Why has my fish started swimming upside down?
by Aquaboy on Thursday, May 27th, 2010 | 21 Comments
I have a goldfish who we have had for 5 years now. He is about 6 inches in length (including his tail). He lives alone in a tank about half a metre in width, 30 cm high and 20 cm deep. He has never had any problems before, but today I found him upside down on the bottom of his tank. I instantly thought he was dead. However, after changing his water and putting him back he seemed just fine, me thinking it was just one of his little odd spells he has very occassionally (nothing unusual, just nature I presume). But a few hours later he is now actually swimming on his back. One minute hes fine then he flips over and seems like hes struggling to right himself.
What’s wrong with him?
He’s old and has brain damage. He’ll probably die soon.
ITs called RELAXATION!!!
I’m not sure what is wrong. but i have had lots of fish swim upside down & then trun up dead a little while later
His float bladder is messed up. I am sorry to say this but he will probably die soon. Take a look at this site for futher information.
Sounds like he’s going to die soon
Either that or his equilibrium is outta whack.
Your fish is getting old. I thing as for the water changing thing, maybe he can swim when the water is new but once he gets use to it he can’t. Try to take care of your fish but I don’t thing he will live for much longer. Don’t worry though I maybe wrong.
Sounds like a problem with his swim bladder, the organ fish use to keep themselves upright in the water.
To my knowledge there is nothing you can do medicine-wise. He’ll either pull through it or not.
gold fish look like they `er swimming upside down but there not.or its dieing
i have never heard of this but when they r floating on there back it usually means their dead
I’m sorry to say that your fish may be dying….a goldfish living for 5 years is extraordinary in my experience….I’m no biologist, nor an expert on fish, but I’d expect this…..
or it could just be a new trick or something…i’ve heard that fish have been taught to swim sideways/loops/etc.
Most of the time fish start swimming upside down when their equilibrium is off.. meaning that the fish will most likely die soon. If they cant keep themselves up right they have trouble feeding.
it almost dead
He is probably dying. I had a similar thing happen with my gold fish and I thought he was dying and was relieved that he was ok but then he did die like a day or so later. Kinda creeped me out seeing him swim upside down.
he is probably sick and the swim bladder is messed up. May die soon. hope not.
sorry to say but it sounds like he’s dying
he has a swim bladder disease.
He is going to die…sorry
my molly did that teh otherday :’(
Hi Stephen, this sounds like swim bladder problems, as you say he’s about 6″ long & 5 years old I’m assuming he’s a fat bodied fancy type & they are very prone to this condition. Not a lot you can do I’m afraid but keeping his tank water conditions perfect will go a long way to alleviating it.
Yo may find it is simply constipation brought on by feeding dry flake foods so always soak any pellet or dry food in a little tank water before feeding. you might also try feeding him a small amount of cooked, shelled peas occasionally. These have a mild laxative effect.
This is possibly swim bladder disease. Some of my goldfish would attempt to fight it off, but after a while, just went ahead and showed their condition. Swim bladder is usually when a fish starts swimming oddly (like slanting to the sides/swimming on its sides, swimming upside down when the fish never really does do that, or starts doing ‘cartwheels’ and rollovers). It’s kinda hard to treat swim bladder, but you might be able to go to the petstore and ask if they have anything for it, ’cause I think they do have medicines for this disease.
my fish was like that the other day, then it died sorry mate but ures might be going down with the fishes too
Our fish has been swimming upside down for 8 months and still hasnt died yet so there is hope