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maslow_gw

Is my goldfish pregnant or sick!!! it got HUGE in 2-3 days!

maslow
15 years ago

I have had my 2 goldfish and 2 snails for 24 days, they are in a 10 gallon tank. I plan to get a bigger tank soon. The fish were both the exact same size when i bought them. They are fancy lionhead goldfish i believe. Just within the last 2-3 days one of them has gotten huge. Someone please explain whats going on? Is it pregnant? I bought them from a small local family owned pet store. I have a 10gal whisper filter that hangs on the inside of the tank, a live plant, a florescent light, and an air pump hooked to a long aerator. I feed them once a day as much as they eat in 2-3 minutes. Sometimes I give them a deshelled cooked pea instead. I change 15% of the water each day with same temperature dechlorinated tap water that sits out overnight. The tank is cycling so i try to keep the amonia/nitrite levels down, the tank is only 10 gal and they are 2-3" goldfish so I figure it gets pretty dirty in there. About a week ago I added 1 tea per gallon of non-iodized, (no yellow soda), salt because the nitrite levels rose from 0 to 10 in 4-5 days. (i think it is part of the tank cycle which should be almost finished). Then I added 1.5 tea of salt everyday to the new 1.5gal water change. I just stopped putting in salt to the new water changes today and will continue to do water changes but not add salt. The tank is close to cycled I think and when the levels get to 0 i will start changing 15% water 2x a week instead. Let me know whats going on with one of my fish please!! And any tips to keep a good aquarium would be helpful too. THANK YOU SO MUCH!! heres a few pictures of the fish right now.....http://www.eburg.com/~anchor/ebay/fish.jpg

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:378438}}

Comments (7)

  • maslow
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Also... here are the levels in the tank..


    I started the tank on 7/12.


    day 7 (7/18) - Nitrate 0, Nitrite 0, Hardness 75, Chlorine 0, Alkalinity 40, pH 6.8


    day 11 (7/22) - Nitrate 0, Nitrite .05, Hardness 25, Chlorine 0, Alkalinity 80, pH 7.0


    day 15 (7/26) - Nitrate 5, Nitrite 3.0, Hardness 50, Chlorine 0, Alkalinity 40, pH 7.0


    day 15 (7/26) added the salt, tested again, - Nitrate 5, Nitrite 3.0, Hardness 75, Chlorine 0, Alkalinity 80, pH 7.0


    day 18 (7/29) - Nitrate 15, Nitrite 10, Hardness 75, Chlorine 0, Alkalinity 60, pH 7.0


    day 21 (8/01) same - Nitrate 15, Nitrite 10, Hardness 75, Chlorine 0, Alkalinity 60, pH 7.0

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:378438}}

  • paparoseman
    15 years ago

    Look down on the fish from above. If the scales are sticking out it is dropsy. It is a usually incurable disease, unfortunately it is better for the other fish to remove the affected fish from the tank. Goldfish are egg layers and normally have to go through a cold period of four to six months before they will develop eggs.

    Dropsy is normally fatal but is not particularly infectious to others in the tank.

    Lance

  • maslow
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    an update...


    I looked at the fish from above, it doesnt seem like his scales are sticking out at all. So does that mean its not dropsy?


    He eats great, swims around great, but he hides behind this rock I have in the tank quite a bit lately at the bottom of the tank (if he is not up and about swimming around)


    also, he is at the top of the water too sucking at the top quite a bit.


    there is a 20gal air pump in the tank so oxygen shouldn't be a problem.


    Thanks again, please help me find an answer!


    pics -- http://www.eburg.com/~anchor/ebay/fish.jpg

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:378438}}

  • soultan
    15 years ago

    If you refer him as a he because you know he is a male, then I doubt it would be pregnant.

  • evesta
    15 years ago

    She looks and sounds healthy enough. How long have you had them? I bought a large female and male sarassa. I had them in QT for about a week and the female kept getting fatter and fatter. Put them in the pond and she immediately layed eggs. If you haven't had them for long she could of been pregnant when you got her and is now showing. Provide her lots of plants to hide in and for her to drop her eggs.

    Hope she is pregnant and you have lots of babies:) Good luck.

  • jessicabykn
    15 years ago

    I don't think your goldfish has dropsy. You need to keep adding the salt until you see low nitrites. 2goldfish in a 10 gallon tank is not going to last long. You should get at least a 20 gallon and you need a more powerful filter. 10x gallon per hour the size of tank ( 10 gallon tank needs 100 gallon per hour filter) Your goldfish look good just keep an eye on those water parameters. Check out http://thegab.org/forum/ for some great goldfish care ideas. People on there love there goldfish and are very willing to help you with your fishie

    Here is a link that might be useful: thegab.org

  • botanical_bill
    15 years ago

    I would say the only problem with your chemistry is the nitrite (NO2). Get that to 0. I would add some aquarium salt (AS) per directions on the package. If that does not correct the problem, dont keep adding it. The problem lies some where else.
    Jess, I say that because next you know he put a pound of salt in the ten gallons, the fish are then dead.

    Here is a tip, change one thing, see what happens for a few days. Then maybe change something else and wait. If you change 3 things at once, how do you know what cured the problem?

    Good luck.

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