Swim Bladder Disease in Goldfish: How to Prevent and Treat It

Goldfish are a very popular choice of fish as a simple pet. They come in a wide variety of beautiful colors and styles, and when cared for properly are versatile enough to live in almost any home - even college dorms. The average lifespan of a goldfish is a subject of debate but with careful attention to their aquatic environment they have been known to live for decades. Occasionally fish become ill but there are things you can do. With a lot of fish illnesses there are antibiotics at pet stores that you can use once you've identified the problem. Swim bladder disease, however, is a fish illness that requires TLC, not medication.

Swim bladder disease effects buoyancy. If you find your fish floating at the top of his tank (and he's not dead!) or having a hard time staying upright there is likely a problem with his swim bladder. The purpose of the swim bladder is to help the fish rise and lower himself in water. When he wants to go up the sac fills with air. When he wants to go down he releases that air. You may see your fish blowing bubbles as he descends - this is air releasing from his swim bladder. The most likely cause for swim bladder disease is a virus, usually caused by an improper water environment. Obviously this means prevention is your best friend in swim bladder disease.

Your goldfish likes a bit of room to move around in and does better when he's surrounded by his own kind, though many goldfish do better if they're simply alone. Goldfish require a great deal of oxygen and though lots live a perfectly happy and healthy life in a simple 'goldfish bowl', it's best to keep them in a tank that has filtration and aeration. Attention must be paid to their water quality, such as pH levels. Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels should be at zero, and you should check your water weekly to make sure these levels are maintained. Weekly water changes of 20% is proper maintenance to keep harmful levels at a minimum. Once a month use a vacuum suction cleaner to siphon dirt and waste out of the gravel, taking the water down to about 50%, and change the filter. When adding water always use tap water conditioner to remove chlorine and heavy metals. It's always a good idea to match the temperature and pH levels of your fresh water before adding - this may mean storing gallons of water for future tank cleanings. Proper water maintenance is key for any fish and will help prevent other fish diseases, not just swim bladder disease.

Goldfish need their own food. Fish food marketed for all tropical fish doesn't have the proper nutrients for goldfish and can potentially cause harm if their diet isn't correctly balanced. In addition to regular goldfish flakes you can add leafy vegetables and fresh fruit to their tank in small quantities. If you are going away on vacation and are considering getting one of those weekend feeders that dispense food into the tank, it may be wiser to put in a leaf of lettuce instead. It won't make your water cloudy, as some weekend feeders are known to do, and it's a healthy treat for your fish.

If you're reading this then perhaps your fish is already doing the backstroke and you need help, rather then tips on preventative maintenance. Swim bladder disease is generally curable at home without any invasive procedures. After you make sure your water quality is in good shape you can move on to the treatments. Most cases of swim bladder disease are due to an impaction of food, forcing the air to stay in the swim bladder and making it almost impossible for your fish to flip over and swim down. First try feeding your fish shelled peas, leafy vegetables and fruit instead of his regular food. It's believed by some that the peas will break up any clog your fish has. If after a few days there is no change try withholding all food completely for a two or three days. In a lot of cases this is all the treatment that is needed.

If you keep your water quality in good condition then swim bladder disease should only be a problem if your fish has structural problems that aren't cause by any external elements. Maintain clean water with proper levels and you goldfish should live for many years to come. If you find your fish has come down with swim bladder disease you can usually cure it fairly easily.