Why does my goldfish’s dorsal fin not stand completely upright?
by Aquaboy on Monday, March 15th, 2010 | 4 Comments
Just the top edge of his dorsal fin isn’t always upright, I have heard this can be a sign of ill health. He is ten years old and otherwise looks and behaves healthily. He is the largest goldfish i’ve ever seen but his aquarium is big enough, though I plan on getting a larger one soon.
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its perfectly fine its a large fin with a bit of weight so dont worry if hes in good health its nuthin but if it has white fin rot then u got parisites but otherwise dont worry man
When a fish has its fins clamped, that means its feeling stressed by conditions or illness. What else do you notice about the fish? Does it have white spots or fuzz anywhere? Are its gills the right color? Is it rubbing against things?
The first thing you should do is change the water. How much? Not more than 50% one time, for the first time. Do daily water changes after that.
In an aerated aquarium, test the water for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, then change 50% of the water. Make small water changes (20%) daily after the first big change.
Either way, cut his food significantly (almost everyone over-feeds, including many experienced fishkeepers. I know I do
). He doesn’t need much food, and the extra food just fouls the water. In general goldfish need about 10 gallons of water per fish but also they need the water volume to dilute the waste, of which they produce a lot.
Hi, he sounds just fine, as he’s a good size like Fishboy says, the weight of his top fin will keep it sagging slightly down-don’t worry, this is only a sign of ill-health if it’s clamped tightly against the body together with all their other fins. You’re doing great! If he’s made it this far I’m sure the next 10 years won’t be problem either so you’re obviously doing it right.
If it is just his dorsal fin, nothing to worry about. If all his fins become clamped, then you may have an issue. Clamped fins are not a sign of stress. Poor water conditions will lead to goldfish having clamped fins.
If he is eating and swimming normally, I would not worry so much. due to his size you must have been doing something right all this time.