Fish Q&A: Real Answers from Vet Experts

My goldfish can't close it's mouth. He is eating and swimming normally, but he keeps his mouth open all the time. What can I do?

eIf you can, look in the mouth for foreign bodies (gravel, food, etc), tumor or any redness, swelling or discharge. You should also check water chemistry. If ammonia or nitrites are elevated, perform daily partial water changes to stabilize chemistry and maintain water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. Goldfish do best in cooler waters, between 65F and 72F. Trauma is also a possibility. A fractured or dislocated jaw can be the result of hitting the glass or tank furniture or from bullying. Swelling from infection is also a possibility. Monitor for redness, bruising, lethargy or loss of appetite. A broad spectrum antibiotic can be used if necessary. Find one, such as maracyn or kanaplex, in the aquarium section of the local pet or fish store. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated. Maintaining adequate water quality and parameters will aid in any healing. Plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt) can be used as a general tonic. It will reduce stress, improve gill function, aid in recovery and may help treat minor infection. Dissolve 1 teaspoon per gallon of water in a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 10-14 days. When performing water changes, treat only the amount of water being replaced with salt, not the entire tank volume.

My goldfish's tail is damaged. The fin looks bitten off as there are exposed spines where the tail fin should be. There is also a red color that looks to be blood on the base of the tail, as well as the side of the dorsal fin close to the tail. It is also wiggling it's tail frantically when swimming.

By your description, it could be fin rot and a bacterial infection. Clean water is key in treating any infection. Check water chemistry using a home test kit or by submitting a water sample for testing. Aim for 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with a 40ppm or less nitrate level. Perform partial water changes to stabilize chemistry and maintain water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. A bit of aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom salt) can be used as a general tonic to reduce stress, treat minor infection and aid in any recovery. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon of water in a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 10-14 days then reassess fin condition. More water changes can be done afterwards to reduce salinity.

I changed my goldfish to new tank, and now he's staying on the bottom and not swimming around. When I go up to the tank he try's to move around. It's like he can't swim

Hi there, when you change a tank over you should take some water from the previous tank then make it up with freshwater. You should let this stabilise for one week before adding the fish. If you put a fish straight into a new tank without letting the water acclimitise it can be a shock to it's system. At this point all you can really do is let the fish settle in and don't disturb its tank for a week or so.

Hello, I have 2 goldfish who recently had a pleco added to their tank. A week after one of the goldfish had red spots all over. Being concerned we removed the pleco but the goldfish is still showing symptoms. I did a complete water change adding antibotics. The goldfish is staying at the bottom of the tank and seems very lethargic. What should we do

Check the water chemistry. Two goldfish can quickly overwhelm a tank with their large bio load. Aim for 0.25 ppm (parts per million) or less ammonia, 0 ppm nitrites and 40 ppm or less nitrates with a temp between 65 and 72F. If water chemistry is good, it is possible the red marks are from the pleco. They are notorious for sucking the slime coat off goldfish leaving red marks and wounds. Partial water changes, 30-50%, using aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched are safer and less stressful than complete changes. Give the antibiotics time to work. You can add in plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt) to aid healing. Dissolve one teaspoon per gallon of water in a cup of tank water and gently pour it in the tank. Perform partial water changes after 10-14 days to reduce salt content.

Hi, one of my goldfish not moving and stays at the bottom of the tank, compares to other goldfish which able to eat and normal behavior.. But I've changed to clean water and cleanse the filter and with good nutrition food for them.. What could I help the one goldfish that long time stays at bottom of aquarium? Thanks

Since the others in the tank are behaving normally, this one may be sick or injured. Ideally, it should be separated into a quarantine or hospital tank Check water chemistry first, even if you've done it already. You can use a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. The local Petco may do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for an absence (0ppm) of ammonia and nitrites, with nitrates at 20ppm or less. Perform partial water changes to correct or stabilize water chemistry. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent additional stress or shock. Goldfish are cold water fish and do best between 68F and 74F. Change no more than 30% of the volume at one time. In the absence of other symptoms or injury, medications cannot be recommended. You can use plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Kosher salt) as a general tonic to decrease stress, increase gill function and aid in recovery. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt per 2 gallons of water in a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 10-14 days then perform partial water changes to decrease salinity.

