Home

>

Fish

>

My goldfish is staying at the bottom of the tank and is bent at an angle. Sometimes he frantically swims for 1 sec. He also doesn't/can't eat. What do I do?

My goldfish is staying at the bottom of the tank and is bent at an angle. Sometimes he frantically swims for 1 sec. He also doesn't/can't eat. What do I do?

Updated On July 20th, 2016

Pet's info: Fish | Unknown - Fish | Male | unneutered

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

Veterinarian

This question includes photos that may contain sensitive content. Click to view.

View more to consider that the photos may include sensitive content.

Goldfish sit at the bottom of a tank when they are not well, often because toxins have built up in the water. Goldfish are usually active, and lethargy is a sign of illness. Maintaining good water quality is essential for proper aquarium care. In the enclosed, finite space of a fish tank, toxic elements, such as ammonia and nitrates, can build up in the water causing disease and killing fish. The only way to detect and control toxins is to perform regular chemical tests on the water and to perform gradual water changes to remove impurities and maintain the proper water parameters.

Vote icon

20Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

See More Answers

Related Questions

My barrel racing horse is refusing to eat. She stands with her butt against the stall wall and rests her hocks. She usually stops this when I exercise her. What is going on?

If she's not eating, she's eating painful, colicky, or both. Take a heart rate if you know how to do this--normal is 20-40 beats/minute. If it's higher than this, she's painful and needs to see a veterinarian. If she is rolling, looking at her sides, or not passing manure, she needs to see a vet as these are signs of colic. If you really think she's resting her hocks, then they are sore, and she needs xrays to see what kind of arthritis is going on and what steps you need to take to make her more comfortable. Hope that helps!

Read More

My cat is having trouble passing a turd... He keeps producing small amounts of this brown mucous on the pee pad I have in front of the litter box, but hasn't been able to completely eliminate the actual piece. He's eating normally & drinking plenty of water, & he's at a healthy weight. I realize that I'm going to have to take him to the vet if this doesn't clear up, but in the meantime, is there anything I can do to help him?

Seeing your vet ASAP is definitely a good idea to make sure there isn't an impaction causing the severe constipation that may need an enema or stool softeners to resolve. In the meantime, you can try offering a little bland yogurt to try and help the soften the stool, as well as make sure he's drinking plenty of water by mixing some into his food, but if Booboo is in severe distress, hasn't passed any stool at all, or is having other symptoms such as abdominal pain or stops eating, you should seek out veterinary care from your vet or a local ER clinic immediately.

Read More

My cat was prescribed antibiotics for diarrhea and today was his second day of taking them. He’s required to take 0.5 mL of the antibiotic and another one after 12 hours (twice a day). Today, he lost his appetite (only ate a few treats) and threw up clear liquid twice and clear yellow liquid 3 times. He is also lethargic.

Hello, thank you for using Boop by Petco. I'm sorry to hear that Leo is having this problem. Many antibiotics cause gastrointestinal issues in cats so you will need to call your vet and let them know what is going on. Most likely they will have you stop one or both of the antibiotics and prescribe something different. I would also suggest that you put him on a pre/probiotic while he is taking antibiotics and then continue for at least one week after the antibiotics have been stopped. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Read More

Belly ate her own simperica trio pill (for dogs 22-44lb) and accidentally ALSO ate my other dog's simperica trio pill (for dogs 11-22lb). How bad is this for Belly? Something we need to go to the emergency vet for??

Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Belly. She should be ok. According to studies done by Zoetis who make Simparica, "In the overdose groups, transient and self-limiting neurological signs were observed in some animals: mild tremors at 3 times the maximum exposure dose and convulsions at 5 times the maximum exposure dose. All dogs recovered without treatment." You don't need to do anything. I hope this helps!

Read More

Romeo was sick on Friday night and Saturday with vomiting so he did not feel like eating or drinking much during the time. He ate his fist meal and drank some water at 5 am this morning. He also ate lunch. His urine was this color this morning- could he be dehydrated? I’m working on increasing his water intake. He did get a fluid therapy injection on Saturday at vet

Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Romeo and for providing a picture, it's helpful. I'm sorry that he's been sick. If he's been vomiting and not drinking much, yes it is possible that he's a bit dehydrated. His urine in the picture does look a bit yellow, but if he is now drinking water and feel better, I expect he will become hydrated again in due course. It's fine to increase his water intake, and you could add some gently warmed, low sodium chicken broth to his food to help with increasing his fluid intake. I hope this helps.

Read More

My cat has signs of gingivitis. Will it hurt her if I start to brush her teeth? She had a teeth cleaning with the vet last year, but her gums are already a little red and slightly inflamed again. I hate the idea of putting her under anaesthesia unnecessarily, so can I try to do something at home? I’ve tried gels and plaque off, neither seem to keep it at bay. She eats dry food only and seems to have no pain or issues eating (she’s very healthy otherwise) Thank you!

Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Cassie. I think it's a great idea for you to start brushing her teeth, and that can help with the gingivitis. Be sure to use a pet toothpaste, as human ones are toxic for cats. You can get a pet toothbrush and paste at a pet store. I'd brush her teeth three times a week. I hope this helps!

Read More

image

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Filed Under

Sponsored