Golden Dojo

Question
Hello Lynda, I have a 4 year old golden dojo and just noticed he is floating at the top on his side, I have touched him and he tries to swin down but floats right back up, would you know what is going on and if I can save it???

Thanks

Answer
Hi Kelli,
This sounds like Swim Bladder Disease.  This disease is caused by poor diet, and overfeeding which leads to constipation, and the Swim Bladder.  If left untreated it will lead to dropsy which is very difficult to cure, if not impossible.  Swim bladder is easily cure when found in the early stages,  Test your water, and make sure you have no ammonia, no nitrites, and that nitrates are low.  Ammonia, and nitrites is the number one killer of fish.  Do a 25% water change, and feed him unfrozen cooked peas.  Hopefully he will eat them, and waste.  Do not wait, if you see that his condition is still the same after eating the pea, you must treat him with tetracycline.  Remove your carbon, and make sure your water chemistry is right before treatment.  Be careful not to overdose, and follow the directions on the package.  
When he recovers, he must have a varied diet.  Algae wafers, and Daphnia should be fed to him everyday, along with a good quality flake, and frozen blood worms, and brine shrimp.  Feeding them well is very important.  Daphnia helps their digestive system, and one unfrozen pea a week will help him clean out his system, and therefore avoid SBD.  His gravel must be very small, sandy, as they could also hurt themselves on thick gravel.  The water temperature should not be over 76 degrees.
I hope he pulls through, as we get very attached to these fish.  I have some who eat out of my hand, just love them.
Lynda