My fantail is having issues..

Question
Dear Amber Worman,
My fantail gold fish (Lifesavers) began  sitting sideways, and can't move at all. It just gulps for air occasionally. ,-and I tried to kind of hold it to  make Lifesavers eat. But it just spits the food out. Is there anyone to help her? I've cleaned out the bowl, cleaned the gravel, added aquarium salt, and used every fish bowl thing I have, but before Lifesavers fell ill, the bowl was really dirty. I feel awful about Neglecting it for so long. Please tell me if there is anyway to help Her!

Answer
Hello Virginia-

Is she sitting at the bottom of the tank, or laying on her side at the top? Do you use a water conditioner to treat the water before introducing your fish? What temperature is the water at? The water needs to be treated with a conditioner each time you add water to the tank, to remove chlorine and other chemicals from the water. The temperature range should be 60 - 75 F, since fantails are coolwater fish. The summer heat may be getting to her tank if she is near a window. You can try lowering the water temperature and add a bubbler to the tank to help get some dissolved oxygen into the water.

Hopefully this helps; if you have any other specific symptoms or readings from the tank, feel free to write back with this info.

-Amber Worman