Is there a cure for swim bladder problems?

Could anybody help me by telling me if there is a cure for what I think is a swim bladder problem.

My goldfish Sharkie is four and half years old and has just turned on his side at the bottom of his tank. The tank is 18" x 12" has an under gravel filter and a box filter. A partial water change is done every two weeks with a gravel filter and my 2 goldfish are feed very sparingly as they had septacemia about a year ago from which they recovered fully.

I know that the tank is only just big enough as I did the maths before I bought it but I am very limited on space and it was the only size that would fit. In August they are supposed to be going into a pond will Sharkie make it though! Fergul seems to be unaffected at the moment.

 

What are your readings for ammonia, nitrIte, and nitrAte? What are you feeding them? What kind of goldfish are they? Is it breathing heavily? How does it appear physically (any lost scales, white patches, red patches, etc)?

Swim bladder problems can be caused by a few different things. Most commonly (especially in fancy/round bodied goldfish) it is caused by constipation. But that usually results in gas being stuck in the swim bladder and the fish becoming too buoyant. Problems can also come from injury or infection.

My initial guess is probably a bacterial infection but w/o those readings, it's just a wild guess.

 

He's in goldfish heaven now.

Thanks for the reply, unfortunately Sharkie passed away in the night. I had quarentined him so hopefully if it was bacterial (not sure as he looked absolutely fine no spots etc) Fergul is gona be okay . I think he was a comet, I know the amonia levels are okay as I have a Seachem Amonia Alert thingie but not sure about the nitrate levels, sorry. I have enquired before about testing kits but the aquiriam shops are relutant to sell them here. At least Fergul will have more room untill he gets into the pond in August.

I am not going to replace Sharkie but once Fergul goes I shall be considering buying 2 fish that stay small could you suggest anything for a 12" x 18" tank?

Also what can you get other than an under gravel filter as the shop said this was the best! he even tried to persuade me out of the box filter I bought saying it was unnecessary!

 

Sorry about your goldfish.

I suggest finding a different store to shop at. Test kits are incredibly important because the things they test for are toxic and w/o the tests, you have absolutely no way of knowing how much is in your aquarium. Also, undergravel filters are some of the worst filters out there. They provide absolutely no mechanical filtration. They actually trap all the waste under the filter plate where it breaks down and creats even more ammonia which leads to even higher nitrAte levels. I definitely recommend getting a hang on back type filter.

As for your tank, what is the 3rd dimension (so I can calculate the actual volume)?

-Chelle

 

The dimensions of the tank are 12" X 18" X 12".

I will definately be finding somewhere else to shop for my aquarium products from now on. I have found that the people who work in the aquarium shops here don't really care about the fish.

I said when I bought this tank that I wanted the best system I could get for its size and it seems I got mislead again! I didn't want to cause my fish any more anguish after they had septicemia and recovered but it seems I just found this site to late for Sharkie.