Abouttina quiao Expertise I can answer all questions about chemistry of water and I would say, I am familiar with almost all diseases of fresh and saltwater fish. I have had my 125 tropical salt and 45 agressive for yrs. I managed a petshop for five years and I am a petcare specialist for a large petchain now. I love my animals. I love this kind of work. Helping people keep their fish sucessfully is so rewarding to me.
Experience I managed a petshop in Bridgeton called Petpourri for about 5 years...I am a petcare specialist for a large pet chain. I have 2 African greys, a Nandey conure,a potbelly pig, 2 rats and a hamster. Oh and did I mention a 125 tropical salt and a 45 agressive salt. I have had brakish and fresh. I am very familiar with disese and chemistry of your tank. I also have 2 senegul chameleons and the anoles that live in the bottom of their 37 high tank. We keep tons of reptiles at the store and keep a couple as pets love them all. I have worked in the pet business for yrs.....along with taking care of all of mine.
Expert: tina quiao Date: 5/15/2008 Subject: Innactive goldfish.
Question I have two goldfish in a five gallon tank. Its getting colder now. Winters coming. They were fine until last week when they gradually slowed in activeness. The tank is clean and i cleaned it two days before. Now they normally spend their time on the top region of the tank and seem to always take air from the surface with their mouths. Their dosal fin is slightly closed unless they are startled. On the bottom back part of the dosal fin is slightly opaque. Nothing on any other fins. Except for that there is no other symptoms distinguishable(no parasites, no discoloration, no shineless ness) It could be fin rot but the tank is very clean. Its sort of a vail tail- maybe the dropping temperature is affecting it. They were originally in an outside pond so i don't know why cold would affect them(temperature doesn't drop below 12'C)
Tell me whats wrong with them.
Thanks.
Answer Km, Two things that tank is waaaaaaaaaaaaay too small. The reason they are hanging at the top may be heat (65 to 72). It could also be lack of oxygen which is what I think it is. The way they drink is by osmosis...fancy word for absorbing water and relieving themselves of liquid wastes which also takes the O2 out of the water. First I would get a larger tank. Make sure you have the proper filtration and for goldies add an airstone to agitate the top of the water and envelope more oxygen into it. They give off tons of wastes....this causes ammonia to build up in the water and can cause their fins to rot. Again because your tank is small it builds up fast and you don't want to have to change the water every 2 days it is too stressful. Good Luck, Tina
