vacations killing goldfish

Question
Hi Chris,
It's probably too late to help our little comet goldfish but I need to know what I am doing wrong.  This is our 3rd fish over the course of 5 years that has fallen victim to our being gone on vacation for more than 3 days and left with an automatic feeder.  I have used an automatic feeder successfully for up to 3 days but it seems that once we get beyond the 4th day we have a problem.  I cannot tell if both fish (we keep 2 in a 20 gal tank) are getting too much or not enough.  I wish I could find a better way to feed them when we are away....Typically only one falls ill.  

As a matter of routine I do water changes every 1 to 2 weeks and check the various water levels weekly to ensure that they are within the published acceptable ranges.  I use Mardel 5 in 1 test strips and a separate ammonia test kit.   However we typically will end up with one of the fish acting listless upon our return  which progresses to swimming off balance and then ends up on its head and curled over.  I always put the fish in a hospital tank (2.5 gal) and begin treatment with Maracyn 2.  This time, I added Maracyn and Coppersafe in addition to aquarium salt.  However, I still had the same outcome with the fish floating on the bottom (but swimming ok when disrupted) then progressing to swimming off balance and now on its head and its tail curled over.  It's heartbreaking to see.  I don't understand what is causing the problem and why none of the meds will work.  It still struggles to right itself to swim but is obviously too exhausted to stay upright.  I did notice that the ammonia level keeps trying to go up to 1.0ppm in the hospital tank (2.5gal) so have been doing 50% water changes in addition to using ammo-lock.

As far as the main tank, I treat the weekly water changes with cycle and stress-coat and (this time) with Tetra's Easy Balance.  I was feeding them regular goldfish flakes or crisps which I have now changed to the sinking granuals.  I didn't really know much about their need for variety in their diet until recently and so I tried chopped peas and broccoli to our sick little one's hospital tank thinking that perhaps he was also constipated.  I have also tried to entice him to eat tubifex worms without any success.  Since he is no longer eating (last time that I observed him eating was last night) I am afraid that my ignorance is again proving to be fatal.  

The main aquarium has been well-established for about 4 years.  A week prior to our leaving on this last trip we added a 2nd fish to the one that we had (it was alone for several months prior).  It is a little baby and still healthy in the main aquarium.  I use a bio-filter and a large circular bubble aerator.  On a normal day, the 2 fish would be fed twice a day erring to the side of less rather than more.  There is approx 1" of gravel on the bottom which I recently read could be a source of problems for fish.  Although it may be too late for our little "goldie" (as my 8 yr old calls him), I am very hesitant to get another companion for the one we have left.  I just can't stand to have them pay the price if we go on a vacation for more than 4 days.  Any help or advice that you may have will be greatly appreciated.  Sorry for the long-winded message...

Sincerely,
Karin

Answer
Hi Karin;

For the sick fish, change all the water in the hospital tank every day. Use only the Maracyn 2 and feed no food at all for 3 days. His gut needs to clear in case it's a digestive problem. He may have developed an internal infection from constipation. He will not starve in that amount of time. It's just temporary until he is doing better.

If the automatic feeder you are talking about is the block or disc type, the fish are simply eating too much at a time. Goldfish just want to eat and eat until they can't stuff it into their mouths anymore. Poor things just don't have enough sense to stop before they get sick. In their natural environments like ponds and lakes, they just forage all day long but eat mostly vegetable matter like algae and plants. The prepared foods we give them have too much protein and not enough fiber.

If you are talking about the kind of feeder that is electric and drops a measured amount of food in every day, they should have been okay. If the lights are left off in the tank while you are gone and it's dark when the feeder feeds them, the food is rotting before they can get it. Put a timer on the lights if that's case.

Another option is to feed a chunk of zuchinni, cucumber, green beans, or romaine lettuce leaf, etc before you go on vacation. Put it in right before you leave and they can graze and nibble on them for a couple of days. Veggies don't spoil like pellets and flakes do. Fish are perfectly fine for a few days with no food at all too. Even a week is not too long. Especially goldfish because they constantly pick at the bottom and get whatever algae could be there. Algae grows on each pebble of gravel in the top layer so they will suck it off of there and then spit it out. They definately will not starve.

For regular feedings when you are home they only need to actually be in the act of eating food for five minutes each day. Give them enough food that there are no leftovers anywhere in the tank after 5 minutes, once per day. If you like to feed them twice a day, that's okay. Just let them feed for about two to three minutes twice a day. Too much food, even if it is eventually eaten, just pollutes the tank and overloads their digestive system.

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins