Unwell Goldfish

Question
I have had my goldfish for about two years now.  I woke up this morning to find him lying at the bottom of the tank.  He is struggling to breath. He cannot swim or keep himself upright.  Around his fins are all blood red.  What is wrong with him and what can i do to make him better.  I do not want him to suffer.


Answer
Hi Lesley
Sorry about your fish....

What size is his tank?  For goldfish, it's recommended to have at least 15 gallons for 1 goldfish.  Goldies put out a lot of ammonia through their waste and breathing naturally, so the larger the tank, the better the water quality is for them.  Plus, they grow quite large, and really need the room of a larger tank.

And how often do you change the water?  I usually recommend for a tank that's not overstocked, changing about 25% of the water once a week.  Also being sure to vacuum the gravel well also.  

Red fins can be a sign of a few things, which makes it hard to treat because you don't know what to treat for.  First thing I would say is water quality.  Try doing an immediate water change.  I don't know your tank size, but I would try changing out about 30% of the water to start.  This is the easiest and best way to help judge what the problem may be.  He'll probably perk up a bit, which is a good sign.  

It may also be a parsite or bacterial-or both infection as well.  You can add some salt to his tank, I would dose at 1 tablespoon per 5 US gallons.  This would help with some parasites, if that ends up being the case.  

Try those as soon as you can, and let me know how he does.  Watch him for other symptoms, or if he doesn't show improvement at all.

Let me know how it goes.

Christy