Swimbladder Disease in Goldfish

Question
QUESTION: I have recently asked you a question about my goldfish. Well now he has swimbladder disease. this is the second time this has happened. however my first ever fish is completely healthy. it always seems that the other two get sick when he stays fine. I wonder if you know anything about why this is happening. Thank You. Becky.

ANSWER: Hi Becky,
 It very well could be that the "healthy" fish is picking on the other two and that is initiating the problems.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


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

QUESTION: Thanks. Do you know any way I could stop him from doing this? The only thing I find strange is that he is quite a small fish and the most recent (who died just now) was larger than him. Or is size not relevant.

Answer
Hi Becky,
 Size is of some value but attitude is more important. In other words if the smaller, healthy fish thinks that the tank is his space and the others are interlopers, then he is going to fight harder than them with the result that they get hurt.

The best thing you can do is make sure that the tank has lots of structure, i.e., wood, rock, plants, etc to break up the space so that everyone has a spot to call their own.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>