Swimbladder problem - please help!!

Question
QUESTION: Hi Chisty,

I've asked you several questions in the past and hope you can help me out one more time!  I have a 125 litre Juwel tank with live plants and gravel.  I do a 20-25% water change every 1-2 weeks.  I test the water frequently and have no ammonia, no nitrite and between 25-50 mg nitrate.  Ph is 6.8.  I've had a lot of trouble with swimbladder in the past: I initially had two fish and lost one after 3 years, then I bought two news ones (making three in total) and lost one of the new ones within 1 week of him being introduced to the tank, and today I've just lost my other 3 year old, leaving me with one 2 month old.  Is there anything you can think that might be wrong with the tank that could be causing the recurring swimbladder problem?  We feed them a diet of dried flakes (soaked before feeding) once a day, with either frozen or dried bloodworms or daphnia once every 2 weeks, and a mushed-up pea once a week.  It's awful to lose a fish, but for 3 to die of the same disease one after the other is making me doubt myself as capable of caring for my fish!!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Many, many thanks,
Laura (UK)

ANSWER: Hi Laura
I remember you :)  Unfortunately, it's too difficult/hard to find your previous questions, so if I repeat myself or ask the same thing again, I apologize.

What kind of goldies were/are they?  It's common for the fancier varieties to develop swimbladder disorders.  Just because of the way their body shapes are, they tend to be more prone to the problem.  I don't think it's necessarily your fault, you're feeding a good variety, soaking the flakes.  If you're not, I'd also recommend soaking the frozen/freeze dried food as well.  I recall reading somewhere about frozen bloodworms, and they should be soaked for awhile as well.  

The only possible problem I see, is the nitrates could be a bit high, especially if it's closer to the 50 ppm.  I've read on a few sites the last few months, they're thinking that high nitrate levels can lead to swim bladder problems as well.  Ideally they should be kept under 20 ppm, and even lower would be better.  Best way to keep nitrates down, is through frequent water changes.  So up the water changes to at least once a week at 25%.  I'd do a few daily ones till you get the nitrates down, then get on at least a once a week, maybe even twice a week schedule.  

Is the current fish ok?  Or are you just asking about the one that just passed on?  A lot of times, if nitrates are the issue, doing the water changes can clear it up.  Here's a few links, not sure if I sent them to you before, but this first one is good about explaining possible causes and some treatments.  It also lists a name of a med available in the UK-since you can't get antibiotics there:

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/Swim%20Bladder%20Disorder.html

http://madhunag.tripod.com/goldfish.html

Hope that helps, and let me know if you have more questions!  

Christy




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

QUESTION: Thanks for your help Christy!  They are just simple goldies, not fancy.  The one fish we have left seems to be doing ok, but I was just a bit concerned that he might get ill too if there was something obviously wrong with the tank.  I'll do the water changes, and hopefully we won't be struck with swimbladder again in the future!  It's just so sad to see your previously-active goldie so limp at the bottom of the tank...poor chaps.

We're thinking of getting a couple of new ones to keep this fella company - can you see any reason why this might not be a good idea?

Thanks so much for your help,
Laura

ANSWER: EDIT:  Hi Laura
I was on a forum site, and someone had asked about purchasing medicated food in the London area.  Someone said there's this place in Canada that will ship it to the UK.  The stuff is called Medi Gold, I've used it years ago, I remember it came in a large container, and it was kind of a moist food/pellet.  Not sure on the shelf life of it though, so it would be good to have on hand since it's not readily available where you live, but not sure how long it's "technically" good for.  Could drop them an email and ask.  It's under Fish Boutique, then treatments:

http://www.fishsempai.com/

Like I said, just saw it on a forum and thought of you and the problems you had before.  Enjoy your weekend!!

Christy




Hi Laura
If it's a simple variety, that'd most likely be a common or comet, and they can grow over 12+ inches/304 mm, so you're probably best just keeping the one in that size tank.  Might even need to get a larger tank down the road.  

Here in the US, those types of goldfish are usually sold as "feeder" gold fish, basically food for larger fish.  They're also sold cheap, about .12-.25 cents for one.  The problem with these fish, because they're just feeders, they're usually kept in bad conditions at the pet store-in an overstocked tank, and generally not cared for as well as the other fish.  Because of that, they tend to have more problems with diseases like bacterial, parasites, etc.  If that's the case by you, that may be explaining why those fish were getting sick.  I believe you said you had the one for a few years though....that wouldn't explain that, but may explain why the newer ones didn't last very long.

Good luck with him, and let me know if you have more problems!

Christy

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

QUESTION: Hi Christy,

Thank you so much for kindly passing on that information, it was very sweet of you to think of me!  I've been on their website and emailed a query, so fingers crossed they may be able to post me some Medi Gold!  In the meantime, I've gotten hold of some Myxazin as recommended by the website you mentioned and I've just started treating my fish with that.  We got two more from the same fish shop and one of them is stuck at the bottom of the tank already, whereas the other seems a little bloated.  I think you're right - the shop doesn't sell the goldfish as food, but I don't think the conditions can be too good (even though they seem fine to the casual observer) because that's 3 out of 4 goldfish with swimbladder/bloating from that one shop.  I think I need to find another supplier... in the meantime, fingers crossed the Myxazin helps the two new ones for now.

Thanks again for the email, I really did appreciate it.

Laura

Answer
Hi Laura
No problem!  Well, it's possible it's a genetic defect, because they're most likely getting all their goldfish from the same breeder.  Ask them that, but the only problem going somewhere else, they may use the same breeder as well.  Another thing, the pet stores here, most will test your water for you.  Try having the pet store test your nitrates.  You said before they were in the 25-50 range, that's kind of broad.  Maybe they have a kit that can narrow it down for you.  I think I've mentioned, try to keep them under 20 ppm.  If they were closer to the 50 mark for any extended period of time, that may be the cause of it.  

Good luck with the new med, hope that works!  And hopefully the other will work out as well.  Take care!

Christy