Is My Goldfish Depressed? (Symptoms+Reasons)

Goldfish are freshwater fishes that every aquarist prefers to add to their home aquarium. A goldfish is an ideal option for all the aquarists at the beginning of their fish-keeping journey as they are low-maintenance fish.

However, sometimes your goldfish shows strange behavior like refusing their food or an erratic swim pattern which points out depression in your fish.

So, is my goldfish depressed? What actions should I take to eliminate depression in my goldfish? Let us find out.

Goldfish refusing food, sitting at the tank’s bottom, or being inactive are signs of depression. Many factors like an overcrowded tank or poor water parameters can make your fish depressed. Consider performing a water change and providing good quality food to eliminate depression in goldfish.

The below article will discuss the signs and causes of depression in your goldfish. In addition, we will also learn the actions you should take if you discover your fish depressed.

Do goldfish get depressed?

Goldfish are freshwater fishes that require appropriate tank conditions and good quality food for healthy growth and development.

Your fish can get depressed if you provide them with poor water conditions, low-quality food and pair them with non-compatible tankmates.

Your fish shows many signs, like sitting at the tank’s bottom or being lethargic when they are depressed.

If you discover your goldfish showing such signs for their well-being, you should take immediate action.

Therefore, we want you to know that ignoring such a situation can lead to extreme stress in your fish, eventually leading to their passing away.

What are the signs of depressed goldfish?

Here are some signs of depressed goldfish

  1. Your goldfish is sitting at the tank’s bottom.
  2. Lethargic
  3. Refusing Food
  4. Gasping for air at the water surface
  5. Erratic swimming pattern

Your goldfish is sitting at the tank’s bottom.

Goldfish are active swimmers that like to swim freely in the tank.

However, if you discover them sitting at the tank’s bottom for an extended period, it is a sign of depression in your goldfish.

There can be many reasons like aggressive tankmates, that can make your goldfish sit at the tank’s bottom.

Also, read: Why Is My Goldfish At The Bottom Of The Tank?

Lethargic

Your goldfish being inactive or lethargic is a sign of depression in your fish. 

Many factors like poor water conditions and low-grade food can make your goldfish lethargic.

Also, read: Why Is My Goldfish Lethargic?

Refusing Food

Your goldfish refusing food is also a sign of depression in your fish. Many factors like poor water quality and low-grade food can make your fish refuse their food.

Providing low-grade food can also lead to blockage in your fish, eventually making them suffer and pass away. 

Gasping for air at the water surface

Your goldfish gasping for air at the water surface is also a sign of depression in your fish. 

Oxygen deficiency in the water can make your fish gasp for air at the top of the water surface.

A lack of oxygen in the tank can lead to severe health issues in your fish, eventually passing away.

Erratic Swimming Pattern

Your goldfish swimming in an erratic pattern is also a sign of depression in your fish. 

Many factors like poor water quality, aggressive tankmates, and diseases like ich can make your goldfish swim in an erratic pattern in the tank. 

Suppose you discover your goldfish swimming in an erratic pattern, rubbing themselves against the rocks or clamping their fins. In that case, they are depressed and require immediate attention for their well-being.

What are the reasons behind depressed goldfish?

Here are the reasons behind depressed goldfish

  1. Poor water conditions
  2. Aggressive Tankmates
  3. Low-grade food
  4. Overcrowded Tank
  5. Inadequate water parameters

Poor water conditions

Goldfish are freshwater fishes that require good quality water for healthy growth and development. 

Placing your fish in contaminated water can make them depressed and suffer from many health issues like losing appetite. 

Contaminated water can also lead to oxygen deficiency, making your fish gasp for air at the top of the water surface. 

In addition, dirty water can also spike the tank’s ammonia level, making your fish suffer from severe health issues like ammonia poisoning.

Also, read: Can Goldfish Live In Dirty Water?

Aggressive Tankmates

Goldfish are peaceful fishes that do not prefer aggression in their tank. 

Placing your goldfish with unsuitable tankmates like betta can make them depressed and lead to a lot of aggression in the tank, further causing severe physical injuries to your fish.

Also, read: Can Goldfish Live With Angelfish?

Low-grade food

Goldfish require high-quality nutritional food for their healthy growth and development. 

Providing low-grade food to your goldfish can also lead to depression in your fish. 

Low-grade food can also lead to many other health issues in your fish, like losing appetite and choking. 

Overcrowded tank

Goldfish are active swimmers who prefer ample space for proper growth and development in their tank. 

Placing your fish in an overcrowded tank can affect its growth, eventually making your fish depressed. 

As goldfish are messy fish placing them in an overcrowded tank can contaminate the tank’s water, leading to oxygen deficiency and making your fish gasp for air at the top of the tank’s water surface. 

In addition, an overcrowded tank can also make your goldfish territorial, further leading to extreme aggression in the tank. 

Also, read: What Happens When You Overstock Goldfish Tank?

Inadequate water parameters

Bad water parameters in the tank can weaken your goldfish’s immune system, eventually making them depressed. 

Goldfish are cold water fishes that can survive up to a temperature of 32°F. However, sudden changes in the water temperature can shock your goldfish, eventually leading to depression in your fish. 

In addition, frequent changes in the water pH level can make your goldfish suffer from significant health issues like losing appetite, eventually leading to depression in your fish.