Hi. My betta has ich. I have 3 mystery snails in the tank. Is it okay to put in aquarium salt for the treatment with my snails in there? I put them in separate tanks so I could do a water change on my 5 gallon.

Ich can only be killed in its free swimming stage. After it feeds off the fish, it drops into the substrate where it forms cysts and multiplies. Then the new ich parasites swim out of the gravel and find new fish hosts and start the cycle all over again. That is why it is important after all white spots have disappeared to continue treatment, you should continue treating for an additional 2 weeks after all symptoms are gone. After the spots disappear off the fish, I would vacuum the gravel to suck up any cysts. If you increase the temperature the life cycle of the ich becomes faster. Snails will be likely killed by the salt so it is best to remove them before treating. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

I have an African Clawed Frog who has been shedding her skin in tatters, has no appetite and can't keep down food. She is also very lethargic and I noticed this behavior on Tuesday. I know it has to do with poor water quality, since the new plants in the tank decayed very quickly and most likely bumped up the nitrates in the water. Right now I have her in quarantine with 1/2 tablespoon of aquarium salt in 1 gallon of water. The only medicine I have is tetracycline. Should I use it?

Keep her in some clean water between 68 F and 77 F. Perform daily water changes using aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. Clean water is the key to treating sick frogs. Aquarium salt is a great general tonic and can treat minor infection. Dissolve 1 tablespoon in 5 gallons of water and use that for water changes. You can add conditioners such as AmQuel and NovAqua as well as some StressCoat. She should begin to improve in a few days. Offer a few pellets daily, but remove them if she doesn't eat to prevent fouling the water.

What is the average cost to take a goldfish to the vet for bubble disease?

A veterinarian specializing in aquatics may charge $50 to $100 for an exam. Fees can vary widely depending on geographic location and clinic. "Bubble" disease, or swim bladder disease, may be caused by poor water quality, constipation or infection (bacterial or parasites). You may be able to manage it at home. Check water chemistry using a home test kit or by submitting a water sample for testing. The local Petco may do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for an absence (0 ppm) of ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20ppm or less. pH should be as close to 7 as possible and water temp can range from 65 F to 72 F. Goldfish are cold water fish. If necessary, perform a partial water change to stabilize chemistry and/or to improve water quality. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Fast your goldfish for 2-3 days. Resume feeding bits of cooked and shelled peas until swimming and defecation are normal. If needed, a broad spectrum antibiotic can be used to treat any infection. Find one in the aquarium section of the local Petco. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated.

I’ve had a couple African dwarf frogs die and was recommended to treat with aquarium salt for the remaining frogs. I have 2 mystery snails in the tank and was wondering if aquarium salt is safe for them. I also have a betta and guppies in the tank.

The salt would probably irritate the snails. If you still have frogs in the tank, consider a salt bath instead. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt in 5 gallons of water then remove the frog(s) from the main tank and allow for a swim of no more than 60 seconds in the salt bath. Rinse then return them to the other tank or hospital tank.

My Fish Stay at the Bottom of a Clean Tank, Are They Ok?

Cleaning the filter and changing the water may have upset the nitrogen cycle in your tank. This is due to removal of beneficial bacteria which convert ammonia (from waste, food, urine, etc.) to nitrites. Water and filter changes can be stressful as well. If you have the means, test your tank water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH levels. Adjust accordingly using conditioned water or additives that will bind harmful compounds. You can also submit a water sample for testing. Moat pet stores or professional aquarists will do this for free or for a nominal fee.

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?

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.

To make brackish water, you add aquarium salt to tap. Do I de-chlorinate the tap beforehand? I'm just confused on how to make it.

