Swim Bladder Disease and Goldfish
Goldfish keepers are faced with a number of different illnesses which can negatively affect their fish and in some circumstances cause death. Keeping an eye on your tank is the best way to spot a problem early before it has a chance to develop into a more serious issue. One of the easiest to spot problems that goldfish keepers see is when they’re fish begin floating upside down. The issue, known as swim bladder disease, is an easily treatable problem with the goldfish’s internal gas-filled organ.
What Exactly Is A Swim Bladder?
Swimming around constantly would be tiring work for goldfish. Thankfully for them, they have an extra internal organ that makes the process much easier. A fish’s swim bladder is able to fill up with gas in order to allow the goldfish to maintain buoyancy and avoid constantly exerting energy to stay in one place. Sometimes, goldfish can run into problems with their swim bladders, and as a result, owners will notice their goldfish floating upside down, or with its tail pointed towards the top of the aquarium.
What Causes Swim Bladder Disease
Swim bladder disease in goldfish is most often the result of one out of two common causes – constipation or bacterial/viral infections from poor water quality. Unlike many other illnesses which are sometimes difficult for some goldfish keepers to notice, swim bladder disease is perhaps the most recognizable of all goldfish illnesses. Luckily, this “disease” is generally treatable if caught early on.
How To Cure Swim Bladder Disease
While many different sicknesses which can affect your goldfish can take days or weeks to cure, alongside of countless medicines and water treatments, swim bladder disease can normally be resolved with a common cure from the grocery store. Most experts recommend that the easier and fastest way to cure swim bladder disease in goldfish is through the use of peas.
To help cure your fish’s swim bladder disease, defrost a package of frozen peas and remove the outer layer of skin from a number of them, extracting the small interior pea. Place a number of these into your aquarium’s water – even if your goldfish is not hungry at the moment, it will eventually consume the peas which not only are part of a healthy diet, but also can resemble food pellets. Additionally, do a large water change regularly to reduce toxic content in old water. Here is a guide to do large water change.
Within a few hours, constipation or infections should work their way through your goldfish’s system, allowing its swim bladder to begin functioning normally and returning your fish to its majestic beauty of floating right-side up.
Swim bladder disease is not commonly a fatal problem, and can normally be cured just a few days after treatment. If you notice that your goldfish is floating or swimming upside down, it’s time to head to the frozen section of your local supermarket. By defrosting, shelling and feeding a handful of peas to the affected fish, the issue should work its way out in no time. After treatment, your fish should return to its normally healthy appearance in just a few days. It is a good practice to do large water change and feed pea regularly to prevent swim bladder disease.
