Swim Bladder Disease:

Swim Bladder disease affects the fish's bladder which controls it's buoyancy. When your fish's bladder is comprimised, you may see him/her having sever trouble swimming and staying the right way up. This condition is the most common condition in Goldfish and can be prevented by simply changing the way you feed them.

 

Causes:

• Excess stress

• Poor quality food (especially dry pellets)

• Bad feeding techniques

• Poor water quality 

• Not enough fibre

• Constipation

 

Symptoms:

When a goldfish has Swim Bladder disease they usually present with the following behavioural and physical symptoms.

 

Behavioural:

• General discomfort

• Avioding solid foods

• Swimming problems

• Buoyancy problems

 

Physical:

• A bloated appearance

• Upside down swimming 

 

Prevention

• Keep your fish tank very clean and calm as to reduce stress in your Goldfish's life.

• When purchasing a new goldfish make sure to keep him/her in a quarantine tank for at least 48 hours before introducing it to the other fish.

• When purchacing new plants for the take, make sure to wash them thoroughly before putting them in the tank.

• Feed your fish a healthy balanced diet. Avoid hard pellets that expand when put in the water as they may expand further in the fish's bladder.

• Aviod tapping on the glass, in turn scaring your fish.

• Make sure the temperature of the tank stays the same at all times, even when cleaning out.

• Never buy a fish from a tank where there are dead or diseased fish. 

• Keep the air filter clean so there is enough oxygen in the water.