lionhead goldfish

Question
my lionhead has started this week swimming bellyup. will swim down and around but seems to end up back at the top like he's dying...still eats, so i don't know what's wrong. it's a 45gal tank with 6 other goldfish. 1/3 water change yesterday.

Answer
First of all, you are WAY over stocked. The general responisble rule for keeping goldfish is 20 gallons for 1 goldfish, and 10 gallons for every other goldfish (assuming that a HUGE filter is used ((which it should))). So to responsibly keep your goldfish you would need a 90 gallon tank.....


Anyway, he has swim bladder disease. Quarentine him and DO NOT FEED HIM ANYTHING! You must be feeding food that floats. When goldies eat topwater foods, they suck up a little air. The air infects their swimbladder.