As a fishkeeper, you must understand the behaviors shown by your goldfish to interact with them. So what is your fish trying to communicate by swimming up and down in the tank? Why is my goldfish swimming up and down in the tank? Let us discuss below:
Swim bladder disease makes your goldfish move up and down in the tank. There can be many other reasons, like inadequate water temperature or environmental changes, that make your goldfish swim up and down. Providing good hygiene and adequate water conditions will help your goldfish recover.
Let us dive into the article to know more about such behavior of your goldfish.
Contents
Why is my goldfish swimming up and down?
It is unusual for your goldfish to swim up and down in the tank. Your goldfish might be suffering from such health issues as swim bladder disorder, due to which they are not swimming properly.
Swimbladder disorder is a condition that stops the functioning of the swim bladder in your goldfish. It causes due to sickness, physical abnormalities, and mechanical and environmental factors.
Therefore, we want you to know that swim bladder disorder can be treated by adding aquarium salt, reducing the water levels, and making your goldfish fast for three days.Â
Also read: Why Can’t My Goldfish Swim?
There can be many other reasons for your goldfish swimming up and down. Some of them are as follows:
Inadequate water temperatureÂ
Improper water temperature can be a reason behind your goldfish swimming up and down. However, we want you to know that low water temperature can slow down your goldfish digestive process, leading to swim bladder disorder in your fish.Â
Genetic issues
Some goldfish are born with some abnormalities that can’t cure. Your goldfish may be born with swim bladder disorder that does not let them swim properly.
We want you to know that there is no treatment in such a case. Therefore it will be advisable to euthanize your goldfish humanely as there is no alternative to fix the problem.
In addition to this, goldfish with genetic issues should be placed in a different tank.
Poor quality food
Inadequate food can also be the reason behind your goldfish swimming up and down. It would help if you always avoided serving food that is no longer fresh to your goldfish, as this can develop gas and affect your goldfish’s swim bladder.
Excessive feeding can also be a reason for constipation in your goldfish, making your fish swim up and down in the tank.Â
Injuries
Injuries can also make your goldfish swim up and down in the tank. Your goldfish can get injured due to a fight with the tankmates.
The possibility of recovery depends upon the level of damage to your goldfish. In the case of injury, it will be advisable to place your goldfish in a separate tank until they get recovered.
Overcrowded tank is also one of the reasons that lead to fighting with the other tankmates. It would help if you did not overcrowd your tank with too many goldfish. Experts suggest adding one gallon per inch of fish.
Also read: Can Goldfish Live With Angelfish?
Environmental Changes
Environmental changes can also make your goldfish swim up and down in the tank. When there is a sudden rise or fall in the tank’s water temperature, it can lead to shock in your goldfish, making them swim up and down in the tank.
It is common in the goldfish introduced new to the tank. Moving from one tank to another can also cause stress in your goldfish affecting their swimming habits.Â
Infections
Infections can also make your goldfish swim up and down in the tank. We want you to know that bacterial infection can target your goldfish swim bladder, causing them to lose functioning.
It will further make your goldfish lose its ability to swim properly, and your fish can even fall sick. Goldfish show many other symptoms when suffering from an infection like sluggish behavior, white spots, or rotten fins.
In such a case, it will be advisable to consult the vet immediately to avoid severe damage to your goldfish.Â
Ways to prevent your goldfish from such problems?
Here are the ways to avoid goldfish from such problems:
Right tankmatesÂ
You should always choose suitable tankmates for your goldfish, as pairing them with aggressive tankmates can lead to injuries in your goldfish.
If you have paired your goldfish with aggressive tankmates, it would be advisable to develop hiding spots in the tank for your goldfish to protect themselves.
You can use aquatic plants, rocks, and other ornaments to create hiding spots in your goldfish tank.Â
Also read: Can Goldfish Live With Guppy?
Good quality food
You should always serve fresh food to your goldfish as poor quality food can lead to several health issues in your fish.
However, it will be advisable not to overfeed your goldfish as excessive feeding can lead to digestive problems in your goldfish.
Therefore, you should always provide them with the quantity your goldfish can consume in under 2 minutes.
In addition to this, you should always give the food that can sink into the tank to avoid your goldfish gulping air from the water surface.Â
Adequate water condition
You should always provide adequate water condition to your goldfish. The water temperature of your goldfish tank should be between 70-74° F, and the ideal water ph level of your fish tank is 7.5.
Your goldfish needs good water conditions for its growth and development.
Inadequate water conditions can lead to severe health issues in your goldfish, like swim bladder disorder.Â
Also read: What Is The Ideal Water Temperature For Goldfish?
Proper hygiene
Goldfish are messy fish that produces a lot of waste in the tank. So you must always ensure to maintain hygiene in the tank to provide a suitable environment for your fish.
You can add a filter in the tank to maintain good hygiene. Filter helps to eliminate the toxins from the tank’s water and keep the water clean.
It will be advisable always to monitor the nitrites, nitrates, and ammonia levels in the tank. You must always change the water regularly if the levels of these elements are high in the water.
Therefore we want you to know that improper hygiene in the tank can be the reason for your goldfish illness and lead to swim bladder disorder in your goldfish.Â
Euthanasia
You should always place your goldfish that is affected by a genetic defect in a separate tank to stop them from breeding with other goldfish and developing offspring with the same defects.
Placing them in a separate tank is a better option rather than making them pass out. You can discover the symptoms of genetic defects at the early age of your goldfish.Â
Also read: How To Humanely Euthanize Goldfish?
Conclusion:
- Goldfish can swim up and down due to swim bladder disorder.
- Sickness, environmental, and mechanical factors commonly cause swim bladder disorder.
- Poor quality food, inadequate water temperature, and environmental change make your goldfish swim up and down in the tank.
- There are many ways to prevent your goldfish from such problems. Choosing suitable tankmates and providing good water conditions are some of the ways to prevent your goldfish from such issues.
- Overfeeding your goldfish can lead to several health issues. You should always provide the quantity your goldfish can consume under 2 minutes.
Reference: ScienceDirect