Goldfish...can anyone please help?

Question

yesterday i bought a goldfish about 4 or 5 inches long and it was doing fine and eating well but today it keeps on opening and closing his mouth nonstop and fast and he didn't eat his food but swims normally. Can anyone tell me what's wrong?

Answer 1

If you did not cycle the tank before adding the fish, it is getting sick.  You must allow good bacteria to build up in the tank before adding fish.  Also you need to treat the water with water conditioner to eliminate harmful chemicals from tap water.

It is also likely that the fish was sick when you bought it.  Some stores will offer a refund or exchange the dead fish if you bring a sample of your water and the dead fish.  When fish shopping, you should pay close attention to the condition of the tank and fish you buy.  A tank with any dead fish in it is bad news, the others may not last much longer.

Answer 2

How big is your tank? If it is any smaller than 20 gallons then this is a problem.Goldfish can grow to be 12" in length and need plenty of room to swim. That is why they are really considered pond fish. Him opening and closing his mouth fast could mean he is breathing hard which is an early sign of many poisonings or kack of oxygen. Check your perameters and add details.

Answer 3

The water is probably saturated with ammonia and you need to change it. A goldfish that size should have 20 gallons of cycled water.

Answer 4

You may have over-fed him. Remove the un-eaten food and fast him for a day. He should be fine in a day.

Answer 5

I'm not sure there is anything wrong... that's what fish do. I wouldn't worry about it. Umm here is a link for how to care for your fish. http://www.petlibrary.com/goldfish/fishc...