As an aquarist watching your goldfish shaking in the tank must raise many questions in your head. So, why is your goldfish shaking? Is it normal for your goldfish to shake? Is there any treatment for shimmies in goldfish? Let us discuss this below:
Stress due to environmental problems can shake your goldfish. Environmental issues include overcrowding, inadequate water parameters, and contaminated water in the tank. Perform regular water changes, avoid overcrowding, and add hiding spots in the tank to prevent shimmies in goldfish.
In the below article, we will discuss the causes of shimmies in your goldfish. In addition to this, we will also discuss how to prevent shimmies in goldfish.
Contents
My goldfish is shaking
Stress due to environmental problems can cause shimmies in your goldfish.
There can be several reasons like an overcrowded tank, poor water quality, and high ammonia levels in the tank that can stress your goldfish, leading to shimmies in your goldfish.
It would be best to take immediate action once you discover your goldfish shaking in the tank.
Therefore, in the below article, we will discuss ways to prevent your goldfish from shaking in the tank.
Is it normal for your goldfish to shake?
Your goldfish shaking in the tank is not normal as it points out the unacceptable housing conditions.
Inadequate housing conditions can make your goldfish suffer from extreme stress, leading to the passing away of your fish.
You should always provide adequate housing conditions for the well-being of your goldfish.
What are the reasons behind your goldfish shaking in the tank?
Stress due to environmental problems is the primary reason behind shimmies in your goldfish.
There are many factors that can lead to stress in your goldfish. Some of them are as follows:
- Poor Water QualityÂ
- Inadequate Water Parameters
- High ammonia levels
- Introducing new goldfish to the tank
- Overcrowded tank
Poor Water Quality
Poor water quality is the common reason behind your goldfish shaking in the tank.
Contaminated water can lead to a drop in oxygen, making your goldfish stressed and gasp for air at the water surface.
Inadequate water conditions can also lead to other health issues like constipation in your goldfish.
Goldfish are messy fish that produce a lot of waste that can contaminate your tank’s water in no time, making a regular water change necessary for the well-being of your fish.
Inadequate Water Parameters
Inadequate water parameters are also why your goldfish is shaking in the tank.
Inadequate water parameters can shock your goldfish, making it vibrate in the tank.
Inadequate water parameters can also lead to significant health issues like dropsy in your fish.
High ammonia levels
The spike in the ammonia levels in the tank can also make your goldfish vibrate in the tank.
Leftovers, decayed plants, and fish waste can spike the tank’s ammonia levels, making your goldfish vibrate and suffer from severe health issues.
High ammonia levels in the tank can damage your goldfish’s gills, making it suffer from pain.
Introducing new goldfish to the tank
When you purchase a goldfish from a pet store and introduce it to your tank directly, it can lead to shock in your fish, eventually making them vibrate in the tank.
It is due to the sudden change in the water parameters. The water parameter of the tank in the pet store differs from the house aquarium.
Sudden changes in the water parameters can also lead to other health issues like stress in your goldfish.
Overcrowded Tank
An overcrowded tank can also make your goldfish vibrate in the tank.
An overcrowded tank leaves no room for your goldfish to swim freely, making them suffer from stress and vibrate in the tank.
Extreme stress can further lead to the passing away of your fish.
The above were some reasons behind your goldfish vibrating in the tank.
Can you treat shimmies in goldfish?
There is no treatment for shimmies in goldfish. However, you can prevent shimmies in your goldfish by providing suitable housing conditions.
Therefore it will be advisable not to make sudden changes in the tank once you discover your goldfish vibrating.
It is because sudden changes can worsen the situation for your goldfish.
How can you prevent your goldfish from shaking?
Here are the ways to prevent your goldfish from shaking:
- Provide Good Water Quality
- Avoid Overcrowding
- Provide Adequate Water Parameters
- Provide a stress-free environment for your fish.
Provide good water quality
You should provide good water quality to your goldfish to prevent shimmies in your fish.
Contaminated water can lead to severe health issues in your goldfish, eventually leading to the passing away of your fish.
It will be advisable to ensure regular water changes in your goldfish tank to prevent shimmies in your fish.
Also read: Can Goldfish Survive In Dirty Water?
Avoid overcrowding
You should avoid overcrowding your goldfish to prevent your fish from shaking.
An overcrowded tank can affect the growth of your fish, eventually leading to stress in your goldfish.
Always provide a suitable size tank for your goldfish for your fish’s proper growth and development.
Let us understand how many goldfish can you place in a 10 gallon tank in the below table:
| Types of Goldfish | Minimum Size | Maximum Size | In a 10-Gallon Tank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fantail Goldfish | 6 inches(15.24cm) | 8 inches(20.32cm) | 1-2 small goldfish |
| Common Goldfish | 4 inches(10.16cm) | 14 inches(35.56cm) | 1-2 small goldfish |
| Shubunkin Goldfish | 9 inches(22.86cm) | 18 inches(45.72cm) | 1 small goldfish |
| Sarasa Goldfish | 4 inches(10.16cm) | 14 inches(35.56cm) | 1-2 small goldfish |
| Comet Goldfish | 2 inches(5.08 cm) | 12 inches(30.48cm) | 1-2 small goldfish |
Also read: How Many Goldfish Can You keep In A 10-Gallon Tank?
Provide adequate water parameters
You should always provide adequate water parameters to your goldfish to prevent your fish from vibrating.
| Particulars | Goldfish |
|---|---|
| Water Temperature | 68-74°F |
| PH level | 7.5 |
- The ideal water temperature of goldfish is 68-74°F.
- Goldfish perform the best at a pH level of 7.5.
Inadequate water parameters can lead to severe health issues like swim bladder disease to your goldfish. Therefore, it will be advisable to provide adequate water parameters for the well-being of your goldfish.
Also read: What Is The Ideal Water Temperature For Goldfish?
Provide a stress-free environment for your fish
You should provide a stress-free environment for your goldfish to prevent your fish from shaking.
Placing your fish in a stressed environment can also affect the growth of your fish.
Extreme stress can further lead to the passing away of your goldfish.
Poor water quality, aggressive tankmates, inadequate water parameters, overcrowded tanks, and lack of hiding spots in the tank can lead to stress in your goldfish.
Therefore, it will be advisable to maintain a healthy environment in the aquarium for the well-being of your goldfish.
Also read: Are My Goldfish Stressed?
Conclusion:
- There can be several reasons like poor water quality, overcrowded tank, and aggressive tankmates behind your goldfish vibrating in the tank.
- It is not normal for your goldfish to shake as shimmies in your goldfish point toward the inadequate housing conditions.
- You cannot treat shimmies in goldfish but can improve the condition of your fish by providing suitable housing conditions.
- You can prevent shimmies in your goldfish by providing adequate water parameters, good water quality, and a stress-free environment for your goldfish.
Reference: NCBI,