What actions should you take if you discover your goldfish depressed?

Here are the actions you should take if you discover your goldfish depressed

  1. Perform a water change
  2. Ensure enough hiding spots in the tank.
  3. Eliminate the aggressive tankmates
  4. Provide good quality food 
  5. Maintain ideal water parameters
  6. Provide stress-free environment

Perform a water change

If you discover your goldfish depressed, you should run water quality checks to ensure the tank’s water quality. 

If the tank’s water quality is poor, you a 35% water change to maintain the water quality. 

You should also add a filter to your goldfish tank as it helps to eliminate all the toxic chemicals and keep the water clean.

We recommend using a Fluval High Performance filter as it helps to maintain the tank’s water quality.

 You can buy it from Amazon  Fluval High Performance Aquarium Filter

Also, read: Do Goldfish Need Filters?

Keep checking up on the tank’s ammonia level, as excessive ammonia in the tank can lead to ammonia poisoning in your fish. 

We recommend you purchase the API Test kit as it provides accurate results. 

You can buy it from amazon API TEST KIT.

Also, read Ammonia Poisoning In Goldfish.

Ensure enough hiding spots in the tank 

You should ensure enough hiding spots in your tank if you discover your goldfish depressed.

Here are the ways to develop hiding spots in your fish tank:

  1. Add lots of live aquatic plants to the tank.
  2. Add driftwood to your goldfish tank.
  3. Add aquarium rocks to your tank.
  4. Add aquarium ornaments to your fish tank.
  5. Add Terra Cotta pots to your goldfish tank.

Therefore, you should ensure enough hiding spots in your tank for the well-being of your fish.

Also read: Do Goldfish Need Hiding Places?

Eliminate the aggressive tankmate

Placing your goldfish with unsuitable tankmates can lead to severe aggression in the tank, eventually making your fish depressed.

So, if you have placed your goldfish with unsuitable tankmates like betta, eliminate the aggressive fish from your goldfish tank and put them in a separate tank to provide a healthy environment for your fish.

Therefore, as goldfish are peaceful fishes, you should always place them with non-aggressive tankmates for the well-being of your fish.

Provide good quality food

You should always provide good quality nutritious food for your fish’s healthy growth and development.

Low-quality food can make your goldfish lose their appetite and lead to several other health issues in your fish.

Here are some best food options for your goldfish.

Goldfish DietServing QuantityNo. of times Advisable for proper development of your goldfish
Brine Shrimp One pinch1-2 times a week HIKARI BRINE SHRIMP CUBES
Tubifex WormsOne pinch1 time a weekHIKARI FREEZE DRIED TUBIFEX WORMS
Veggie PelletsOne pinch2 times a dayHIKARI SINKING FISH FOOD
Blood WormsOne pinch1-2 times a weekHIKARI FREEZE DRIED BLOODWORMS
Boiled peas Half a pea2-3 times a dayFeed fresh pea
DaphniaOne pinch 2-3 times a weekFeed fresh daphnia
Blanched CucumberOne small slice 3-4 times a weekFeed Fresh cucumber
Blanched Zucchini One small slice 3-4 times a weekFeed Fresh zucchini
ApplesOne small slice2-3 times a weekFeed Fresh apples
Bananas One small slice2 times a weekFeed Fresh bananas
Mosquito Larvae12-152-3 times a weekFeed live mosquito larvae
The above table shows the ideal dietary requirement of goldfish.

Therefore, you should always provide the amount your goldfish can consume in under two minutes to avoid digestive issues in your fish.

Also, read: What Do Goldfish Eat?

Maintain ideal water parameters

You should check the water parameters of your goldfish tank if you discover your fish depressed.

ParticularGoldfish
Water Temperature68-74 °F
Ph Level7.5
Ammonia Level0-0.25ppm
Nitrite0 ppm
NitrateBelow 40 ppm
TDS Level170-250ppm
The above table shows the ideal water parameters for goldfish.

Also, read: Ideal TDS For Goldfish?

Provide stress-free environment

You should provide a stress-free environment for your goldfish for your fish’s healthy growth and development.

Here are the ways to provide a stress-free environment in your fish tank

  1. Avoid overcrowding your goldfish tank.
  2. Ensure enough hiding spots in your tank.
  3. Avoid placing your goldfish with aggressive tankmates.
  4. Provide good water conditions
  5. Provide ideal water parameters
  6. Always ensure to provide good quality food to your goldfish.
  7. Perform a 30% water change weekly to maintain the tank’s water quality.

The above are ways to ensure a healthy environment in your goldfish tank.

Also, read: What To Do If My Goldfish Is Stressed?

Conclusion:

  1. Goldfish can get depressed if you provide them with poor water conditions, low-quality food and pair them with non-compatible tankmates.
  2. Your goldfish turning lethargic, refusing food, and sitting at the tank’s bottom are some signs of depression in your fish.
  3. Poor water conditions, overcrowded tanks, and aggressive tankmates are some reasons behind depression in your goldfish.
  4. You should perform a water change, ensure enough hiding spots, provide good quality food and eliminate the aggressive tankmate from the tank if you discover your goldfish depressed.
  5. Always provide a stress-free environment in the tank for your fish’s healthy growth and development.

Reference: ResearchGate ResearchGate

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