Goldfish are the most common fish that every aquarist wants to add to their home aquarium. As they are active swimmers, they make your tank look attractive.
In addition, goldfish are cold-hardy fishes that can thrive in a wide range of water parameters and are easy to maintain, making them an ideal option for beginners.
However, your goldfish sometimes shows strange behavior like not moving and being lethargic. So, why is my goldfish lethargic? Let us find out.
Contaminated water is the root cause behind goldfish turning lethargic. However, aggressive tankmates, overcrowded tanks, and excess use of liquid fertilizers can make goldfish lethargic. Consider providing favorable water conditions and a stress-free environment to keep goldfish active and healthy.
The below article will discuss all the reasons and prevention of goldfish being lethargic.
Contents
My goldfish is lethargic.
There can be many reasons, like poor water quality behind your goldfish being lethargic.
Unfavorable water conditions can lead to many health issues like constipation, eventually making your goldfish lethargic.
However, many other issues like an overcrowded tank, aggressive tankmates, illness, or excess use of the liquid fertilizer can make your goldfish turn lethargic.
Your goldfish turning lethargic indicates unfavorable tank conditions that require immediate concern for the well-being of your fish.
Also read: Why Is My Goldfish Swimming Slow?
What are the reasons behind my goldfish being lethargic?
Here is the reason behind your goldfish being lethargic:
- Poor water quality can make your goldfish lethargic.
- Inadequate water parameters can make your goldfish lethargic.
- Excess use of liquid fertilizer can make your goldfish lethargic.
- An Overcrowded tank can make your goldfish lethargic.
- Illness can make your goldfish lethargic.
- Overfeeding can make your goldfish lethargic.
- Aggressive tankmates can make your goldfish lethargic.
Poor water quality
Poor water quality can make your goldfish lethargic. Contaminated water can lead to a drop in the water pH level, making the tank’s water highly acidic, further making your goldfish lethargic.Â
In addition, poor water quality can also lead to a drop in the tank’s oxygen level, making your goldfish suffer from a lack of oxygen and gasp for air at the top of the tank’s water surface, eventually turning your goldfish lethargic.
Your goldfish can also be prone to several health issues like constipation and dropsy due to poor water quality and can turn lethargic.
Also read: Can Goldfish Survive In Dirty Water?
Inadequate Water Parameters
Inadequate water parameters can lead to shock in your goldfish, making your fish turn lethargic.
Sudden fluctuations in the water parameters can lead to stress in your goldfish, making them turn lethargic.
Sudden fluctuations in the water parameters can also lead to the passing away of your fish.
Excess use of liquid fertilizer
Liquid fertilizers benefit the live aquatic plants in your goldfish tank as they provide nutrients to them.Â
It is also not harmful to goldfish and invertebrates like snails.
However, excess use of liquid fertilizers can affect your goldfish’s health, making your fish lethargic.
Overcrowded Tank
An overcrowded tank can affect the growth of your goldfish leading to stress in your fish and making them lethargic.
Goldfish require ample space for their proper growth and development. However, placing your fish in an overcrowded tank can affect the growth of your goldfish and can also make your fish aggressive.
An overcrowded tank can also contaminate your tank’s water in no time, further leading to oxygen deficiency and causing several health issues to your goldfish.
Also read: What Happens When You Overstock Goldfish Tank?
Illness
Several diseases and parasites also play a role in making your goldfish turn lethargic.
Your goldfish suffering from diseases and parasites will show hiding behavior and become lethargic.
Some symptoms of your goldfish suffering from diseases and parasites are as follows:
- Your goldfish fin will rot.
- You can discover white spots in your goldfish body and fin.
- Your goldfish rub themselves against aquarium objects.
Detecting the disease and providing treatment in the early stage will help in your goldfish’s fast recovery.
Also read: How To Cure Goldfish Ich?
Overfeeding
Overfeeding can also make your goldfish lethargic.
Goldfish are ravenous eaters and will eat every time you provide them, whether they are hungry or not.Â
Overfeeding can lead to several health issues like constipation in your goldfish, eventually causing your goldfish to turn lethargic.
In addition, overfeeding your goldfish can also contaminate the tank’s water in no time, leading to a drop in the oxygen level, further causing several health issues to your goldfish.Â
Also read: What Happens When You Overfeed Goldfish?
Aggressive tankmates
Goldfish are non-aggressive species that like to interact with their tank mates.Â
However, pairing your goldfish with aggressive fishes like betta can develop a stressful environment in the tank, eventually making your goldfish turn lethargic.
In addition, pairing your goldfish with aggressive tankmates can also lead to extreme aggression in the tank and can cause several injuries to your goldfish, making your fish suffer from stress.
Extreme stress can also lead to the passing away of your fish.
