you great advice

till you canfollow it, do the waterchanges, and all of us will help you out

I changed the water, with room temp one, with the Nitrivec [yes it takes away ammonia and nitrate], just gave a half pea, peeled, but he cannot even swim down to eat. Now he's costantly floating on the top, struggles to move but can't.... I am worried he'll starve to death in this way. What do you think I should do? His belly pushes him up.... Thanks again in advance, kina

Hi Kina,I know that you're concerned for your fish,but please try to keep your posts in one thread.That way we have all the information together. Thanks I am going to add your other thread to this one.

hey - sorry [blush] I also posted something in the wrong spot just now... will be more carefull next time. yeah it's my first experience and don't know hoe to handle it much. thanks!

No problem Hun.Sometimes it's a bit overwhelming when new. Just think over what you want to post and then look around at the different forums.They tell you what's in each one.

Hi there, I have changed the water daily, and didn't feed him yesterday. This morning he was still floating... he is not death but looks like it. Sometimes he has hysterical moves trying to get down also bumps his head. I noticed also a small looking-like-blister near on his right side. Eyes looking cloudy: I would like to know what you advise, I will be able to go to the shop only tomorrow morning, and wanted to get some medicines in case there are any.... I mean, I would like to ask you if you think it's too late for this. Also I am keeping the red one away, because he also has some little white looking spots- they look like little pimples. Thanks again...