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Two of the fish fins are clamping down close to their body. I did 75% water change and hopefully they will get better. I do not have the water testing kit. Will buy soon. Is there any ways to get them better? I could see some of their scales are off. They sometimes don’t swim, they just stay there and let the water flow move them. I’m getting air stone soon. Do I need VERY strong filter for them? (It’s little filter) two of them is sometimes going up to surface?

Two of the fish fins are clamping down close to their body. I did 75% water change and hopefully they will get better. I do not have the water testing kit. Will buy soon. Is there any ways to get them better? I could see some of their scales are off. They sometimes don’t swim, they just stay there and let the water flow move them. I’m getting air stone soon. Do I need VERY strong filter for them? (It’s little filter) two of them is sometimes going up to surface?

Updated On January 23rd, 2018

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Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

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Goldfish need powerful filtration. Your filter should be rated for at least twice the tank volume. Once you get a test kit, check the chemistry. Aim for 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at about 40ppm. Use a kit that has liquid reagents, not strips. The liquid kit is more accurate. The pH should range between 7.2-7.6. Being cold water fish, goldfish thrive between 65F and 72F. You can dissolve 1 teaspoon of plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt) per gallon of water to use as a general tonic. It will reduce stress, improve gill function, treat minor infection and aid in recovery. Treat for 10-14 days then reassess the condition of your fish. When performing partial water changes, treat only the volume of water being replaced not the entire tank volume. Change no more than 30% of the volume at a time. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock.

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