My pet goldfish is floating on his side and won't eat. What should I do?

Question

Yeah so my goldfish Moby is laying on his side, won't eat and was laying under the plant in his bowl. I told my mom and she moved him to a vase. I don't know if it is bloated swim bladder or what so please help me!

Answer 1

Is he showing any signs of bloating? white stringy p**p? What are the ammonia, nitrite readings? My first thoughts would be a problem with his swim bladder, which you can treat him by fasting him for 2-3 days, feeding frozen then thawed, skinned peas if he will accept food. Or if it is bloat, a medication containing metronidazole either mixed in with food, or dissolved into the water will help. Metro does not dissolve easily into water though, so you will want to premix it in a cup of tank water first trying to dissolve as much as possible.

Answer 2

A goldfish should be in a 20 gallon tank with a good filter.  When they are kept in smaller areas they're growth is stunted and their internal organs get squashed.  Moby may have this problem and it's compressing his swim bladder.

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Answer 3

since it is in a bowl without filter and aeration due to poor water quality you fish is sick  try change the water then add rocksalt and do dialy water change of 10 percent and good aeration.

kOi keeper & goldfish keeper

Answer 4

He is going to die, sorry...next time use a bigger tank for a goldfish

Answer 5

If its floating on its side, then its dead.

Answer 6

That sounds like ammonia poisoning. Use Ammo-lock, or another ammonia remover immediatly. It might be too late to make a differance, I'm sorry.  

Answer 7

hes probably going to die thats what happened to my fish :( sorry

Answer 8

He might have little oxygen.  He's will most lke not live.

Answer 9

o

i had this prob once

i had to give it bak

:(

the person didnt say wat was wrong

but when i checked on it

they said it was "ok"

Answer 10

PROBABLY LITTLE OXYGEN BECAUSE THATS WHAT MY CRAYFISH USE TO DO BEFORE I GOT A FILTER WITH AN AIR PUMP. JUST CHANGE THE WATER

Answer 11

He sounds like he is close to death. You can always try some Quick Cure or Coppersafe to help him.

Answer 12

You can try adding some aquarium salts, some walmarts sell them. But I think it may be too late.

I'm not about to tell you what you did wrong, because owning fish is alot of trial and error. I will; however, give you some info in case you wish to buy another gold fish.

Goldfish, depending the size, need to be in a 5-10 gallon tank. A Fancy gold fish should be in a 10 gallon tank with some other fish. The only fish that seems to thrive in a bowl is a Betta, and I disagree with them living in just a bowl.

Goldfish can't live in a bowl because they are quite dirty fish. They build a slime coating up faster and that is what makes the water look and feel slimy. One gold fish needs to be in a filtered tank, with a light. That way you do not stress the fish out by cleaning him every other day.

If he is dying, let him die in his tank in peace. Sometimes some fish just lay on the side, my betta does and he's fine. He's lazy. Some fish rest like that. Also, the aquarium salts may help.

Good luck sweety, I hope for the best!

Answer 13

He is dying because he has been kept in a bowl! Give him plenty of fresh water and move him to a much larger container until you can get a minimum of a five gallon aquarium, ASAP!!! The lack of oxygen, ammonia buildup, and just plain poor water quality in fishbowls are lethal to fish. Goldfish need a twenty gallon tank because they grow so big and produce massive amounts of waste and ammonia. They also must have a powerful filtration system. The Eclipse brand makes some quality and affordable tanks. I hope he lives!