Caper Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Hi all! Sam my goldie has taken up sitting on the bottom of the tank. Now, he is not doing this all the time. I've only noticed him doing it maybe the last week or so. Yet, other times he's swimming around as usual. Sam is blind so I'm able to get a close look at him since he usually sits at the front of the tank. I can't seeing anything visible on him to be concerned about, that is no change in his appearance. Now, I didn't test the water since the other goldie Beauty is acting the same as always, hmmm...I guess it wouldn't hurt though to check the water, right :-? Any ideas folks? I'll test the water and post results later. Thanks, Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 I have someone else in another forum worried about their black moor doing the same thing, just sitting on the bottom. It comes up to feed then sinks again. I suggest you try the cooked shelled pea trick in case it is the beginning of constipation. Can't think of anything else :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted January 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 I think the peas did the trick. I noticed a piece of poop in the top of the tank today, suspecting that was what was going on. Haven't noticed the sitting on the bottom so far today, but we shall see. Thanks Caryl, Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted February 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Sam is still sitting on the bottom of the tank, not all the time but more than I recall him ever doing before. Monday when I went to feed them their peas, the way he swam up I was able to see the bottom of him. It looked, well the best way I can describe it, like he had skinned the bottom of himself. There were a few red marks, almost like when a person skins his/her knee plus one red spot near the bottom of his gill. I didn't even think to test the water I just immediately did a water change. The next day a large water change plus the tank/filter cleaning that I normally do once a month but when I was working at 2 jobs didn't get it done. Anyway, when I went to do the big clean and water change you could already see the redness going. Yesterday, Wednesday no red areas at all. But, he's still occassionally doing the "sit on the bottom". Any ideas? Thanks, Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 No idea sorry Caper. Perhaps he is just depressed The redness may have been just from the amount of time he spent hitting bottom and scraping the underside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeh_buddy Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 I know Ammonia causes fish to sit at the bottom of the tank along with high Nitrite levels, Ammonia would explain the red patches on his skin. I can only think of Ammonia, because now that your doing the water changes the redness appears to be going which would walk hand in hand with the characteristics of ammonia being removed from the water via water changes. Thats what I would think if it was me with the problem though. It sounds as though your resolving the problem though, so just keep doing partial water changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted February 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 Thanks Caryl and yeh_buddy Caryl, I was wondering if that was what caused the red spots which I'm guessing were like a scrape. Plus Sam is the blind fish so maybe the blindess after all these years is making him depressed :-? Yeh_buddy I have to admit that when everything is fine in my tanks I don't test as often. Usually if something is "not right" the first thing I do is test. But I got such a fright when I saw the red I just immediately did the water change. But now I must do water test for a few days just to see how things are. Thanks again, Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 If everything is fine there is no need to do tests. I can't remember the last time I did any on my tank. Years ago I think :roll: I did do a pH test just before I stripped the tank, out of curiosity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted February 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 Yes, I agree Caryl if I'm not seeing or suspecting any problems I don't test. But with Sam doing his "sitting on the bottom" I thought I'd test just to be on the safe side (since I did their's I decided to do all 3). Parameters are fine, whew goldies: ammonia = 0 nitrates = b/w 5 & 10 ppm pH = approximately 7.6 nitrites = not tested, have to get new test kit barbs/tetras: ammonia = 0 nitrates = b/w 10 & 20 ppm pH = approximately 7.6 cory's: ammonia = 0 nitrates = 5 & 10 pH = approximately 7.6 When I state between for the nitrates, if I hold the test tube right on the test card (tube touching the card) it's higher....if I hold it out from the test card a bit, I get the lower reading. The same explaination regarding the pH as well. Sam is till doing the sitting thing but no red marks anywhere :bounce: Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted March 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Ok, Sam is doing the sitting on the bottom again. Any suggestions?? I just did a water change Tuesday. I don't get it, it isn't something he does all the time but I just can't figure out why. Beauty is just fine, it is just Sam doing this. Hmm, just read this in another thread posted by Phoenix: i have a convict that eats and eats and eats. then sits at the bottom and comes up for more I wonder if it's possible that Sam is eating too many peas??? I can't honestly say if the sitting thing happens after "pea feeding day". Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Perhaps it is a fishy version of going on holiday :lol: Chilling out etc :roll: Since he otherwise appears fine, and has done it before, I would not be concerned. Of course he might be doing it for the attention Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted March 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2009 Thanks Caryl Okay, no visible signs of injury or anything else on Sam, unless of course after awhile he develops the redness like he did before but so far nothing. Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted April 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 Ok, as you can see from when this was first posted this "sitting on the bottom" has been going on for quite sometime now. It's a real mystery because he doesn't do it all the time, ah, but quite a bit. He sits quite close to the glass so I use a magnifying glass to see if I can see anything out of the ordinary on him but he "looks" ok. However, today I noticed that while he's on the bottom he is, ah, how to describe...well I guess I would have to say kinda of gasping or as if he's looking for food but just sitting there. The other goldie Beauty is the same as always. I haven't tested the parameters in a couple of weeks but they never seem to change. I'm keeping up with the water changes. I don't know what to do. Any suggestions, obviously I can't treat him since there is absolutely nothing to indicate what I'd be treating him for. Okay tested (have to pick up a new nitrite: ammonia = 0 pH = b/w 7.4-7.6 nitrites = b/w 5 & 10 (leaning more towards the 5 though) The only change in this tank (as in all my tanks) I had cut down the feeding to once every second day. So, I thought that maybe since Sam was blind he wasn't getting what he needed food wise so I increased the feedings back to everyday, but no change. I have also tried the 3 days no food, 3 days with peas and still no change. Sam died He was my first fish. When I removed him from the tank the only thing visible on him was a small amount of blood on the bottom rim of each eye, but that could easily been from bumping into something. From everything I read on the net the only thing I could come up with was swim bladder trouble. Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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