You may be able to avoid many of the problems that will effect the health of your goldfish.
Use preventative maintenance before your goldfish has a problem with their
swim bladder.
Test the pH, GH and KH of the water. Test for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates.
Test the water parameters once a week.
Perform weekly water changes. Vacuum the waste out while siphoning the water.
If you have gravel, do this carefully. Do not stir up the bottom.
Pockets of toxic gases (H2S) may be trapped in the gravel.
Remove at least 50% of the water weekly.
Match the pH, and temperature of the fresh water before adding it to the tank.
Use a Tap Water Conditioner to remove the chlorine, heavy metals, and to break the chloramine bond, before adding the fresh water to the tank.
Diet - Feed your fish a daily diet of premium fish food, flakes or pellets.
Do Not Over Feed, feed only a small amount of food per fish.
Presoak the food to prevent the fish from swallowing air.
Provide green vegetables daily, such as: frozen/thawed baby peas.
Remove the pea shells. Feed two peas per fish. This will prevent constipation. Boiled leafy greens, vegetables, and fresh fruit may also be fed.
*If your fish is floating at the surface...
They may have swallowed air. Pre soak their food.
They might be constipated.
Feed two small deshelled peas per day, until they return to normal.
Include leafy vegetables and fruits in their diet.
You may have over fed them. Feed only small amounts of food per fish.
*Your goldfish may have developed a sensitivity to the grains included in the pellets or flakes you are feeding them. Try feeding a diet consisting of fresh frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, boiled vegetables and fresh fruits.
This may eliminate their floating problem.
*If your fish is head standing...
They may have intestinal worms or may be suffering from toxic water conditions.
*Check their mouth. Did they try to swallow gravel?
Remove it, with tweezers if possible. It may pass through them.
*If your fish is sitting on the bottom, they may have Skin Flukes.
Check your fish for parasites and treat with the proper medications.
Reabsorption may take as long as two weeks.
The eggs inside of the female can cause a bacterial infection.
Fluids may start to build within the fish, causing the fish to sink to the bottom.
Egg impaction is not uncommon.
Eggs may not be able to release because of scarring in the oviducts or cloaca.
The female may have become gravid, causing the tubes to collaspe.
Massage may rupture the ovaries and allow the eggs to be released internally, this will usually kill the fish.
Surgery is possible for egg impaction.
but still cannot swim, you can try to help your fish with Non-Invasive Treaments
for swim bladder disorders.
