[Momof2]

I have had my goldfish for 4 yrs. She started in a 1 gal tank but now is in a 3 gal. She was fine for awhile after the move so i do not believe the change affected her. For the last three months she does not come to the top when i feed her like she use to. She spends most of her time lying at the bottom of the tank. On occasion she swims to the top, goes from one side to the other like a dolphin(nose straight up and top part of her body out of the water) then she falls back to the bottom(literally lets herself fall)at the bottom i notice she lays a little bit to one side.

I have been reading the internet to try to help her. I just bought an airfilter thinking she needs more oxygen, starting tomorrow i think i will try feeding her peas to see if its the stomach thing. Alot of sites that describe the same symptoms say the fish is dying, but she has been like this for months so I dont know if she is or suffering from something. When my friends ask whats wrong with her I usually say shes old and had a stroke. Shes a pretty hearty size gold fish. I have a picture of my tank as my avatar to view her.
Can someone with fish experience help me know what may be going on with her.

 

[nicolaas]

Hi and welcome to TFK

What size is the goldfish?

I think she is stunt from being in a 1 gallon for 4years and now her organs are to big for her body. Her swim bladder is probably being squashed by her other organs.
There is nothing to be done.
The myth that fish grow to there tank size is totally a lie there organ still grow.

 

[funkman262]

Sorry to hear that about your goldfish but as nicolaas said, goldfish don't belong in 1g or 3g tanks. They're messy fish and grow much larger than many people realize, and should be housed accordingly. Hopefully people don't get too harsh on you, but honestly if they do I understand where they're coming from so hopefully you have thick skin ;-)

 

[nicolaas]

I suggest that you put her out of her misery by putting her in a plastic bag and put her in the freezer.
She wound feel anything as her metabolism slows down until she expires.
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[thekoimaiden]

As has been said before, the tank is entirely too small for a goldfish; I've had some goldfish that would not physically fit in a tank that size. They easily grow to 6+ inches. Three is not old age as they regularly live to 10 or even 20 years old when given proper housing. There are a lot of myths out there about goldfish; their short lives and small size are two of the biggest.

Your fish is having swim bladder problems. These are quite common with fancy goldfish and goldfish kept in poor conditions, but I don't blame you for it as most pet stores just don't understand goldfish care. Feeding a pea will not help as it is not a digestive issue.

That being said, the only way to help your fish is to get her a larger tank. Since I see she's a common goldfish (doesn't have that chubby body and double tail), she will need a 40+ gal tank. She still has some growing left to do. And with clean water and some good food she could live close to a normal life.