• Test Results for the Following:
  Ammonia Level? 0
  Nitrite Level? 10
  Nitrate level? 0

Ph Level, (If possible,KH and GH and chloramines)? 7.5
Ph Level out of the Tap? 8.5

• Tank size (How many Gals) and How long has it been running? 46 Bowfront, 6 months
• What is the name and size of the filter/s? Penguin 350 and Fluval 305
• How often do you change the water and how much? every other day, 30%
• How many fish in the tank and their size? 5 fish at 4-5"
• What kind of water additives or conditioners? amquel, lite salt
• Any medications added to the tank? no
• Add any new fish to the tank? no
• What do you feed your fish? Hikari Lionhead
• Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt", none
  bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus?
• Any unusual behavior like staying swimming upside down
  at the bottom, not eating, ect..?

SO, basically, my black and white panda oranda, ever since I got him, has a hard time staying upright. He will be swimming from one end of the tank to the next, and midway, he starts turning over as though he has no power to not. THen, he swims around for 3-4 seconds upside down till he rights himself. When I feed, he does fine. He swims over to the sinking food, eats and eats, and swims away. Then he goes upside down.

I fed peas this afternoon, and will continue through tomorrow night. The fish all go the weekend without food since it is my work aquarium.

He has done this since I bought him 3 months ago. No red streaks in fins, no flashing, no itching. I use amquel with each water change. I have lots of aeration.

Thing is, it has been since day one of getting this cute lil' guy. What can I do?

Thanks much,
Ethan

If the reading for NitrIte is correct - 10 - your tank is toxic and your fish are dying. Nitrite much over 2ppm is deadly. I would suggest that you change out 100% of the water asap.

Leave the filter and you will not disturb the developing cycle - but change out ALL the water NOW!

A floating fish is a fish in trouble. There are many many reasons a fish floats - and most of them do not occur by themselves - most are found in combination with other problems.

High nitrates - you have none. High nitrites - yours are toxic. Too much food. Food that has too much air in it. Constipation. Constipation with a bacterial infection. Egg impaction that causes constipation. Egg impaction with a bacterial infection with constipation. Too much food. Too cold of water when the fish is fed (leading to constipation).

I would suggest that, after getting your water parameters under control, that you salt dip the fish to purge it. Then fast the fish for at least 3 days - depending on size. After the fast, feed gel food only - made heavy with greens. Feed lightly. Warm the water a few degrees warmer - to 75-78F. Keep the nitrites as low as possible through far more water changes if necessary. If none of these things help, you may need to pull out the big guns and treat with antibiotics.

becuase I am stupid (my wife wouldn't argue there), I'll admit I reversed the nitrate and nitrite figures.

Nitrate is at 10, Nitrite is at 0.

My bad.

Do you have the same suggestions???

Ten Thousand whips with a wet noodle.

OK, a floating fish.....

1. FAst your fish. NO food for at least 3 days. If the fish is over 6 inches, make that 5 days.
2. Make up some gel food if you can. I like peas and gel only for the first food. (Cook some green peas in a bit of hot water. 1/4 cup blended pea slop to 1 package unflavored Knox gelatin powder. Mix the gelatin up a a few tablespoons of cool water and stir it into the pea slush and let gel. FEed) IF you don ot wnat to use gel food, you can cook up some green peas and pop themout of their skins. FEed the peas to the fish. The green matter will help move things along - ending constipation. FEed peas for at least 3 days.
3. Soak all food in the future. I usually just feed gel food for the rest of the fish's life. If it floated once, it gets gel. You can mix ANYTHING into gel food (with the exception of oils and such - the gel won't work).

If you do not see ANY improvement at the end of this regiment, it will then be time to try some antibiotic foods.