Ok..another issue

New filter tank is 2-3 weeks old
It is still cycling
Water changes every other day 25% - 30% -salt and stress coat added and touch of cycle
Ph-7.2
Ammonia-.25
No nitrates yet
Don't now about nitrites

20gal tank- 1- 8" oranda she has been single for 4 years
Fish is lying on her side on the bottom of tank. She looks like a sunken ship. No other symptoms. Still eating and active. Well, wiggling and stuff not really swimming.

I just put in a new air stone with quiet pump and ceramic stars in the filter. I took out some live plants, left about three.
I gave her new food yesterday. (got a shipment of goldfish supplies from goldfishconnection) She has gone to the bathroom, a few good long ones on the bottom of the tank.

I have to go to work and I am scared to leave her, arg. Maybe I can tell my boss my fish is sick. Only "fish people" understand. Thanks for your help. Amanda

IF your tank is only 2-3 weeks into its cycle, and the ammonia is that low, it means that most likely it is in the stage where the nitrItes are relaly peaking.....

Nitrites are VERY toxic to fish. At 25-30% water change only every other day, it is possible that your tank has HUGE quantities of nitrite. I usually am forced to change 50-75% of the water every day during cycling to keep them under control, and use Prime right after a change to help keep the tank for 24 hours until I can do another change.

I think you should immediately do a VERY large water change. Match the pH, temp, etc. on the replacement water, but do it immediately. You should probably be doing a 50% change everyday for a bit, until you can get a nitrIte test kit and see what you are dealing with. (Prime will go a lon way to help your fish, too)

Do not be afraid that this will stunt your cycle. The beneficial bacteria are NOT in the water - they are in the filter media. Do not worry that you will remove the ammonia/nitrite that the bacteria need - your fish is always adding more

I hope this perks your little fellow up! 20 gallons can be a very small volume for an 8 inch fish if it is one of the massive body types like a Ranchu. If it has a looooong tail, then all may be good.

Please post back.....

OK...Back from work.

I did a 75% water change.

I checked ph-7.0
I checked nitrates-none
Ammonia-.25

No change in fish. She eats. But stays in sideways position on bottom of tank. Still no signs of anything like redness or raggedy fins.

I am going to stupid petco now to get nitrite tester.

I am getting upset now. Her eyes kind of follow me but she doesn't move. She ate on her side.

Thanks Daryl for the help. I'm sure I will be back again. Thanks, Amanda

Back from Petco!!

Got test strips and Prime.

According to two test strips....no nitrites and .20 on nitrates.

So...
ph-7
ammonia-.25
nitrites-0
nitrates-.20
I didn't add any Prime.
Still no signs or physical symptoms except the swimming thing. She darted around and then did the stand on the head thing but back to bottom side lying. I gave her half a pea and she ate it.

I will keep staring at her and keep you posted. thanks for eveything, Amanda

I was thinking maybe you should test your tap water for ammonia and see what it says. If you changed 75% of the water and the ammonia stayed the same you may have some in your tap water. Either way, I hope your fish gets better, she sounds beautiful!

Sounds like you may be having some swim bladder issues.Not all fish float with them-I have a "sinker" myself.How often and how much are you feeding this fish?Normal poop shuld be short little brown chunks.When you start seeing very long strands,you could be over feeding.HAve you tried smaller feeding amounts?
When feeding her peas,are you starving her a day or two,and then feeding a cooked soft pea without the shell?
Sometimes diet changes and pristene water will do the trick,but there are chances too that the fish may very well have suffered some internal damage-whether it be from poor water/Parasites,etc,and will always have issues.It's so darn hard to know for sure without knowing where/how the fish started out in life.Good luck! Hope it all works out for you and your fish.