Also read: Can Goldfish Live With Angelfish?
How to prevent your goldfish from being lethargic?
Here are the ways to prevent your goldfish from being lethargic
- Avoid Overcrowding your goldfish tank.
- Provide good water quality to your goldfish.
- Maintain adequate water parameters in your goldfish tank.
- Provide a Stress-free environment to your goldfish.
- Avoid overfeeding your goldfish.
- Pair your goldfish with compatible tankmates
Avoid Overcrowding
You should avoid overcrowding your goldfish tank for your fish’s proper growth and development.
Goldfish are active swimmers requiring a good-sized tank for proper growth and development.Â
Placing your goldfish in an overcrowded tank can affect the growth of your fish, causing stress in your fish and making them turn lethargic.
In addition, overstocking can also lead to oxygen deficiency leading to several health issues in your goldfish.
Therefore, we advise you to avoid overcrowding for the proper growth and development and the well-being of your goldfish.
Also read: How Many Goldfish Can You Keep In A 10-Gallon Tank?
Provide good water quality
You should provide good water quality to your goldfish for the well-being of your fish.
Contaminated water is the root cause behind several health issues in your goldfish.
Contaminated water can also spike harmful toxins, making your goldfish sick and lethargic.
You should perform a 30% water change weekly to keep your tank water clean.
You can also add a water filter to your goldish tank to maintain the tank’s water quality. A water filter also helps eliminate all the harmful toxins from the water.
| Particulars | Goldfish |
|---|---|
| Ammonia Level | 0-0.25ppm |
| Nitrate Level | 0-40ppm |
We advise you to check the ammonia levels in the tank with the help of a API Ammonia test kit as it provides accurate result
You can buy it from amazon API TEST KIT
Also read: Do Goldfish Need Filters?
Maintain adequate water parameters
You should maintain adequate water parameters in your goldfish tank to prevent such issues in your goldfish.
Sudden fluctuations in the water pH level can lead to several health issues in your goldfish.
| Particulars | Goldfish |
|---|---|
| Water Temperature | 68-74°F |
| PH Level | 7.5 |
Therefore, we advise you to provide adequate water parameters for your goldfish’s proper growth and well-being.
Also read: What Is The Ideal Water Temperature For Goldfish?
Provide stress-free environment
You should provide a stress-free environment in your tank for the well-being of your goldfish.
A stressful environment in the tank can stress your goldfish, making them turn lethargic.
You can develop a stress-free environment in the tank in the following ways:
- Improving the tank’s water quality
- Placing your goldfish with compatible tankmates
- Create hiding spots in the tank.
Also read: What To Do If My Goldfish Is Stressed?
Hiding spots can help your goldfish eliminate stress and stay active. You can use the following decors to create hiding spots in your goldfish tank.
- Aquarium rocks
- Aquarium Ornaments
- Driftwood
- Terra Cotta Pots
In addition, you can also add live aquatic plants in your goldfish tank as it helps keep the tank oxygenated and acts as a hiding spot for your goldfish.
Here are the live aquatic plants you can add to your goldfish tank for the well-being of your goldfish
- Java Moss
- Java Fern
- Cryptocoryne Plant
- Anubias (Anubias Barteri)
Therefore, we advise you to always provide a stress-free environment for your fish’s proper growth and development.
Also, read: Do Goldfish Need Hiding Places?
Avoid Overfeeding
Overfeeding can lead to several health issues for your goldfish. It can also lower the tank’s water quality, further causing a drop in the oxygen level.
Overfeeding can also lead to belly enlargement and fatty liver in your goldfish.
You should always provide the amount your goldfish can consume under
two minutes to avoid overfeeding.
Pair your goldfish with compatible tankmates
Goldfish are peaceful species that like to interact with their tank mates.
It would be best always to pair your goldfish with compatible tankmates to prevent such issues.
Pairing your goldfish with aggressive tankmates can lead to extreme aggression in the tank leading to several injuries to your goldfish.
Some best tankmates for your goldfish are as follows:
- Guppy
- Zebra Danios
- Snails
- Rosy Barbs
- Giant Danios
Therefore, we advise you to always place your goldfish with compatible tankmates for the well-being of your fish.
Also, read: Can Goldfish Live With Guppy?
Conclusion:
- Contaminated water plays a significant role in turning your goldfish lethargic.
- Aggressive tankmates, overfeeding, overcrowding, and excess liquid fertilizers can also make your goldfish lethargic.
- The sluggish behavior of your goldfish requires immediate attention as it indicates significant issues with your fish.
- You can prevent such issues for your goldfish by providing good water quality, adequate water parameters, and compatible tankmates to your goldfish.
- You should always provide a stress-free environment to your goldfish for their proper growth and development.
Reference: NCBI