Goldfish found stuck to filter

Question
I have 3 goldfish.  They were in a bowl for about 2 months, then they were moved to a 10 gallon tank about 1 1/2 ago.  The  smallest fish, which my son named Nemo, I just found stuck, sort of curled around to the tube of the tetra whisper power filter.  I unplugged the filter and Nemo is now loose.  His body however is still a little curled sideways from the experience.  Is there something that can be do for him, or will he die?  He does swim a little, but stays near the bottom on the tank, and seems week. Should I be worried about this also happening to the other fish?  

The other 2 fish stick together and Nemo is usually on his own, this has been the case since we got them.  Nemo has not grown as much as the others and seems about close to the same size as when I got him.  Could that be a sign that there is something wrong with him?  

Answer
Good afternoon, Michelle! Thank you for your question.

Ack, the goldfish bowl...scourge of aquarists worldwide! My deepest apologies if your local fish store (LFS) let you walk away with three goldfish and a bowl for them. The only fish that can survive for long in a bowl is a Betta, but they need tropical temperatures of about 78 degrees. Your goldfish can live an unheated tank of about 68 degrees...but not a bowl!

It's a good thing you took steps to remedy this situation. A 10 gallon tank with a Whisper filter is a huge improvement. However, a 10 gallon tank will not be a suitable size for very long. A 29 gallon tank is the absolute minimum for three goldfish - they are the biggest eaters and poopers of the fish world, in my opinion. Even my African cichlids cannot compare! That being said, you ought to consider returning or donating two of your goldfish, or budgeting for a bigger tank if you are dedicated to keeping all three. It is simply not possible to maintain good water quality, and enough oxygen in the tank, with that many fish and so little volume and surface area. Your goldfish can live up to ten years (!) in an aquarium with the right care. If you cannot upgrade to a bigger tank, consider keeping only one goldfish, or a small community of tropical fish instead. You can always keep your 10 gallon tank as a quarantine or hospital tank when you have new or sick fish.

That having been said, the best course of treatment for your fish would be the following:

1. Get a bigger tank and use the 10 gallon...or...get a separate 10 gallon tank, and keep injured Nemo separate from the other fish. He is weak and stressed, and the other fish will pick on him...or rather, assert their dominance over him. Goldfish are generally peaceful towards each other, but they can get territorial when they are in a cramped space. Kind of like the way we humans feel when someone has their elbows on our armrest on an airplane!

2. Change about 25% of the water and put in a teaspoon or two of aquarium salt. The salt does not evaporate, so only replenish it according to water changes. Keep the levels at about 1-2 tsp per 10 gallons. You can also add Stress Coat according to the manufacturer's directions.

3. Speaking of water, the key to the swift and full recovery of a fish is pristine water. Do you have a water test kit? Your LFS will likely test your water for you for free, and give you recommendations if there is something amiss. You should have 0 ppm of ammonia and nitrite. Up to 20 ppm of nitrate is acceptable. That being said...

I hope you cycled your tank! You will need to do some background reading if you are unaware of what cycling is. "New Tank Syndrome" is the environmental disease that occurs when we add fish without letting our tanks cycle first, and it happened once to practically all of us seasoned fishkeepers. Education and experience are your best friends.

4. Add some extra aeration. This is done by buying an air pump (I recommend the Whisper air pumps, they are almost soundless) and connecting it to an airstone via airline tubing. Goldfish need some extra bubbles! Especially in a crowded tank such as yours, because they use up oxygen very quickly due to their messy nature.

This should do it for now. The reason your fish is not growing is probably due to the 2 months he spent in a bowl. It's hard to believe, but when fish are in extremely cramped conditions, if they don't die, their growth slows down. Since these sound like juvenile goldfish they will likely recover with some extra TLC from their caretakers, more space, and good water quality. So do take heart!

I hope you are still reading. If so, here are some tips for overall good health in any fish, not just goldfish...

a) Feed a varied diet. Flakes are fine as a staple food, but fish need variety in their diet, just like we do. Add some spirulina, in the form of flakes or wafers. Goldfish are grazers in the wild, so they will appreciate vegetable matter in their diet. Try lots of things to see what they like. Goldfish are known to like zucchini, romaine lettuce, peas, perhaps even some other fresh or thawed veggies. Frozen foods like bloodworms, brine shrimp or mysis shrimp are good as an occasional healthful treat. Soak their food in baby vitamins (or special fish vitamins such as VitaChem) to give them extra nutrients. Goldfish eat pond plants, too!

b) Change their water often. Two times, three times a week, will not hurt - it will only help, especially during illness or stress in your goldfish. 10% each time, or 30% a week if you can only do one water change a week, is ideal.

c) Monitor their water quality and temperature. Stability is the key. Temperature and pH should stay constant. Ammonia and nitrite should always test 0 ppm, otherwise they are subject to ammonia poisoning and painful burns. Ouch!

Sorry if I gave you too much information, but more always seems better than less. I hope Nemo gets better! You sound like a really nice mom. This is an excellent time to teach your son how to care for fish well and keep them healthy.

Happy to help,
Nicole

For more goldfish care advice, take a look at these three sites that I have been recommending to goldfish owners:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com (A wonderful site I read every day, with a helpful search feature on the main page.)

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com (They have a message board here, as well as links on the left side.)

http://www.goldfishinfo.com (Looks like a good site for general information on goldfish and their care.)