Do not use plain aquarium salt or table salt. To make brackish water, you need marine salt. You will also need a hydrometer to measure specific gravity. A hydrometer can be found in the aquarium section of most pet stores They cost $15 or less. Depending on the species of fish you have, brackish water will need a SG between 1.005 and 1.010. One tablespoon of marine salt per gallon of water will create brackish water at the lower end of the SG range. Yes, you will need a conditioner to remove chlorine and chloramine before you add the marine salt.

Hi, i have 1 betta and 5 neon Tetras in a 20l aquarium I have them for a while and they now seem to be gasping for air at the top, water is great because I just did a water change 2days ago and I’m doing one right know just to make sure everything is okay, but I don’t know what’s wrong with them..

Gasping at the surface indicates poor water quality or low oxygenation. Check the chemistry, especially ammonia and nitrite levels. Ideally, you want them to be 0 ppm. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched for water changes. This will prevent stress or shock. If the chemistry is fine, check the temperature and consider adding in an air stone or bubble wand to increase oxygenation.

One of my goldfish’s eye seems to be swollen while the other one looks fine. I’m not sure if it popeye or if it was just n injury. What should I do to help bring done the swelling?

It could be "pop eye". This can be caused by infection or trauma (aggression or from tank furniture). Treatment will include medication and maintaining pristine water quality. Goldfish produce a larger than average bio load (wastes) which can quickly overwhelm a tank and filter. Ideally, one goldfish should have 20 gallons of water and 10 additional gallons should be added per extra fish. The filter should be rated for at least twice the volume of the tank. Check water chemistry using a home test kit or by submitting a water sample for testing. Most pet stores will do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with a nitrate level of 20 ppm or less. Partial water changes can be done to stabilize chemistry and maintain water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Goldfish are cold water fish and do best between 65F and 72F. A broad spectrum antibiotic can be found in the Aquarium section of the local Petco. These include erythromycin, tetracycline or kanamycin. Brands include Kanaplex, Maracyn , FishMox or FishCillin. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated.

My goldfish is losing its colour, it gets lots of sunlight (but not too much) and have regular clean outs of the tank. The other goldfish is sticking to its colour

Goldfish naturally change color as they age. Though most do so during their first year or two of life, others change throughout their lifetime. There are two different types of color changes in fish: physiological and morphological. Physiological changes occur when the pigments in the cells either spread out, which makes the colors more pronounced, or when the pigment clusters in the center, which makes the colors more muted. Morphological changes occur when the actual number of pigments in the cells increase or decrease. An example of a morphological change is when a black goldfish starts to turn orange or a young goldfish loses its black markings as it ages. In this case, as the fish matures, it’s losing its black pigment cells. How and when their colors change really depends upon their individual genetic makeup. I would not be overly worried if he is acting otherwise normally.

Fish Vet Q&A

My goldfish can't close it's mouth. He is eating and swimming normally, but he keeps his mouth open all the time. What can I do?

I changed my goldfish to new tank, and now he's staying on the bottom and not swimming around. When I go up to the tank he try's to move around. It's like he can't swim

Hi. My betta has ich. I have 3 mystery snails in the tank. Is it okay to put in aquarium salt for the treatment with my snails in there? I put them in separate tanks so I could do a water change on my 5 gallon.

What is the average cost to take a goldfish to the vet for bubble disease?

I’ve had a couple African dwarf frogs die and was recommended to treat with aquarium salt for the remaining frogs. I have 2 mystery snails in the tank and was wondering if aquarium salt is safe for them. I also have a betta and guppies in the tank.

My Fish Stay at the Bottom of a Clean Tank, Are They Ok?

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?

To make brackish water, you add aquarium salt to tap. Do I de-chlorinate the tap beforehand? I'm just confused on how to make it.

One of my goldfish’s eye seems to be swollen while the other one looks fine. I’m not sure if it popeye or if it was just n injury. What should I do to help bring done the swelling?

My goldfish is losing its colour, it gets lots of sunlight (but not too much) and have regular clean outs of the tank. The other goldfish is sticking to its colour