Bloated Gold Fish

Question
Hi Karen, I have two elderly goldfish, found them in a near empty slime pond in a rental house about 7 years ago. One is very healthy, the other mostly sits on the bottom, and has a very bloated abdomen. I am careful not to over feed. It has been close to death so many times over the years but seems to keep hanging on, and comes good. Have kept them on fish flake food for years.

Answer
Hi Darlene,
It could be old age getting to them. Though goldfish can live up to 10 years, Their lifespan does in fact depend upon the care they are given. And since you found them abandoned then that could certainly cause them to not be as hardy and long-lived.

The bloated abdomen makes me think of Dropsy. The all-too common fish ailment that affects goldfish a lot. This article best describes it and much better than I can-
http://flippersandfins.net/Dropsy.htm

My best wishes to you and I'm so glad you saved them from that terrible fate from the slime pond.

Karen~