is my fish sick?!?!?!

Question
QUESTION: My fish always looks like its gasping for air :S .. i cant tell whats wrong, its always opening its mouth, is it okay? could it be pregnant... ?? please write me back!

Brittany

ANSWER: Hi Brittany;

I need more details in order to help;

Does he do this at the top of the water or just wherever?
What kind of fish?
How long have you had him?
Do you have other fish?
What size tank?
How long has the tank been set up?
Does it have a filter?
What kind of filter?
How often do you clean the tank and the filter?
Are there any swellings, color changes, bulging eyes, etc?


Let me know as soon as you can...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: QUESTION: My fish always looks like its gasping for air :S .. i cant tell whats wrong, its always opening its mouth, is it okay? could it be pregnant... ?? please write me back!

Brittany



I have a goldfish
i got him a week and a half ago on wendsday
mostly at the bottom. but hes getting better
my little brother has a betta fish & so does my little sister but there all in a differnt room
i have a bowl something you would see on a tv show
no filter .. i have some of those little rocks and a fake plant in there
i clean it about 1 ever 2-3 days
and no swellings or anything like that
just looks really scared and hurt or something

Answer
Hi Brittany;

Poor guy. I'm so sorry you were misinformed about what goldfish need. They can't live in bowls. Your brother and sister have fish with much different needs. Bettas can live in low oxygen water because their bodies were made to do that. Your goldfish isn't made that way and is lacking oxygen from being in too small of a tank. He goes to the top because there is more oxygen at the surface. Goldfish need a filter and must have a regular tank to live in. They are just very messy guys that make a lot of waste that turns into ammonia and burns their gills. Goldfish also get very large, over 6 inches long. They need to have a ten gallon tank just for one fish. Here is a web page about them;

http://www.firsttankguide.net/goldfish.php

Cleaning it every two days is good, but every day is better until you can get a regular tank for him.

I hope he feels better soon...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins